X-Forces Enterprise (XFE) has announced a major expansion of its support for Armed Forces partners, launching a dedicated business start-up programme backed by funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust (AFCFT).
The move will establish a clear pathway for partners of serving personnel, and with corporate backing, partners of veterans and reservists, to access practical training, mentoring and peer support to start and grow their own businesses.
As part of the expansion, the Supporting the Unsung Hero (SUH) programme – long regarded as a trusted initiative for military families – will formally become part of the XFE portfolio. SUH will now act as the dedicated brand for all partner-focused training and enterprise support.
Addressing a long-standing gap in support
The new Supporting the Unsung Hero Business Start-Up Programme aims to bridge what XFE describes as a persistent lack of sustained enterprise support for Armed Forces partners, who often face interrupted careers due to frequent postings, deployments and relocations.
Over the next two years, the programme will:
- deliver XFE’s accredited start-up training tailored to the realities of military family life
- offer structured mentoring throughout the first year of trading
- host online and in-person networking events
- create a dedicated digital space for resources, knowledge exchange and peer connection
XFE says the package is designed to boost financial resilience, make better use of the skills partners already possess, and provide routes to meaningful work that can move with the family.
Strengthening economic resilience for Armed Forces families
XFE chief executive Ren Kapur MBE said the integration of the SUH programme, combined with new AFCFT funding, will allow the organisation to focus more directly on the needs of military partners.
“Enterprise can offer flexibility, independence and purpose,” she said. “Our goal is not only to help partners build sustainable businesses but to support the long-term resilience and wellbeing of Armed Forces families.”
Sarah Walker, who founded SUH and now serves as XFE’s training and development manager, said the expansion will give partners more opportunities to develop their ambitions. She highlighted plans for the first in-person networking event solely for partners in early 2026.
Free access for serving families, wider access with corporate support
Funding from the Armed Forces Covenant Fund Trust will ensure that partners of serving personnel can access the new programme at no cost. Additional support from Landmarc Solutions will extend places to partners of veterans and reservists.
The expanded programme forms part of XFE’s wider mission to support the Armed Forces community into self-employment and business ownership, and to strengthen the economic contribution of military families across the UK and overseas.
