EN
Translate:
EN
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
EN
Translate:
EN
Signed in as:
filler@godaddy.com
Investor & Builder of Businesses














Building, Scaling & Investing since 2009
Gérard is an entrepreneur, investor, and football leader with nearly two decades experience building and scaling businesses across sport, education, and technology.
He founded his first business in 2009, growing it into one of the Top 100 Best Business Startups in the UK 2010 (Startups100 list). This early success led to multiple entrepreneurship awards and his appointment as an Entrepreneurship Ambassador for Enterprise UK, where he delivered talks in schools, colleges, and universities while supporting businesses throughout the UK. Enterprise UK was a national charity chaired by BBC Dragon Peter Jones and backed by the UK’s leading business membership organisations.
His first company, Gérard School of Football, was an innovative grassroots coaching school delivering football and life coaching programmes across primary and secondary education in Hull & East Yorkshire, later establishing the region’s largest Advanced Development Centre network. The business evolved into Gérard Jones Enterprises, operating coach education and player development programmes globally, generating over $5 million in combined revenues. GSF also owned and operated an Arsenal Soccer Schools franchise, part of one of the world’s largest soccer school programs and secured partnerships and funding from multi-billion pound organisation British Land PLC through St Stephen's Shopping Center.
In the United States, Gérard has held senior leadership roles within high-performance sporting organisations, including Sporting Kansas City, where he played a key role in the creation and growth of the club’s own MLS Academy Affiliate youth soccer ecosystem. As Director of Coaching, he launched Sporting City North, a brand new for-profit youth club in 2022, generating over $1.2M in revenues within the first 12 months, operating from a $35M world-class training complex, delivering year-on-year growth across participation, programmes, and player development over a three year period. His leadership saw increase and retention in staff and players, and contributed to the city group "Sporting City SC" becoming one of the largest youth soccer clubs in Kansas City with nearly 1700 players.
Gérard has founded and led multiple successful organisations:
ULEARNBLY (CoachesClubhouse) launched in 2021, has become an alumni of the NatWest Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator programme and the Cambridge University Impulse Accelerator, securing grant funding from EU Regional Development Funds and other innovation organisations, and formed strategic partnerships with universities and organisations internationally.
As an Investor, Gérard has supported a small number of technology-led startups as an early-stage investor, primarily through equity crowdfunding and long-term holdings.
Today, Gérard combines his experience in business building, investment, and high-performance sport to back innovation, support founders, and develop ventures with long-term impact.

The Great British Entrepreneur Awards, often referred to as the “Grammys of Entrepreneurship,” celebrates the achievements of the UK's most dynamic and innovative businesses.
ULEARNBLY (CoachesClubhouse) featured in the 2024 shortlist among a series of outstanding companies, with the awards finalists showcasing a combined turnover of nearly £2.9 billion and employing approximately 20,000 people, highlighting the critical role these businesses play in driving economic growth and innovation.

Gérard Jones and ULEARNBLY (CoachesClubhouse) were inducted into the prestigious Natwest Bank Entrepreneur Accelerator Programme, a six month programme for entrepreneurs with high growth businesses who are looking to scale up. NatWest Bank is one of the largest banks in the UK, provided mentoring, access to funding, facilities and resources to scale up

Gérard Jones & ULEARNBLY (CoachesClubhouse) were inducted into the Sixth edition of the prestigious IMPULSE Accelerator programme, a 12-week intensive learning programme to support entrepreneurs in commercialising innovative ideas in high growth technology companies. Originally created to nurture the brilliant minds of international academia, the Impulse programme offers leading and early-stage entrepreneurs, researchers and businesses the opportunity to develop high-potential, innovative ideas into successful tech companies.
Rich in history, Cambridge is consistently ranked among the most prestigious universities in the world, with the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2022 placing Cambridge fifth, performing particularly well in research impact and international outlook.

Gérard Jones was awarded the prestigious JCI UK Ten Outstanding Young Persons 2014 Award for entrepreneurialism for his work with GSF and Gérard Jones Enterprises, with past winners including former U.S. President John F. Kennedy, business guru Tony Robbins, and Elvis Presley.

The Institute for Public Policy and Research (IPPR) North created a list of the Top 50 Brightest and most talented people in the North of England, published online and in the Northern Echo newspaper, with Gérard named among the Region's rising stars by the think-tank. The list featured one's to watch from the world's of business, academia, public service, politics, culture, the arts and social and community action. Gérard was famously listed for his work with GSF in developing young people, addressing issues with mental health etc alongside Andy Clarke, the then CEO of Asda, Marc Duschenes of Braemar Group and notable others

Featured in a list among the Top 6 entrepreneurs throughout Yorkshire by the Clydsdale & Yorkshire Bank magazine 'Journal' which is published by Condé Nast - world's famous publishers of magazines GQ, The New Yorker, Vanity Fair etc.

Gérard whilst founder of GSF and Director of Arsenal Soccer Schools franchise, was interviewed by The Guardian/Observer newspaper and listed among the Top 7 Young Entrepreneurs to watch in 2011

Gérard Jones was awarded the Future 100 Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2010 awarded by Striding Out, sponsored by Natwest Bank for his entrepreneurial growth of start-up GSF and it's impact on children and young people throughout Yorkshire

GSF was listed among the Top 100 Best Business Startups in the UK in 2010 for the growth of the startup's football coaching school

Awarded Ambassador status for Enterprise in the UK by the UK Government charity - Enterprise UK which was Chaired by BBC Dragon's Den Star Peter Jones CBE following Gérard Jones's entrepreneurial success with start-up company Gérard School of Football Ltd (GSF). This saw Gérard deliver talks throughout the UK to schools, organisations and universities about 'entrepreneurialism' and support global enterprise events throughout Yorkshire

Verv
Smart Energy & AI
An award-winning smart home energy company using patented AI-driven technology to help households better understand, manage, and reduce energy consumption, drawing data straight from the mains electricity and the insights are delivered via a smartphone application.
Since 2010, Verv has raised over $21m in funding from institutional and crowdfunding investors. Verv has a current estimated valuation of around $48m, with offices in UK and US

Small Robot Company
Agri-Tech & Robotics
A UK-based agri-technology startup focused on transforming farming through autonomous robots and artificial intelligence, aiming to reduce chemical use and improve sustainability in food production. Despite Small Robot Company raising around £11m
across multiple rounds including follow-on investments via Crowdcube and grants, the company ceased trading in 2024
after being unable to secure the additional capital required to scale its operations. It once had a market valuation of £19.6m

Uniti Sweden
Electric Vehicles & Clean Mobility
A Swedish electric vehicle startup developing ultra-light, energy-efficient urban EVs designed to challenge conventional automotive manufacturing models. Dubbed the “Tesla for megacities” by Business Insider, unfortunately the company was unable to secure further investment despite Uniti raising $4.3m across five investment rounds from various investors and crowd-funding. It was once had a market valuation of £105m
Gérard is a minority investor in early-stage tech companies
Copyright © 2025 ULEARNBLY LLC | Email: gerard@gerardschooloffootball.com