Leading multi-channel broadcaster UKTV has today announced it has invested in Rest Less, the UK's fastest growing digital platform for people aged 50 and older, using its multi-million-pound investment fund, UKTV Ventures.
With over 1 million members in the UK, Rest Less is a digital platform and advocate designed to support midlifers to get the most out of life. Through a digital platform and mobile app, Rest Less offers a comprehensive range of services and resources specifically tailored to the needs of people aged over 50, covering travel, jobs and careers, money and pensions, health, dating, lifelong learning, and much more.
Founded in 2018 by Stuart Lewis and Sara Stephens in response to seeing their family members experience a lack of support for midlife career moves and transitioning into retirement, Rest Less also champions age inclusion and challenges ageist stereotypes – both in the workplace and in life in general.
UKTV Ventures’ £1.5 million “airtime-for-equity” investment has seen Rest Less launch a TV advertising campaign, running through to 2026, on UKTV’s seven linear channels – U&Dave, U&W, U&GOLD, U&alibi, U&DRAMA, U&YESTERDAY, and U&eden. Rest Less will benefit from access to an audience of over 25 million viewers a month and in return, UKTV will gain an equity stake in the business.
Stuart Lewis, Co-Founder and CEO of Rest Less, said: “The population of people aged 50 and older is growing rapidly and yet is chronically ignored and underserved. Our mission at Rest Less is to change that for our members by providing access to the services, resources and opportunities to get the most out of life. We’re delighted to partner with Brendan and the team at UKTV to launch a new TV campaign so more midlifers hear about the benefits of joining the Rest Less community in 2025.”
Brendan Kilcawley, Director of UKTV Ventures, said: “Stuart, Sara and their team at Rest Less have created a fantastic platform and resource, bringing countless benefits to their growing community of over 50s, across every area of their lives – from travel, work and finances to health and learning. We’re confident that the Rest Less platform and proposition will resonate with many midlife viewers across the UKTV network, especially as they look to take on new adventures, find new interests, or make life-changes for the new year.”
UKTV Ventures is committed to helping companies new to TV advertising build their brand and scale through TV advertising. Similar to venture capital, UKTV Ventures is a funding model which invests airtime, instead of cash, in burgeoning high-growth companies looking to accelerate their growth. UKTV Ventures’ deal with Rest Less follows their recent investments with online care marketplace Elder, online raffle company Raffolux, plastic free shampoo bar company KinKind, and a follow-on investment with dog GPS tracker company Pit Pat.
-ENDS-
For more information please contact:
Yvette Dore, Corporate Communications Manager, UKTV
About Rest Less
Rest Less (restless.co.uk) launched in early 2019 and is a digital community for people in their 50s, 60s and beyond. Rest Less is on a mission to help its members get more out of life and offers content guidance and resources on topics spanning Jobs and Careers, Volunteering, Learning, Money, Health and Lifestyle and Dating.
About UKTV Ventures
UKTV Ventures is UKTV's multi-million-pound investment fund which offers high-growth start-ups an opportunity to enter the TV advertising market in exchange for a minority stake in their company. This is described as airtime-for-equity.
UKTV Ventures
About UKTV
UKTV has been at the forefront of branded television for over 30 years, entertaining the nation with programmes they love. Its leading brands – U&Dave, U&DRAMA, U&W, U&YESTERDAY, U&eden, U&GOLD and U&alibi - span comedy, entertainment, natural history, factual and drama, and are delivered to UK viewers through free streaming service U, Sky, Virgin Media, NOW, Freeview, Freesat and Freely; and to Irish viewers through Sky, Virgin Media, Eir, Vodafone and NOW. Channel & content availability varies by platform. UKTV’s content is also available to UK viewers via dedicated FAST channels on Samsung TV Plus, Amazon Freevee, Pluto TV and Virgin Media. UKTV is a significant investor in British creativity and is committed to working with new and established writers, directors and programme-makers. The broadcaster is part of BBC Studios, the UK's most-awarded production company, a world-class distributor with international branded services, and a commercial subsidiary of the world's leading public service broadcaster, the BBC.
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