In my previous blog, I confirmed that:
1. The Global Talent Visa in Digital Technology will not cease to exist after 31 March 2023. There will be a new endorsing body and who that will be will be announced at a later date.
2. Tech Nation will continue to accept new Global Talent endorsement applications and applicants should consider the route to be as open as normal and should continue to apply.
3. All previous endorsements remain valid.
NEW UPDATE FROM TECH NATION
In a statement dated 29 March 2023 on the Tech Nation website, they have said:
Having received and carefully evaluated dozens of expressions of interest, Tech Nation can confirm it has entered into discussions with Founders Forum Group (FF Group), a global community and group of businesses supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journeys.
In the last decade, Tech Nation has helped shape the trajectory and success of UK tech to be the number one digital economy in Europe and number three globally, valued at $1tn (16x growth in 10 years), employing 5m people (up from 2m in 2013), with over 20 places in the UK home to one tech unicorn or more. Additionally, a third of tech unicorns ever created in UK history have passed through one of its growth programmes.
Assuming both parties agree, FF Group would seek to continue Tech Nation’s legacy and plans to adopt the internationally renowned brand lineup into its existing portfolio of events and services tailored to entrepreneurs.
As a further update, Tech Nation continues to be in talks with the Home Office about the future of the Global Talent Visa route. In the meantime Tech Nation will continue to accept new Global Talent endorsement applications for the foreseeable future, until a new endorsing body is in place. Read the full statement here.
NEW UPDATE FROM THE HOME OFFICE
On 31 March 2023, the Home Office published a statement that said:
“From 31 March 2023, you’ll still be able to:
- use the Tech Nation website to continue an application you started
- start a new application
A new endorsing body will then take over from Tech Nation. Details will be published as soon as possible.
Importance of digital technology applications
We’re committed to maintaining a strong digital technology offer as part of the Global Talent visa. We’ll try to minimise disruption to those applying for the visa while a new endorsing body takes over from Tech Nation. We’ll provide a further update in the coming weeks.
Tech Nation, as the endorsing body for digital technology since April 2014, have developed criteria and assessed applications from a wide range of individuals who have benefited both their sector and the wider economy. We thank Tech Nation for their valuable work on the Global Talent visa and their willingness to continue to work with government as they wind down operations and as we start the next phase of the Global Talent visa for digital technology.”
Therefore please continue with your applications or if you want to start new applications, it has been advised that it is safe to do so.
Founders Forum Group are no stranger to the UK tech ecosystem. They have very much been a part of the UK tech sector with their programs and initiatives to help founders of tech startups and scale-ups as well as their network of investors. If you are worried about a new endorsing body that is set up to solely to help founders, Tech Nation was a very similar organisation. They endorsed 52% employees v 28% founders according to their 2020 Tech Nation report. Founders Factory, an organisation that helps startups and created by Founders Forum, are also the endorsing body for the Innovators visa so they are familiar with how endorsements work despite it being a different criteria for the UK Global Talent Visa. They are nevertheless familiar with guidelines and criteria and the endorsement process.
In the meantime, we still don’t know who the endorsing body will be, I will keep abreast of any developments and share further announcements and updates from Tech Nation or the Home Office. Subscribe here for my newsletter.
