UK Start-up Visa Funding

I'd like to point you to an issue of funding for Start-up Visas that we could help with.

In order to get a Start-up Visa, you need to be endorsed by an Endorsing Body. The Endorsing Bodies have over a period of time changed their business model with regard to Start-up Visas. Now, virtually all of them require some sort of a fee for training or similar support. After you pay your fees, you also have to commit to joining some programme, which will give you further training. These costs could easily reach between £5,000 and £15,000, maybe even more, depending on which endorsement body you're using.

We still use the endorsement body which is satisfied with a small amount of equity. So you need to have the money to pay those fees, even though the visa itself says that you don't need to provide any money. Indeed, you also need to provide funding to take your idea to the stage where it could be endorsed as an innovation.

For the purposes of the Innovator Visa, what that means is you need money. Now some people have a sufficient amount of funding to do it, but others don't. So what we've done, which I think is quite unusual and unique is that we now have made arrangements with one of our clients who is prepared to invest up to £10,000 in suitable startups to cover these early stage costs in return for a minimal amount of equity. These can be repurchased after a short period of time. So that's a very attractive proposition, but they won't just give the money to anybody.

They want to see our recommendation that the startup is a little bit different from what I might call an average startup and which has potential. If we are able to give that certification, then our clients are prepared to provide up to £10,000. And this could make a major difference in paying the fees of the endorsement body and enabling you to reach the innovator stage.

If that might be of interest to you then do get in touch with us and we can see whether it's possible to get you that funding when your plan has been endorsed. And of course, the fact that we could put in your business plan that you've been approved for that sort of funding will add credibility to your application.