United Kingdom Innovator Founder Residency Route
The UK Innovator Founder visa is the primary route for globally minded entrepreneurs who want to build and scale innovative businesses in one of the world’s leading financial and technology hubs. This is a residency-by-entrepreneurship pathway, not a classic “citizenship by investment” program.
Route type: Entrepreneur residency
Initial visa duration: 3 years
Pathway: Potential settlement (ILR) after 3 years *
Minimum investment: No fixed minimum in rules **
Why base your venture in the UK?
The United Kingdom remains one of the world’s premier destinations for business, finance, technology and higher education. London is a leading global financial centre, while cities such as Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh and Cambridge host thriving startup and innovation ecosystems.
Founders benefit from a mature legal system, access to capital, deep talent pools, respected universities and unparalleled connectivity to Europe, North America, the Middle East and Asia. For entrepreneurial families, the UK also offers world-class schooling, healthcare and a diverse, multicultural society.
What is the Innovator Founder route?
Introduced in 2023, the Innovator Founder route replaced earlier “Start-up” and “Innovator” visas. It is designed for entrepreneurs who want to establish and actively run an innovative, viable and scalable business in the UK, endorsed by an approved endorsing body.
Unlike classic investor programs, this route does not simply exchange capital for residency or citizenship. Instead, it recognises founders who bring new products, services or business models that have genuine growth potential and a credible UK-market strategy.
Key benefits of the UK Innovator Founder route
While not a citizenship-by-investment program, the Innovator Founder visa offers a compelling combination of business opportunity and long-term residency potential for serious entrepreneurs.
Global business hub, vibrant lifestyle
From London’s financial district and historic landmarks to modern technology clusters and creative industries, the UK offers founders a sophisticated environment in which to build and scale ambitious ventures.
Core framework of the Innovator Founder route
The Innovator Founder visa is built around three core concepts: innovation, viability and scalability. Your business must be endorsed by a UK-approved endorsing body that confirms:
- The business idea is genuinely innovative and not a duplicate of existing offerings.
- The plan is viable, with realistic financials and a credible strategy.
- The concept has clear potential for job creation and regional or international growth.
- You are actively involved as a founder and capable of delivering the plan.
There is no fixed minimum capital requirement in the immigration rules, but your plan and funding must be coherent and sufficient for the scale of your business.
Who can apply?
The Innovator Founder route is suitable for serious entrepreneurs ready to commit to building their business in the UK.
- Applicants aged 18 or over.
- Endorsement from an approved UK endorsing body.
- Clear, detailed business plan for an innovative, viable and scalable business.
- Active day-to-day role in developing and running the company.
- Ability to meet English language requirements (typically at CEFR level B2).
- Sufficient personal maintenance funds, especially when applying from outside the UK.
Visa rules and endorsing body policies are updated periodically. VisaVoy will confirm current requirements and documentation during your personalised assessment.
How the UK Innovator Founder process works
VisaVoy works alongside UK-based partners and authorised professionals to structure your Innovator Founder application from first concept to visa approval and beyond.