Innovator Visa endorsing bodies list

Getting endorsement for an Innovator visa 

To receive endorsement for your business idea to apply for an Innovator visa, it’s imperative that your business idea is:

• Innovative – an entirely new idea, product or service to the market
• Viable – you bring the skills and resources to make your idea work long term
• Scalable – is the idea able to grow, reach international markets and facilitate job creation?

You must also fulfil many personal criteria as an applicant: 

• 18 years of age or older
• Have £50,000 of investment
• At least £1,270 in your personal bank account for 90 consecutive days before you apply (this is to show you can support yourself in the UK without access to public funds)
• English at a B2 level, either by passing an English Language Test with a registered provider or by showing proof of your degree-level academic study

Applying to an endorsement body 

Endorsing bodies are a key part of the Innovator visa application process; without endorsement, you cannot continue with the application process. Each endorsing body will be specialised in a certain way, perhaps by field or location. There are many different criteria the organisation may want their potential entrepreneurs to meet.

Depending on the body, they may categorise potential investments based on:

• Location, for example they may request the applicant relocate to and base their business from a specific region or city in the UK
• Type of business or sector, for example science, technology, finance etc
• Whether you are already on one of their incubator or accelerator programs
• Time, they may only allow applications during certain months or all year round

Some examples from the Innovator visa endorsing bodies list

It is really important to only contact an endorsement body with your covering letter and business plan and proposal for investment. According to the Home Office website, neither the government nor the endorsement bodies themselves will respond to any speculative information requests.

You should check the full list of government approved endorsement bodies before making any decisions on which body to apply to. There, you can get the most up to date list of bodies and see their websites for full details.

Blue Orchid 

• Based in Liverpool
• Invest in businesses in the North West
• They accept Innovator visa endorsement applications all year round
• Work across all sectors
• Will only invest in those who are working with their client base

Emsworth Corporate Planning 

• Prepared to work across all sectors but are looking for “dynamic and disruptive companies”
• Based in Hampshire but are open to businesses UK-wide
• Open for applications all year round
• Applicants must sign up to their mentoring service for a fee

Fashion Angel 

• Based in London
• Interested in working with fashion and textile-orientated businesses
• Endorses businesses nationwide
• Applicants must be on their mentoring scheme or business support program

Britbots

• Support and fund British-based robotics and artificial intelligence companies and start-ups
• Based in East Anglia but open to investing nationwide
• Accept applications all year round
• They have multiple funding opportunities but all applicants must apply to the mentoring program

What happens if my application gets rejected? 

If your application for endorsement and your business plan is rejected by your chosen endorsement body, you cannot apply again with the same business plan. In these circumstances, you must find a different body to apply to or start again with a fresh proposal.  

How the Immigration Advice Service can help you 

The application process for an Innovator visa can be time-consuming and difficult. If you have an innovative and exciting new business idea, ensure you make the highest standard visa application to match by talking to our professional specialist team of immigration lawyers. With decades of experience making applications for individuals to come to the UK, you can be sure our team will handle your case with the utmost care and attention.

Depending on your needs, you can find a service package that will suit you. Firstly, we can provide our high-quality services remotely, so as a South African national you will be in no way disadvantaged from receiving the professional immigration advice you require. You can make an appointment with one of our friendly advisors, who will then assess your case and make an appointment with the right lawyer for your individual circumstances. We know making the decision to bring your business and entrepreneurship to the UK is very important, and working with the right lawyer can help to make the transition as smooth and stress-free as possible.

If you’d like to find out more about our services and how we can help you apply for an Innovator visa, or any other visa category, call our team on 0333 305 9375.