10:00 am - 3:00 pm 08/01/2025

Innovator Founder Endorsing Body Winter Workshop

Date & Time: 8 January 2025 10.00am to 3.00pm (Lunch at 12.00pm)

 Venue: University College London, BaseKX, 103c Camley Street, London, N1C 4PF

This workshop, hosted by the Envestors team, will feature four key sessions focusing on Innovator visa endorsement policies, business planning, and start-up support. The event aims to provide university enterprise teams with the latest updates on visa requirements, insights into business plan assessments, and additional resources for supporting student and graduate entrepreneurs.

Session 1: Policy Update Since the launch of the new visa endorsement route in April, Envestors, as an endorsing body, has had the opportunity to hold monthly catch-up meetings with the Home Office. These meetings allow us to discuss individual cases and seek guidance on specific endorsement-related issues. We will cover the key changes, including the switch from the Start-up route to the Innovator Founder route, updated criteria, and required documents. The session will also address the extension process for businesses under the previous route and how current Graduate Visa holders can transition to an endorsement of the Innovator Founder route. This session will provide university enterprise teams with the latest policy updates and guidance from one of the endorsing bodies to support their students effectively.

Session 2: Business Plan Writing Workshop This session will focus on the essentials of writing a business plan that meets the requirements of the Innovator Founder visa route. We will use Envestors’ online business plan as a practical example to explain how each section is assessed against the criteria. This hands-on workshop will equip participants with a clear understanding of how to craft a business plan that meets visa endorsement standards.

Session 3: Success Stories and Pitfalls In this session, we will present real-life case studies showcasing both successful and unsuccessful visa applications. These examples will highlight what an ideal application looks like from the perspective of an endorsing body. By sharing key insights into common mistakes and successful strategies, this session will help participants better understand the critical factors that determine application outcomes.

Session 4: Additional Start-up Support As a firm that has been helping start-ups grow since 2004, Envestors has a wealth of experience and expertise in supporting businesses through their early stages. This session will explore the additional resources and guidance we provide to help businesses scale up, with a focus on long-term success beyond visa applications. We will outline the support available for start-ups, including mentorship, investment readiness, and growth strategies.

Session 5: University Contributions and Challenges This final session invites universities to share their experiences in helping students and graduates navigate the visa application process. Universities will discuss the most challenging areas they face, and we will explore how Envestors can offer targeted support to overcome these difficulties. This collaborative session aims to foster a stronger partnership between endorsing bodies and university enterprise teams.

The workshop will provide a valuable opportunity for university enterprise teams to gain in-depth knowledge on visa policies, business plan development, and support services for start-ups. Attendees will leave with actionable insights and resources to enhance their support for student and graduate entrepreneurs.

The university enterprises have repeatedly inquired about the Innovator Business Founder Endorsement application process over the past year, particularly regarding the business plan template we ask applicants to complete for assessment. We believe that hosting a session will help them better understand our process in detail, enabling them to better prepare and support their students’ applications. Ultimately, this will improve the quality of submissions and increase the overall success rate of applications.

Envestors Speakers

Scott Haughton – MBEB Concession Lead, COO of  Envestors
Doris Zhang –  Innovator Business Founder Endorsement Assessor, Investment Manager
Michael North – Head of Community & Partnerships
Alex Godber – Innovator Business Founder Endorsement Assessor, Investment Account Executive

Cost to attend

Free for EEUK Members

£125 for Non members

Attendee details