For founders building a new, innovative, viable and scalable business in the UK — no fixed investment minimum.
Experienced entrepreneurs and start-up founders who have generated, or made a significant contribution to, a genuine business idea and intend to play a hands-on role running it in the UK. It replaced the older Innovator and Start-up routes for new applicants in April 2023.
You cannot apply without first securing endorsement from a Home Office-approved endorsing body, which assesses whether your business idea is:
Unlike the older Innovator route, there is no longer a fixed £50,000 minimum investment requirement. You still need to show sufficient funding and realistic financial planning to establish and grow the business, but there's no set figure to hit before applying.
Settlement is available after 3 continuous years on the route, provided the endorsing body confirms the business has genuinely progressed — evidence such as investment secured, customer growth, intellectual property milestones, or revenue can support this. This 3-year timeline is explicitly protected even under the government's wider proposal to extend settlement to 10 years for other routes.
No. The previous £50,000 minimum has been removed, though you must still show sufficient funding and realistic financial planning.
An approved Home Office endorsing body assesses whether your business idea is new, innovative, viable and scalable. Only a small number of bodies currently issue new endorsements.
After 3 continuous years, provided you meet the ongoing business-progress requirements — protected even under the wider proposed 10-year extension for other routes.
