We're always trying to evolve and improve what we do, and that's the focus of this week's newsletter. You will find a link to our new article defining research and development in the context of the Innovator Founder Visa, along with an excellent article from Harriet providing some practical case studies describing innovation that is more evolutionary than revolutionary.
We also want your help in defining and shaping some of our future services around finance and investment. So, let's start there...
Please help by answering 4 short questions on investment
Whilst this is primarily relevant to current Innovator International members on the Innovator Founder Visa route, if you are a business founder who has secured investment then we would value your input please.
Please click below if you can help - and if you have secured, or are in the process of securing, investment:
Are you joining us TONIGHT?
Tonight, Thursday 13th August from 6-9pm, we're back at 1 Triton Square alongside Venture Café London, Tech Nation and Irwin Mitchell's immigration team. We are so pleased with the amount of people booked onto this one, it's going to be another memorable in person event!
And if you can't make it, don't worry, we'll be putting together a full recap article afterwards with photos from the evening, so you won't miss the highlights.
What constitutes R&D for the Innovator Founder Visa?
Many founders want to claim the R&D criteria when seeking ILR. They may also assume that because they are creating something new, they are automatically carrying out research and development (R&D). Unfortunately, that isn't the case.
For the purposes of the Innovator Founder route, research and development is not simply writing software, building a product or improving your own business. It is the process of solving technical or scientific uncertainty where the answer is not already obvious.
A useful way to think about R&D is this:
If a competent professional could solve the problem quickly using their existing knowledge, it probably doesn’t qualify as research and development in the context of the Innovator Founder Visa. If they would genuinely need to investigate, experiment, test ideas and overcome uncertainty, then it’s more likely to meet the required criteria.
Read our new guide to what constitutes R&D for the Innovator Founder Visa here:
... and while we're on the subject, want some examples?
If you missed it this week, Harriet compiled a fantastic article explaining more about what innovation means, with some excellent case studies and examples.
Very few of them include totally new inventions. None of them involve AI. And yet all three ended up on a list of products "paving the way for innovation" in their industries. That's exactly why we picked them apart in this week's article, because it's the question we get asked more than any other on the Innovator Founder journey: does my business actually have to be building the next big piece of technology to count as innovative?
Innovator International
More events in the pipeline
If your visa is coming up for renewal, we've got another free 30-minute webinar just for you. We highly recommend you attend these sessions regularly as they are incredibly helpful at assisting you when applying for your next endorsement. The session covers both ILR and same business routes.
And on Thursday 20th August at 10am we're hosting a welcome session for entrepreneurs, you will have received an individual zoom joining link in your welcome email or welcome pack.
Innovator International
Don't forget to be Social - now on X too!
We've now joined X. If you want another way to keep up with what we're doing, give us a follow (click our X account below):
Also, our Facebook group is buzzing - we're still relatively small, but growing quickly. Please join in the conversation here:
