Another busy week here at Innovator International. We've got a new face joining the team, an in-person evening event happening tonight (if you're anywhere near Manchester), and a brand new ILR Founder Story taking shape behind the scenes. Here's what's been going on...
A warm welcome to Sue!
We are delighted to introduce Sue Lees, the newest member of our administration team at Innovator International. Sue will be managing our info@ email account, so don't be surprised to see her name in your inbox over the coming weeks. She brings extensive experience in PA and administrative support, and will be working closely with the wider team whenever extra expert help is needed.
Down the line, we will also be welcoming Sue's own business to our supplier network, so if you could use some extra PA support of your own, she'll be a brilliant person to speak to. Please join us in giving Sue a warm welcome to the Innovator International family!
Meet us in Manchester TONIGHT
If you're anywhere near Manchester this evening, do come and find us. We're proud to be sponsoring this week's Thursday Gathering with Venture Café Manchester, Growing Northern Food Futures: Manchester's AgTech Pioneers.
The event brings together founders, researchers and innovators who are rethinking how we grow, produce and distribute food, from biotech breakthroughs to the practical realities of scaling in agriculture. There's a pitch showcase featuring four ventures tackling everything from sustainability to food security, plus a founder roundtable digging into the honest, unfiltered side of startup life: fundraising, hiring, and everything in between.
Our Operational Lead James will be there on the night, so if you'd like to say hello, come and find him. As always with our in person events it's the perfect opportunity to network, connect, share ideas and make new friends.
All the details, including venue address for the event, can be found here:
Save the date: London, 13 August
Mark your calendars as we will be back in London on 13 August, joining Venture Café London and Tech Nation back at 1 Triton Square. You are always asking when our next in person events are taking place and we know why - they're always so much fun, memorable and key for those networking opportunities which is why we have organised another one next month.
Whether you're currently on the Innovator or Global Talent visa routes, or you're exploring your options, this is an opportunity to meet people who understand the journey. You'll hear from the Innovator International and Tech Nation teams, alongside founders who are currently on the Innovator Founder and Global Talent routes, as well as those who have successfully completed them and gone on to build thriving businesses and careers in the UK.
Click below to find out more and to get your free ticket now:
Innovator International
What should we cover next?
We love hearing from you, and this feels like the perfect moment to ask: what would you like our next live webinar to cover?
Over the past few months we've tackled everything from Getting Your Business Started and How Do You Evidence Demand For A Project? to deeper dives like About Executive Guides and What Is Innovation Parts I and II. We've also opened up the floor for Answering Your Innovator Founder Visa Questions, introduced Pulse Accelerate, and most recently sat down for Building Your Business In Britain.
If you missed any of these, don't worry. You can catch up on the full recordings and recaps any time over on Pulse, just head to our Past Events page and pick up right where you left off.
But now we want to look ahead. Is there a stage of the founder journey we haven't unpacked yet? A specific visa question that's been on your mind? Something about scaling, hiring, or settling into UK life that deserves its own session?
Send Harriet an email to tell us what topic you'd love to see on the calendar next. The best ideas from our community often become the webinars everyone ends up talking about - harriet@innovatorinternational.com
Innovator International
Founder Stories are always in the works
Behind the scenes, our Comms and Socials Lead Harriet has been busy working on our next Founder Story, with a few more already lined up and waiting in the wings. If you've read any of our Founder Stories so far, you'll know these are honest conversations about what it actually takes to build something meaningful: the doubts, the pivots, the 3am decisions, but mainly the moments that make it all worth it.
We started this series because founder journeys deserve to be heard, not just the wins, but the messy middle too. And we're always looking for the next one to tell.
If you're on your own journey with Innovator International and want to share your story, get in touch with Harriet directly at harriet@innovatorinternational.com. You don't need to have made it yet. Some of our best stories come from founders who are still figuring things out.
Harriet Fuller
Our new Facebook group is growing - if you haven't already joined please do so, we can't wait to see it buzzing with great conversations and advice, click the image below to find us there!
