Tech Nation’s Global Talent Visa Report 2022 reveals that international tech leaders are rolling into the UK and strengthening the sector.
2,500 individuals were endorsed by Tech Nation this year, from 5,000 applications that spanned over 100 countries. Nearly 25% of the endorsement recipients are founders, and the majority of the remaining recipients are high-value employees in the tech sector, in that they are key players that are pioneering progress in the field. 25% of those endorsed work in emerging areas of fintech, including AI, cybersecurity, and data.
The report reveals that 18% of all UK tech companies are founded by at least one non-UK national, and that that these global tech founders boost growth of the sector, as they raised nearly 23% (£8 billion) of all UK tech venture capital investments in 2021.
Tech Nation-endorsed Global Talent Visas have accounted for 659 grants for the first half of this year, more than were granted during of the entire 2021. In 2022, overseas investors funded 73% of UK tech.
Tech vacancies have increased in the last year, with 181,000 roles available as of May this year in comparison to 145,000 open positions in May 2021.
Gerard Grech, founding chief executive of Tech Nation, stated: “The UK’s record level of tech job vacancies demonstrates that the need for outside talent has never been greater. Even with our buoyant, currently well-funded and diverse ecosystem, the UK cannot afford to be complacent in our pursuit of international talent.”
Isaac Oladipupo, co-founder and CEO of Afrilearn, said: "I grew up with the dream to make a positive transgenerational impact by leveraging technology to build global brands, and I started working purposefully towards it very early. I developed a strong desire to empower myself with global exposure and world-class skills in a better economic system that I would normally not have access to back in Nigeria, and Tech Nation presented the timely opportunity to achieve this. Beyond its thriving tech ecosystem and great democratic values, the UK is a world-leading economy with the most welcoming environment for immigrants and tech talent globally.”
Tech Nation recently selected 35 startups founded by tech leaders from ethnic minorities in the UK for their Libra 2.0 programme.
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