A few days ago London Tech Week 2025 brought together voices from across the worldwide tech ecosystem to explore a question that keeps on being asked: how to move to the UK, how to start a great digital business and how to scale it?
Redfern Legal LLP had the pleasure of addressing these questions during UK-Latin America Tech Forum 2025 at London’s Kings Cross Google campus and at the Breakfast Briefing at Santander’s London HQ in conjunction with the Department for Business and Trade .
Prior to the start of London Tech Week 2025, Tech Nation, a leading growth platform in the UK that supports tech entrepreneurs, their teams and endorses Global Talent applications for those who strive to get Global Talent visa, provided us with some impressive statistics. The Tech Nation Report 2025 – Tech Nation shows that the UK tech sector has reached a combined market valuation of $1.2 trillion in 2025, cementing its place as the number one tech ecosystem in Europe. London accounts for 59% of the UK tech sector’s total value. UK tech startups have raised more than $7b in VC investment in Q1 2025, including the biggest first quarter fundraise of the past three years. Ten new UK unicorns were born in 2024, including Flo Health Inc., Quantinuum, and Wayve, and two were produced in H1 2025, AI drug discovery startup Isomorphic Labs and biotech company, Verdiva Bio.
If you are considering moving to the UK to start your tech business or scale the overseas one, the Global Talent visa route could be the best option for you and your lead personnel.
What you should know about the Global Talent visa?
The Global Talent Visa allows top tech talent worldwide to contribute to the UK’s digital technology sector without being bound to a specific role, company, or job offer.
Once you are granted the Global Talent visa, you have the right to work in the UK, be self-employed, contribute to society through voluntary work or study (subject to the ATAS). Note you cannot be employed as a professional sportsperson or as a sports coach.
Who decides whether you are talented?
The only endorsing body for digital technology section in the UK is Tech Nation. Tech Nation is the official Home Office designated endorsing body authorised to assess endorsement applications from individuals with expertise in digital technology and who want to come to the UK under the Global Talent visa.
In May 2025 the Home Office awarded Tech Nation with a new contract which will last for at least 3 years.
This is the first in a series of 3 blogs on the subject of the Global Talent visa.
Yulia Gutkovich email: ygutkovich@redfernlegal.com
