New research shows more than half of the UK’s fastest-growing start-ups were founded by foreign-born entrepreneurs. Immigrant founders are the driving force behind the UK’s most dynamic young companies.
The study by The Entrepreneurs Network analyzed 100 young companies whose valuations saw the biggest rise in the year to May, based on investment rounds disclosed to Companies House, and found that 54% of founders were foreign-born, up from 39% in 2024 and the highest since the think tank began collecting data in 2019.
Eamonn Ives, the organisation’s research director, said the findings highlight the central role that migrant entrepreneurs play in the UK economy. “We see the disproportionate role foreign-born founders play at the top of the UK start-up ecosystem,” he said. “We should welcome them with open arms.”
The proportion of high-growth start-ups founded by first-generation immigrants far exceeds the total immigrant population in the UK, which stands at around 15%.
The data comes as the UK adjusts its immigration rules. From this month, graduates from 100 of the world’s leading universities can apply for the government’s new High Potential Individual visa, capped at 8,000 places per year. While industry groups have welcomed the move, they are calling on ministers to go further by expanding the scope of the Global Talent visa, reducing administrative costs and providing fast-track routes to permanent residency for exceptional founders and their families.
Several entrepreneurs highlighted in the report say the UK remains culturally open and supportive of foreign talent – but warn that the visa system is still tailored to large companies rather than nimble early-stage companies.
Teru Adachi, founder of cyber risk platform Aprio Technologies, moved from Japan in 2023 to open his company in London. “The business community here is diverse and open-minded, with a healthy respect for innovation,” he said. “But the procedures for applying for a visa are cumbersome for a small company. These rules are designed specifically for large companies.”
Other foreign-born founders behind high-growth UK startups include the teams at AI video company Synthesia, crypto company Deblock and sustainable fashion marketplace Cult Mia, founded by Lithuanian entrepreneur Nina Briance.
Immigration lawyer Nick Rollason, head of immigration at Kingsley Napley, said attracting high-quality founders must remain a national priority. “As competition for skills and ideas intensifies, the need for agile and forward-thinking reforms cannot be overemphasized,” he said.
The report warns that without a more accessible visa regime, the UK risks losing entrepreneurial talent to competing start-up hubs in the US and Europe.
