Tech Nation to relaunch with £10bn funding pledge

Cutting edge start-ups will benefit from more than £10bn of private investment over the next five years under plans to relaunch the Tech Nation brand.

Now operating as part of Founders Forum Group, Tech Nation – the growth platform for tech companies – has announced goals to facilitate the investment by 2028.

Carolyn Dawson, London Tech Week lead and CEO of Founders Forum Group, unveiled the plans as part of a keynote address at the official opening of Birmingham Tech Week.

Dawson laid out her vision for the expanded future of the start-up champion, including the ambition to facilitate £10bn of investment and a commitment to ensuring half of Tech Nation’s UK start-up network is based outside the capital.

Backed by Motability Operations, Tech Nation will also launch a first-of-its-kind community for disabled founders or founders building technologies for the disabled community.

The formerly government funded organisation has played a pivotal role in the UK tech ecosystem since it first launched in 2014. 30% of all UK tech unicorns ever created have participated in Tech Nation programmes, with alumni including Skyscanner, Darktrace, Monzo, Revolut, Wise and Farfetch.

Dawson said: “The new Tech Nation will be the champion of the start-up scene – advocating for its needs, supporting international reach and fuelling the investment that will create the next generation of unicorns.

“We will help start-ups from Inverness to Eastbourne to develop global reach, finding opportunities, investment and advice across from Europe, North America and Asia. And we will facilitate £10 billion of private investment into start-ups in the next five years.”

Tech Nation will also retain the role of serving as an endorsing partner for the Home Office on the Global Talent Visa. Plans are also underway to launch a suite of opportunities for international talent after they have entered the UK.

The new Tech Nation will also benefit from access to Founders Forum Group’s extensive global tech ecosystem of corporate partners and investors, further supporting business growth.

Founders Forum Group co-founder and chair, Brent Hoberman said: “The time is ripe for a new champion for the most exciting new businesses. We will fight for their needs, not only by representing the interests of founders with government, but also by helping them to build connections and grow from start-up to scale-up.

“In a tough funding environment, we will help the UK continue its momentum as the European magnet for technology entrepreneurs.”
Tech Nation will also be supported by HSBC Innovation Banking, which is serving as a founding partner, supporting across Tech Nation initiatives.

To date, over 40 cohorts and more than 1,300 companies have participated in Tech Nation’s growth programmes. Since 2014, participants have gone on to raise £28.1bn after attending a Tech Nation scheme.