Immigrant founders are the driving force behind Britain’s most dynamic young companies, according to new research showing that more than half of the UK’s fastest-growing start-ups were founded by entrepreneurs born overseas.
The study by The Entrepreneurs Network analysed 100 early-stage companies that saw the sharpest rise in their valuations 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 level since the think tank began tracking the data in 2019.
Eamonn Ives, the organisation’s research director, said the findings underline the pivotal role migrant entrepreneurs play in the UK economy. “We see the sheer disproportionate role foreign-born founders play at the summit of Britain’s start-up ecosystem,” he said. “We should be welcoming them with open arms.”
The share of high-growth start-ups founded by first-generation immigrants far exceeds the UK’s overall immigrant population, which stands at around 15%.
The data arrives as Britain adjusts its immigration rules. From this month, graduates from 100 top global universities can apply for the government’s new High Potential Individual visa, capped at 8,000 places a year. While industry bodies have welcomed the move, they are urging ministers to go further by expanding the scope of the Global Talent visa, lowering administrative costs and offering accelerated pathways to permanent residence 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 the visa system is still tailored to large companies rather than nimble, early-stage firms.
Teru Adachi, founder of cyber-risk platform Aprio Technologies, relocated from Japan to launch his business in London in 2023. “The business community here is diverse and open-minded, with a healthy respect for innovation,” he said. “But the procedures for sponsoring a visa are onerous for a small firm. These rules were designed with large corporates in mind.”
Other foreign-born founders behind high-growth British start-ups include the teams at AI video company Synthesia, crypto business 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-calibre founders must remain a national priority. “With competition for skills and ideas intensifying, the need for agile and forward-looking reforms cannot be overstated,” 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.
