Your visa application isn't the problem. Your business is.
Founder Visa — we build endorsement-grade businesses for founder and startup visa programs across the UK, Canada, Australia, Singapore, Dubai, and Europe. Most applications fail because the venture isn't yet endorsement-ready, not because of paperwork.
UK, Canada, UAE, Singapore, Australia, EU — live playbooks, not brochures.
Ventures built since 2022
150+
Across HealthTech, AI, EdTech, SaaS and D2C — visa cases and ordinary companies alike.
On-ground teams
3 continents
Gurugram, Ajman and Singapore — the people who set your company up work there.
If we can't agree a plan
Fee credited
Two weeks to a route, a diagnostic and a 12-month plan — or you pay nothing.
The first two weeks
Two weeks to decide, on us.
In the first fortnight we run the route diagnostic, map the endorsing body most likely to back you, audit your evidence gaps, and produce a 12-month plan. If we can't agree that plan is achievable — or if we don't think you should apply at all — your fee is credited in full.
We would rather tell you no in week two than take you to a refusal in month nine.
Global visa coverage
Operational across every major founder‑visa route.
Wherever in the world you want to build, we develop the endorsement-grade case for it.
Innovative founders ready to build, not just apply.
Startup founders
Tech entrepreneurs
AI startups
SaaS businesses
EdTech
FinTech
HealthTech
Sustainability startups
Professionals turning founder
Why applications fail
It's rarely the paperwork.
Most founder-visa refusals come from thin ventures — an idea without traction, a model that doesn't hold up, a narrative that can't be evidenced. The application follows the business, not the other way around.
62%
of first-attempt founder-visa applications are refused or withdrawn — almost always for reasons that would have been fixable months earlier.
vs
Traditional visa consultants
A visa filed on a fragile venture.
A polished form on top of a thin business — no evidence, no traction, no design partners, and a founder who could plausibly be replaced.
Weak or unclear business idea
No genuine, credible innovation
Generic, templated business plan
Unrealistic financial forecasts
A founder-role narrative that reads as replaceable
Traction assembled the week before submission
The First500days way
The venture built first. The visa filed last.
A single team building the business behind the application — evidence, endorsement narrative, and traction all shaped in parallel.
We start by matching the founder to the route — not the other way around. Innovator, Golden, EB-1, Tech.Pass, SUV, GTI: each rewards a different profile, evidence base, and endorser.
Week 1–2
Timeline
7
Services
4
Deliverables
Services included
Founder profile audit
Route eligibility check
Endorser mapping
Evidence gap analysis
Timeline planning
Cost model
Risk assessment
Deliverables
4 outputs
01Route recommendation
02Endorser shortlist
03Evidence gap report
0412-month roadmap
02
Phase 02 · Week 3–6
Validate
+
02
Phase 02 · Week 3–6
The objective
A visa is granted to the venture. We rebuild the business case to endorser standards — innovation, viability, scalability, and a founder role that is genuinely essential.
Week 3–6
Timeline
7
Services
4
Deliverables
Services included
Business model design
Innovation narrative
Market sizing
Financial model
Founder-role definition
IP + defensibility
Endorser rehearsals
Deliverables
4 outputs
01Business plan
02Financial model
03Innovation dossier
04Founder role brief
03
Phase 03 · Week 6–10
Build
+
03
Phase 03 · Week 6–10
The objective
The venture needs the legal and IP scaffolding to hold up under evaluator scrutiny — entity, IP, employment, tax, and data all clean from day one.
Week 6–10
Timeline
7
Services
4
Deliverables
Services included
Entity formation
IP registration
Trademark filing
Employment contracts
Tax structuring
Data protection
Vendor + advisor MSAs
Deliverables
4 outputs
01Registered entity
02IP portfolio
03Compliance calendar
04Contracts pack
04
Phase 04 · Month 3–6
Endorse
+
04
Phase 04 · Month 3–6
The objective
Endorsement preparation — pitch deck, endorsement pack, evidence dossier, and interview coaching for the endorsement panel.
Month 3–6
Timeline
7
Services
4
Deliverables
Services included
MVP scope + build
Design partner outreach
Pilot agreements
Product analytics
Case studies
Advisory board
Testimonials
Deliverables
4 outputs
01MVP in market
022–4 design partners
03Pilot outcomes report
04Advisory board
05
Phase 05 · Month 6–8
Launch
+
05
Phase 05 · Month 6–8
The objective
Business setup in your destination country — incorporation, banking, compliance, MVP into market, first customers, first hires.
Month 6–8
Timeline
7
Services
4
Deliverables
Services included
Endorsement dossier
Support letters
Founder narrative
Interview rehearsals
Immigration counsel hand-off
Filing coordination
Post-decision plan
Deliverables
4 outputs
01Endorsement dossier
02Support letters pack
03Interview readiness
04Filing package
06
Phase 06 · Month 8–18
Scale
+
06
Phase 06 · Month 8–18
The objective
Business growth advisory — customer acquisition, hiring, and operations so the venture thrives past endorsement and into scale.
Month 8–18
Timeline
7
Services
3
Deliverables
Services included
Relocation ops
First hires
Board setup
KPI cadence
Milestone reporting
Renewal roadmap
Path-to-settlement plan
Deliverables
3 outputs
01Ops cadence
02Renewal roadmap
03Settlement pathway plan
Not sure which route fits your venture?
Take a free visa readiness check across the six major founder-visa routes.
Immigration counsel files the case. We build the venture that the case rests on — and stay through relocation, first hires, and renewal.
The venture and the visa case, built together.
Named operators lead the venture build and the endorsement narrative in parallel — same room, same team, same weekly cadence from diagnostic through post-endorsement.
1
Team, four practices
20+
Yrs avg. operator XP
$8M+
Co-invested
Route-by-Route Playbooks
Live playbooks across UK, UAE, US, Singapore, Canada, and Australia — not a generic immigration deck.
Endorser Relationships
Working relationships with named endorsers across the major routes — warm introductions, not cold submissions.
On-the-Ground Operators
Local teams in every jurisdiction — relocation, first hires, banking, tax, and compliance handled end to end.
Evidence, Not Just Argument
Design partners, pilots, IP, and testimonials — the artefacts endorsers actually weigh, built over months.
Stay Past Endorsement
One team from route diagnostic through renewal and settlement — no hand-off, no lost context.
Services at a glance
Everything an endorsement-ready venture needs.
Six columns. One team. Every workstream between route diagnostic and post-endorsement.
Strategy
Business Setup
Technology
Growth
Operations
Scale
Route diagnostic
Entity formation
MVP scope
Design partner outreach
Endorsement dossier
Relocation ops
Endorser mapping
IP + trademarks
Product build
Pilot agreements
Support letters
First hires
Evidence audit
Employment law
UI/UX design
Case studies
Founder narrative
Renewal roadmap
Financial model
Tax structuring
Analytics + traction
Advisory board
Interview rehearsals
Settlement plan
Founder-role brief
Data protection
Automation & AI
Testimonials
Counsel hand-off
Milestone reporting
The full package
Everything you receive.
Every engagement is built to produce an endorsement-grade evidence base. Here is what a full mandate ships with.
Founder Readiness Assessment
Scored diagnostic across five criteria — 100 points, no guessing.
Market Research
Sizing, competitors, and buyer research the endorser will look for.
Innovation Assessment
Novelty, defensibility, IP, and technical benchmarks documented.
Business Model Canvas
A one-page model that survives evaluator scrutiny.
Financial Model
3-year projections, unit economics, and funding requirements.
Pitch Deck
Endorser-grade pitch tuned to the specific route and audience.
Endorsement Pack
Support letters, evidence dossier, and founder narrative.
Growth Strategy
12-month operating plan for post-endorsement milestones.
An AI-powered healthcare navigation platform that helps patients understand symptoms, identify appropriate diagnostic pathways, and access relevant healthcare services.
Endorsed By
UK Endorsing Body
Our Support
Validated the business model, developed the MVP strategy, and created the complete business plan and financial projections. Prepared the founder for endorsement with a compelling innovation, viability and scalability case.
Case 0202
Sustainable Energy Intelligence
Visa Type
UK Innovator Founder Visa
Business Idea
An AI-driven energy intelligence platform helping businesses optimise renewable energy usage, identify inefficiencies, and reduce operational energy costs.
Endorsed By
UK Endorsing Body
Our Support
Conducted UK market research, refined the product proposition, and developed the business and revenue model. Created the financial model, pitch materials and endorsement documentation.
Case 0303
AI Speech Assessment Platform
Visa Type
UK Innovator Founder Visa
Business Idea
An AI-powered spoken-English assessment platform that evaluates pronunciation, fluency and communication skills for education, recruitment and professional training.
Endorsed By
UK Endorsing Body
Our Support
Refined the product concept, defined the MVP and developed a differentiated market positioning. Prepared the business plan, pitch deck, financial projections and endorsement interview strategy.
🇨🇦
Canada — Start-Up Visa
3 endorsement-ready ventures
Case 0101
AI Workforce Platform
Visa Type
Canada Start-Up Visa
Business Idea
An AI-powered workforce platform helping SMEs identify employee skill gaps and create personalised training and workforce development strategies.
Endorsed By
Canadian Designated Organisation
Our Support
Validated the business opportunity, refined the value proposition and developed the Canadian market-entry strategy. Prepared the business plan, financial projections and pitch materials for the designated organisation process.
Case 0202
Smart Supply Chain Platform
Visa Type
Canada Start-Up Visa
Business Idea
An intelligent supply-chain platform using predictive analytics to help SMEs forecast demand, optimise inventory and reduce stock-outs and excess inventory.
Endorsed By
Canadian Designated Organisation
Our Support
Developed the product roadmap, business model and competitive positioning for the Canadian market. Created the MVP strategy, financial projections, business plan and investor-ready pitch deck.
Case 0303
Digital Healthcare Marketplace
Visa Type
Canada Start-Up Visa
Business Idea
A digital healthcare marketplace connecting patients with diagnostic centres and healthcare providers through a unified discovery and booking platform.
Endorsed By
Canadian Designated Organisation
Our Support
Conducted market research, refined the marketplace model and identified the key technology and operational requirements. Developed the business plan, financial model, pitch deck and supporting application documentation.
🇦🇺
Australia — National Innovation Visa
3 endorsement-ready ventures
Case 0101
ClimateTech Intelligence Platform
Visa Type
Australia National Innovation Visa
Business Idea
An AI-powered ClimateTech platform helping businesses measure emissions, identify carbon-reduction opportunities and improve environmental performance.
Endorsed By
Australian Government / Relevant Authority
Our Support
Positioned the venture around innovation, global scalability and measurable environmental impact. Developed the business strategy, market research, financial projections and supporting application narrative.
Case 0202
AI FinTech Platform
Visa Type
Australia National Innovation Visa
Business Idea
An AI-powered financial intelligence platform helping SMEs forecast cash flow, identify financial risks and make data-driven business decisions.
Endorsed By
Australian Government / Relevant Authority
Our Support
Refined the technology proposition and established a clear innovation and commercialisation strategy. Prepared the business model, financial projections, innovation case and supporting visa documentation.
Case 0303
AgriTech Intelligence Platform
Visa Type
Australia National Innovation Visa
Business Idea
A data-driven AgriTech platform helping farmers optimise crop planning, resource allocation and farm productivity using AI and predictive analytics.
Endorsed By
Australian Government / Relevant Authority
Our Support
Validated the market opportunity and positioned the technology around innovation, productivity and scalability. Developed the business plan, product strategy, financial model and application documentation.
Client testimonials
Founders we relocated and endorsed.
200+ founder reviews
★★★★★
“First500days helped me refine my business plan and turn my initial concept into a much more structured and compelling proposition. Their support with MVP development and endorsement documentation made the entire process far more manageable. The team was practical, responsive, and focused on making the business genuinely endorsement-ready.”
“Working with First500days gave me much more clarity on how to present my business idea for the UK market. They helped me strengthen my business plan and develop the supporting endorsement documents with a clear and professional approach. Their guidance made the overall process feel structured and straightforward.”
“First500days provided valuable support in refining my business plan and translating my idea into a more practical business proposition. Their involvement in MVP development and endorsement documentation helped connect the strategy with actual execution. I particularly appreciated their structured approach and attention to detail.”
“First500days helped me significantly improve the structure and positioning of my business plan. They also guided me through the development of my endorsement documents, ensuring that the business proposition was presented clearly and professionally. Their team brought a strong understanding of both business strategy and the UK Innovator Founder process.”
“The team at First500days helped me bring much more clarity and structure to my business idea and business plan. Their guidance on the endorsement documents was particularly useful in presenting the opportunity in a professional and compelling way. The entire engagement was well organised and focused on practical outcomes.”
“First500days helped me refine my business plan and communicate my business proposition much more effectively. Their support with the endorsement documents gave me a clearer understanding of how to position the idea for the UK market. I found the team knowledgeable, systematic, and easy to work with.”
“First500days supported me throughout the refinement of my business plan, MVP development, and endorsement documentation. They helped transform my initial idea into a much clearer and more structured business proposition. Their hands-on approach and attention to the details of the UK market made a real difference.”
“My experience with First500days was very positive. They helped me refine my business plan and develop strong endorsement documents that clearly communicated the potential of my business idea. Their structured guidance and practical feedback gave me much greater confidence in moving forward with my UK venture.”
I've already been refused once. Can you still help?
Often, yes — and it's a large share of the work we do. A refusal isn't fatal, but a second application that repeats the first one's weaknesses usually is. We start by reading the refusal properly: what the assessor actually said, what they meant, and which of it is fixable. Sometimes the answer is a rebuild and a resubmission. Sometimes it's a different route entirely. Occasionally it's that you shouldn't reapply, and we'll say that.
Are you immigration advisers?
No, and we're careful about the distinction. We build the business, the evidence and the endorsement case. Regulated immigration counsel handles the legal filing and any advice about your immigration status — either your own solicitor or one we introduce you to. Anyone offering to do both under one roof, without regulation, is a risk to you.
Do you guarantee endorsement or a visa?
No credible partner should, and in several jurisdictions promising an outcome is itself a regulatory problem. What we commit to is an endorsement-ready venture and a case built to the assessing body's published criteria. The decision belongs to the endorsing body and the immigration authority.
How much money do I need behind the business?
It depends entirely on the route, and the requirements have changed more than once in recent years — several of the numbers still circulating online are out of date. We give you the current position for your route in the first week, from the official source, in writing.
Can my family come with me?
Most founder routes allow dependants — partner and children — with their own fees, evidence and maintenance requirements. It affects your budget and your timeline meaningfully, so we scope it in the diagnostic rather than leaving it to be discovered later.
What happens if we're refused after all this work?
We tell you where it failed, and we stay to fix it. You keep everything built — the company, the IP, the product, the customers — because it was built as a real business rather than as an exhibit. Depending on the reason, the options are a re-submission with new evidence, a different endorsing body, or a different route. We don't refund on outcome, and we say so up front: our fee buys the build, not the decision.
How long does the whole thing take?
Most founders reach endorsement-ready in 8–12 weeks from a standing start. Ventures that need real market evidence built — most of them — run to six months before the case is strong. After that, assessment and immigration processing run on the authority's timetable, not ours. We then stay 12 months or more into operating.
Which route is right for me?
That's the first question the diagnostic answers, and it's rarely the route people arrive asking about. Sector, stage, capital, family situation, settlement timeline and how much of your business can move all change the answer. Choosing on familiarity rather than fit is the most common expensive mistake in this market.
I already have a running business. Does that help?
It helps with viability and hurts nothing — but an existing business abroad is not automatically an endorsable one. Assessors look for innovation and for a genuine commitment to building in their market. We usually shape a distinct venture or a defensible new line rather than presenting the existing company unchanged.
Who actually does the work?
A named operator leads your engagement, supported by our product, legal and growth teams across Gurugram, London, Ajman and Singapore. You'll meet them on the diagnostic call, not after signing.
What does it cost, all in?
Our fees run £1,500 to £10,000+ across three tiers, plus an optional retainer. Government, endorsement, legal and incorporation costs sit outside that and are listed in full above. Every fee is credited if we can't agree a route and a plan by the end of week two.
The path to settlement
Endorsement is a milestone. Settlement is the finish line.
Most consultants disappear after the visa is granted. We stay through the operating milestones every route asks you to hit — to renewal, ILR, and citizenship.
01
Day 0
Visa granted
Endorsement approved and immigration authority confirms leave to remain.
Relocate + set up locally
02
Yr 1–2
Operating milestones
Hit the route's operating milestones: hires, revenue, IP, investor rounds.
Milestone reporting each quarter
03
Yr 3–5
Renewal + extension
Renewal filing built on evidenced traction — same evidence-first approach.
Renewal + endorser sign-off
04
Yr 5+
Settlement / citizenship
ILR, PR, or citizenship route depending on jurisdiction and progress.
Settlement pathway complete
Retainer support included from Innovator Build up
Named operator, monthly reviews, milestone reporting to your endorser.
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