Carolyn Dawson/Founders Forum
News Alternative Lending Digital Banking Crypto Savings And Investment
Tech Nation returns with £10bn funding pledge
Working with the government as the “independent voice for founders” Tech Nation is relaunching as part of Founders Forum Group
Tech Nation is back with the help of Founders Forum Group to champion founders and inject £10bn into startups over the next five years.
10 months after the UK’s tech growth platform announced it would have to close after losing its £12m digital growth grant to Barclays bank, “Tech Nation 2.0” will carry over four of its previous startup growth programmes.
These include programmes focusing on ethnic minority founders and on climate, a competition targeted towards early-stage startups and a programme for late-stage businesses.
“Our mission is to build a world in which all tech entrepreneurs have access to the knowledge and communities they need to succeed,” Founders Forum Group CEO Carolyn Dawson OBE said.
“Tech Nation 2.0 will champion all kinds of tech founders, highlighting their needs and fighting for our incredible industry from seed stage to success story.”
Tech Nation said it will continue to be the endorsing body for digital technology applications under the Global Talents visa, and it will support businesses and founders from early stage through to “success story”.
Part of the revived organisation’s mission is to produce data-driven reports on the tech ecosystem to equip founders to drive growth.
HSBC Innovation Banking, formerly Silicon Valley Bank, has come on board as a founding partner, and will help facilitate £10bn into startups with Founders Forum.
Dawson said on LinkedIn that this will come through “the power of connections, knowledge sharing, mentorship and talent opportunities”.
“These programmes provide high-impact founders and their leadership teams with invaluable skills, access to a powerful network of peers, investors, and potential clients, as well as expert advisory and mentorship to foster their companies’ growth,” Innovation Banking CEO Erin Platts said.
"In partnership with Founders Forum and Tech Nation we will supercharge our shared mission to fuel growth by providing unparalleled support and opportunity for the innovation ecosystem, across all life stages and sectors.”
Tech Nation 2.0 also has two specific programmes in places to help underrepresented founders — Libra, an early stage growth programme focused on “diversity driving innovation” and Creo, a new community for disabled founders and founders building for the disabled community.
