Founders Forum Group (FF Group), a global community and group of businesses supporting entrepreneurs at every stage of their journeys, has recently announced its formal acquisition of Tech Nation.
The acquisition will see FF Group continue to execute against Tech Nation’s mission to empower tech entrepreneurs, scale innovative startups, and provide a united platform for UK tech startups.
Relaunching Tech Nation programmes
Consequently, FF Group plans to relaunch several Tech Nation programmes and reports on the UK tech sector as part of its existing portfolio of events and services tailored to entrepreneurs.
The acquisition allows FF Group to continue building on Tech Nation’s existing activities and programmes.
Tech Nation will continue to process the Global Talent Visa for the Home Office, and applicants can continue to apply as normal, with applications in process unaffected while the Home Office identifies a new endorsing body to take over from Tech Nation.
Gerard Grech, Tech Nation’s outgoing founding CEO, and Board Director Sarah Wood will help steer the transition as part of FF Group’s Tech Nation Advisory Board.
Gerard Grech, Founding CEO, and Tech Nation Advisory Board member said:
“Founders Forum Group is the ideal custodian to lead Tech Nation into its next chapter. I am confident FF Group will continue the vital work of Tech Nation, leveraging its influential network to evolve Tech Nation’s existing programmes, foster entrepreneurship nationwide, and supercharge scaleups and high-growth businesses across the UK. It’s been a privilege to have worked with so many fantastic people during Tech Nation’s journey to date, and I want to thank the Tech Nation team for all their hard work in making it happen with the ecosystem.”
Carolyn Dawson OBE, FF Group CEO, said: “We’re delighted to be carrying the Tech Nation brand forward and building on the remarkable decade of growth which has resulted in the UK now being third in the world for tech investment. Programmes like Future Fifty, Net Zero, and Rising Stars align succinctly with many of our existing initiatives at Founders Forum Group, as well as our overarching mission to bolster entrepreneurial innovation and support founders at every stage.”
Brent Hoberman CBE, FF Group Co-Founder & Chair, said: “By recognising and fostering remarkable digital talent and accelerating startup success nationwide, Tech Nation has positioned the UK as a world-class innovation hub. We’re honoured to be inheriting this important mission and marrying our objectives with those of Tech Nation to preserve and expand the UK tech ecosystem.”
Stephen Kelly, Tech Nation Chair, said: “Since I returned from building global market leaders in Silicon Valley in 2006, we have witnessed an incredible transformation in UK Tech. In the last decade alone, UK tech jobs have grown from 2 million to 5 million with tech sector growth of 5% CAGR contributing to half of the overall UK economic growth. Tech Nation has been a foundation for Britain’s 6000 tech scale-ups which powered more than 90% of the job creation in this golden decade. I am thrilled with FF taking ownership of Tech Nation to extend the golden era of UK Tech. Carolyn and Brent have created the vital platform for growth and the cornerstone of the Government’s ambition for the UK to become a ‘Science & Technology superpower’”.
