Founders Forum acquires Tech Nation
The Founders Forum Group (FF Group) has acquired Tech Nation.
FF Group plans to continue Tech Nation’s mission to empower tech entrepreneurs, scale innovative startups, and provide a united platform for UK tech founders.
It will relaunch a number of Tech Nation programmes, and will continue to build on the organisation’s activities to date.
Tech Nation announced plans to close in January 2023, after losing out on a key government grant. It invited expressions of interest from organisations across the UK, and ultimately chose the FF Group “given its existing impact in the UK tech ecosystem, and focus on supercharging entrepreneurial growth both in the UK and globally”.
“FF Group is the ideal custodian to lead Tech Nation into its next chapter,” said Gerard Grech, founding chief executive and Tech Nation advisory board member.
“I am confident the 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.
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“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.”
Grech will help steer the transition as part of the FF Group’s Tech Nation Advisory Board, along with former Tech Nation board director Sarah Wood.
Under the FF Group’s umbrella, Tech Nation will continue to process the global talent visa for the Home Office while the Home Office identifies a new endorsing body to take over from Tech Nation.
“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,” said Carolyn Dawson OBE, chief executive of the FF Group.
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“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.”
Paul Scully, the UK’s minister for tech and the digital economy, added: “Startups are at the heart of what makes the UK’s tech sector a success – creating opportunities, innovation, and growth across the UK.
“We have invested millions over the years to help early-stage and scaling tech businesses go from strength to strength. Founders Forum Group will build on this by continuing the work of Tech Nation, which will complement our ongoing support for the sector.”
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