External funding can be a useful factor to determine a founder’s suitability under the UK Innovator Founder Visa. Many start-up visa schemes around the world, such as Canada, implement funding as a defining factor for applicants.  In this article, I will look into the values that such as an approach may offer as well as some of the drawbacks.  The “Innovation” requirements & its flaws The current Innovator Founder Visa is primarily based on applicants having concepts and/or businesses that are: On the surface, these factors are logical. However, in practice, the innovation requirement presents certain challenges.  The UK Government’s guidance for Endorsing Bodies interprets innovation on the following basis: Below is the precise wording of the guidance for Endorsing Bodies by the UK Government. However, the issue that arises out of this interpretation primarily relates to “replicability”. Unless a concept is protected by intellectual property (IP) measures such as patents, most, if not all, ideas can be copied.  Therefore, there are two ways forward to determine innovation and the viability of a founder and their concept, and these are: Expanding the definition of “innovation” I have recently created a video on how the Netherlands has a more suitable interpretation of innovation compared to the UK.  The Dutch Government defines innovation per below: There are several aspects which make the Netherlands’ definition of innovation valuable, and some of them are: -Taking social enterprise into account-Consideration of organizational and process approach Funding as a suitability factor? Incorporating external funding as a measure of startup viability in startup visa programs makes sense because it signals the following key indicators of a startup’s potential and legitimacy. Proof of Market Validation Ability to Attract Resources Job Creation Potential Commitment and Long-Term Planning Attraction of Strategic Partnerships Risk Mitigation for the Host Country Global Competitiveness Support for Economic Development Goals Nevertheless, implementing funding as a requirement, rather than a complimentary factor has its own drawbacks.  This is primarily due to the fact that it is often difficult for founders to raise funding at the idea stage. Moreover, many concepts require the founder and operations to be based in the UK, in order to gain the minimal viability to qualify for funding from an investment perspective.  Way forward With the current Innovator Founder Visa being launched less than two years ago, time is a key factor to evaluate its efficacy.  Nevertheless, the current visa regime has flaws, particularly in relation to interpreting innovation.  Ideally, a points-based system, where funding is an optional factor to score additional points would prove to be a more sustainable model.  Entrepreneurship and start-ups are defined by the core factor of “unpredictability”, and therefore flexibility is essential.  About | My name is Sohrab Vazir. I’m a UK-based entrepreneur and business consultant. At the age of 22, and while I was an international student (graduate), I started my own Property Technology (PropTech) business under the endorsement of Newcastle University. I grew my business to over 30 UK cities, and a team of four, and also obtained my Indefinite Leave to Remain (Settlement) in the UK. I now help other migrant entrepreneurs, such as myself, with their businesses.