What is the Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP)?

The GEP is the Department for Business and Trade’s flagship programme that enables ambitious, internationally mobile entrepreneurs and their innovation-rich companies to scale and internationalise from a UK global HQ.

Why

• Entrepreneurship is borderless, and tech-based founders are willing to locate their businesses wherever there is an ecosystem that can support and facilitate their growth ambitions

• Founders are happy to look beyond national borders for the most attractive sources of capital, talent, market potential and start-up guidance

• The UK is an entrepreneurial powerhouse able to support founders and innovators to achieve global success

How it works

We support the ambitions of dynamic global entrepreneurs where a UK HQ will accelerate their international growth

• The GEP focuses on high skilled tech-based founders who want to access the UK’s world-class entrepreneurial ecosystem as well as GEP’s expert and tailored support
• You'll work with our specialist dealmakers, entrepreneurs themselves with vast experience in scaling technology businesses and whose expertise will enable you to expand your innovative business from your UK HQ

Our Dealmakers

Dealmakers are entrepreneurs and business people in their own right, who have extensive experience founding, building and exiting technology companies.

They can provide focussed mentoring while acting as adviser and strategist. They are also able to connect you to their vast networks both in the UK and overseas, supporting you with introductions to potential investors and customers

• See our Dealmakers profiles

Find out if you qualify for the GEP

We support innovative technology start-up or scale up companies with a large addressable market.

The criteria we use to qualify companies include:

• Your company will be beyond the proof-of-concept stage
• Your company currently does not have presence in the UK (we support overseas companies only)
• The company will also be generating or on the cusp of revenues ideally with strong intellectual property (IP)
• You will have a strong willingness to relocate your global headquarters to the UK with at least one co-founder based in the UK
• You'll have clear plans for building the company in the UK, including fast growth and creating high skilled jobs in the UK

Other factors that we consider:

• Generating revenues and has UK clients/customers
• Innovative or disruptive technology with large addressable market
• Aligned to UK strengths in research and/or business sectors
• Has a strategic/business plan that details plan for international growth

 Supporting your business

The GEP’s team of dealmakers and HQ team work directly with our pipeline companies as well as our alumni as part of the GEP Alumni programme.

This includes:

• Focused support and mentorship from the dealmakers, supporting/advising/agreeing relevant strategic ambitions and objectives
• Developing funding strategies, partnerships and networks
• Guidance on relocating to the UK, including visa endorsements 
• Incorporating your business
• Up to date information on the UK's tax system