We were the first founders to secure this visa when it launched — no lawyers, no templates, no precedents. Now we'll take you there too, idea or no idea.
"Athar has excellent understanding of the UK's tech landscape. Wonderful advice on starting my career here."
MV
Mihir VermaTopmate · Dec 2023
★★★★★
"Very productive. He helped me navigate the UK startup world and provided clear directions. Incredibly valuable time."
MH
Muhammad Hamza MolaniTopmate · Dec 2023
★★★★★
"Responded super fast. The kind of mentor you wish you had when you first moved to a new country."
A
AnonymousTopmate · Jul 2025
Our story
We didn't read the path. We built it.
In 2023, Athar and Anil became the first founders to apply for and secure the UK Innovator Founder Visa — self-applied, no lawyers, no templates. Everything we'll give you, we lived.
2021
The idea: ThirdRetailAthar and Anil start building ThirdRetail — "Shopify meets Airbnb" for retail spaces. The product that would become the visa application.
2023 Q1
Innovator Founder Visa launchesThe UK Home Office announces the new visa. No guide exists. No one has done it. Athar and Anil decide to apply — from scratch.
2023 Q2
The application beginsMonths of building documentation, business plans, innovation narratives — writing templates that didn't exist yet. Researching endorsing bodies with no community to ask.
2023 Q3
Endorsed. Visa secured. 🇬🇧First cohort. Both founders secured their Innovator Founder Visa. No lawyer, no consultant, no template. Just lived experience — and now they're sharing it.
2024
ThirdRetail grows, community formsBuilding in the UK. Pitching across London. People start asking how they got the visa. The idea for this service takes shape.
2025
Top 7 Marketplaces UK · Times Square · PodcastThirdRetail named Top 7 Marketplaces in the UK at London's largest demo day. Athar featured on Times Square by Topmate. London Founders Podcast — 2-hour episode.
2026
Now helping others make the moveAthar returns to India, launches this consulting service with Anil. Your turn to go where they went — and they know every step of the way.
The team
Two founders. One proven path.
Athar Ali
Co-Founder & CEO · ThirdRetail · Product & GTM Expert Topmate Elite · 5.0★ Mentor · Times Square Billboard
International student turned Innovator Founder. Built ThirdRetail from zero to one of the UK's top 7 marketplaces. Specialises in 0→1, marketplace mechanics, and commercial GTM. The person who'll help you find, shape, and sell your idea to an endorsing body — and who'll be on WhatsApp when you're panicking at 11pm.
Co-Founder · ThirdRetail · Tech & Architecture Expert First Cohort Innovator Founder Visa 2023
The engineer who built the platform that won. Anil co-applied for the Innovator Founder Visa alongside Athar — building documents that had never been written before. His strength is in making technical ideas credible on paper, architecture strategy, and ensuring your business plan is bulletproof from an implementation perspective.
The full story. Building ThirdRetail, securing the Innovator Founder Visa with zero precedents, and what it really takes to make it as an international founder in the UK.
Topmate Awards
Community Care + People's Choice + 5.0/5
Dual award winner on Topmate. The platform recognised Athar as one of its most trusted mentors globally — the same trust that drives this service.
🏆
Topmate Elite
"Recognising professionals who've built extraordinary trust." Fewer than 1% of Topmate mentors receive this recognition globally.
5.0
Rating
6
Bookings
2×
Awards
The visa
UK Innovator Founder Visa — everything you need to know
Launched in April 2023, this is the UK's premier route for international entrepreneurs with genuinely innovative, viable, scalable business ideas.
No minimum investmentUnlike its predecessor (Tier 1 Entrepreneur, £50k minimum), this visa has no required investment threshold. Your idea is what matters.
2
Three criteria: Innovation, Viability, ScalabilityYour business idea must score on all three. We know exactly how each endorsing body interprets these — and how to frame yours.
3
Endorsement first, UKVI secondYou must first be endorsed by an approved endorsing body. That letter then unlocks the Home Office application. Most people fail at step one.
4
3 years, renewable, path to ILRInitial leave of 3 years. Renewable if you meet active business milestones. Path to Indefinite Leave to Remain after 3 years.
5
Bring your familyYour spouse/partner and children can come with you on dependant visas.
Are you eligible?
The honest answer: most people who think they qualify need more work on framing their idea. Book a 60-minute call — we'll tell you straight.
Each body has different specialisms and expectations. Applying to the wrong one almost always means rejection — even with a great idea.
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Generic business plan
Copying a template and swapping in your name. Endorsing bodies read hundreds — they can spot a fill-in-the-blanks plan immediately.
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Not preparing for the interview
The endorsement interview catches people off guard. If you've only read your plan, you'll struggle to defend it under cross-examination.
Services & pricing
Pick your path. We'll handle the rest.
Every package comes from real experience — not consultants who've read about the visa, but founders who secured it when no one had done it before.
Starter
Guided DIY
You have a clear idea and want expert direction, proven templates, and someone to check your work.
₹
2.5L
one-time
60-min deep-dive idea audit session
Endorsing body guidance & shortlist
Document checklist (our exact list)
Business plan framework & structure
2 async document reviews via WhatsApp
Template vault — our actual docs (redacted)
30% on signing · 70% at submission
Most Popular
Complete
White Glove
Full end-to-end support. Works with or without a business idea. We go from zero to UK visa, together.
₹
10L
one-time
Idea discovery sessions (3× if needed)
Full business plan — we co-write every word
Innovation, Viability & Scalability narrative
Endorsing body strategy + relationship prep
End-to-end document build (3 review rounds)
2 mock endorsement interview dry-runs
UKVI application form support
Biometrics appointment prep
WhatsApp direct access · 3–6 months
48-hour response SLA, guaranteed
30% signing · 40% endorsement · 30% UKVI
Premium
Done With You
Complete package + 3-month post-landing UK support. A true partner from India to the UK.
₹
15L
one-time
Everything in the Complete package
UK landing kit — bank, HMRC, Companies House
3-month UK mentor programme (weekly calls)
Warm intros to UK startup ecosystem
Investor intro facilitation
UK co-working space network access
Custom milestone plan · Limited spots only
Add-ons & standalone sessions
Can be booked independently or added to any package.
🔍
Visa Eligibility Call60 mins · Is this visa right for you?
₹5,000
📄
Document Template VaultOur actual docs — redacted + annotated
₹2,000
🎯
Mock Interview Session90 mins · Full rehearsal with feedback
₹8,000
Payment structure
Milestone-linked payments. No risk on either side.
30%
On signing Non-refundable
40%
Endorsement application sent
30%
UKVI application submitted
You only pay as real milestones are hit. The 30% upfront filters out non-serious enquiries and ensures we're both committed.
FAQ
Every question. Answered honestly.
No — and this is one of our most common client types. The Complete package includes up to 3 idea discovery sessions where we help you find, validate, and frame a genuine business idea that fits the three criteria. You come with your background, skills, and interests; we find the right idea together.
Plan for 3–6 months end-to-end. The endorsement process itself usually takes 4–8 weeks once submitted. The UKVI application takes a further 3–8 weeks. Timeline varies based on how quickly we can build your business plan and which endorsing body you apply to.
We work hard to prevent this by building a genuinely strong application — not a template. In the event of an endorsement rejection, we'll review the feedback together and advise on reapplication. Note that we cannot guarantee outcomes, as the decision rests with the endorsing body and UKVI.
No — and we're transparent about this. We provide business consulting, mentorship, and experiential guidance based on being first-cohort holders. For formal legal advice, we recommend consulting an OISC-regulated immigration advisor. Our value is in helping you build a real business and a compelling case — not in legal representation.
An immigration lawyer helps you fill in forms correctly. We help you build a business that deserves the visa — and then help you present it compellingly. Most lawyers have never applied for the Innovator Founder Visa themselves. We have. That's the difference.
An endorsing body is a UK organisation approved by the Home Office to assess Innovator Founder Visa applications. They review your business plan against the three criteria (innovation, viability, scalability) and either endorse you or decline. The choice of which body to apply to — and how to approach them — is one of the most important decisions in the process.
Yes. Your spouse/civil partner and children under 18 can apply as your dependants. They get the same leave duration as you and can work (with some conditions). The Premium package includes guidance on setting up family visas as part of the UK landing kit.
No minimum funding is required — this is one of the key differences from the old Tier 1 Entrepreneur Visa. You do need to show financial maintenance (roughly £1,270 in your bank account for 28 consecutive days before applying), and you'll need to cover visa fees and the Immigration Health Surcharge.
Bank transfer (NEFT/IMPS/RTGS), UPI, and international wire. Payments are milestone-linked — 30% on signing, 40% when your endorsement application is submitted, and 30% when the UKVI application is submitted. We'll send a simple invoice for each milestone.
Click any "Book" button on this site to fill in a quick enquiry form. We'll reach out on WhatsApp within 48 hours. If you're not sure which package is right, start with the ₹5,000 eligibility call — one hour where we honestly assess your situation and give you a clear roadmap.
