Hello Everyone, especially @Francisca_Chiedu, @alexnk , @Victrr , @alex_james , @Jazeb , @ask4jubad , @Yusuf_Adebanjo , @westside , @Secure_Tobs , @Nacsoft
Hope you all are doing well.
I applied for the Global Talent Visa Stage-1 Tech Nation Endorsement on January 1, 2024. Unfortunately, I received a rejection email on January 15, 2024.
Quick Introduction:
Currently, I have been working for a Fintech company for the past 7.5 years. This company holds the distinction of being the only entity with two licenses from the Central Bank.
During my tenure, I successfully launched a digital technology product in Pakistan that made a significant impact on the lives of over 10 million underprivileged individuals. Additionally, I developed a unique platform that is the first of its kind and does not exist elsewhere.
Furthermore, while working remotely, I also launched two digital technology products in the UK. My association with this UK-based technology company spans over 10 years.
Below are the details of my application:
Question: Are you applying under the eligibility criteria for Exceptional Talent or Exceptional Promise?
Answer: Exceptional Talent
Question: What is the main reason you have chosen to apply for the route of âExceptional Talentâ (rather than Exceptional Promise)?
Answer: Exceptional Promise is for those who have less than 5 years of experience. I have been recognized as a leading talent in the digital technology sector and have invested more than 10 years. I have a proven record for innovation as a senior employee of âthree" product-led digital technology companies.
I submitted the following documents:
- Personal Statement
- C.V
- Recommendation Letters (3 Documents)
- Mandatory Criteria (4 Documents)
- Optional Criteria - OC1 (4 Documents)
- Optional Criteria - OC3 (2 Documents)
3(a) RC from the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of a renowned Digital Bank clearly mentioning that;
- I led the development of a very unique and innovative technology platform.
- How I volunteered my time, energy and expertise to guide the industry.
- How unconventional it was and how it required me extensive research.
- How challenging it was
- And how my skill set can benefit the UKâs digital ecnonomy sector
3(b) RC from the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of another renowned Digital Bank.
- Described, how I led the initiative from technical inception to design and then development to implementation.
- Described what the platform is.
- Appreciated & Acknowledged my contibution for the impact.
- Appreciated my exceptional skills.
- How I will benefit the UKâs digital ecnonomy.
3(c) RC from the CEO of a UK Based Digital Technology Company for which I had worked (remotely) for around 10 Years and launched two Digital Technology Products. I have been awarded equity as well for my contributions other than my day-to-day job role, even after I had left.
- Described both the digital products that I led the development for.
- The current valuation of both the product.
- How I established the DevOps department.
- The sweat equity that I have been awarded based on my contributions.
- What technology, I implemented, where I went out of the way etc.
- Recommended me and how I can benefit the startup eco-system of UKâs digital economy.
My Understanding:
If you carefully examine the whole tech nation guide and connect the dots, it appeared to me that, I have to show and prove that;
- (MC1) Prove, you led the growth of a digital technology product as part of Mandatory Criteria (as suggested by the following lines;
âYou led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product or team inside a digital technology company, as evidenced by reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing your work, or as evidenced by news clippings, lines of code from public repos or similar evidence.â
-
(OC1) - Prove that you or your product demonstrated innovation (OC1)
-
(OC3) - Prove that your contributions created an impact. As per tech nation the term âsignificant contributionâ in this criteria requires you to demonstrate impact, not necessarily innovation.
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4. Mandatory Criteria
Which criteria are you applying for? Please choose two of the following:
You must provide at least two unique pieces of evidence for each of the two chosen criteria
Responses Selected:
1 - A proven track record for innovation as a founder or senior executive of a product-led digital technology company or as an employee working on a new digital field or concept
3 - Have made significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member or employee of a product-led digital technology company
Based on Tech Nation website guidance, under the Mandatory criteria heading;
1) How do I demonstrate that I have been recognized as (or recognized as having the potential to be) a leading talent in the digital technology sector in the last 5 years?
- You led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product or team inside a digital technology company, as evidenced by reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing your work, or as evidenced by news clippings, lines of code from public repos or similar evidence.
- Outside of your normal day-to-day job role, you established, led or were a senior contributor to a large technology-led industry initiative, evidenced through reference letter(s) from global senior project executives.
Based on the following guidelines I submitted the following 4 documents.
4(a). Reference Letter from the Chief Digital Officer (CDO) of a renowned Bank (Third Bank)
- Clearly describing how I led the growth of a product-led digital technology company, product or team inside a digital technology company, as evidenced by reference letter(s) from leading industry expert(s) describing my work (As per tech nation advised criteria)
4(b). Reference Letter from the Chief Information Officer (CIO) of another renowned Bank (Fourth Bank)
- Clearly describing my contribution and how I led the growth of a large technology-led industry initiative, evidenced through reference letter(s) from global senior project executives, as suggested by tech nation.
4(c) - Evidence of Growth (1 page pdf document) briefly showing the stats published on linkedin (snapshot) and showing alliance with Edison Alliance as committed partner to achieve 1 billion lives challenge from the platform of World Economic Forum.
4(d) Public-Media-National-International-Recognition.pdf
-
National & International Recognition of the Product
In the first week of November World Economic Forum awarded a âSpotlight Dayâ to my company to show case its product to the world. The speakers included;
âPrime Minister of my country.
â Finance Minister of my country.
â Director General of Telecom Authority
â Deputy Governer of Central Bank
â A few CEOs and Chairman of Government bodies and Private Sector. -
Public/Media Recognition (Personal)
-
Based on the above, I went live with a News channel in the first week of December 2023 for a short interview describing our product, which is not an ordinary thing.
So I proved growth by showing evidence, reference letters from the industry experts and media recognition of both me and my product, no idea what went wrong here?
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For OC1:
As per Tech Nation, examples of relevant evidence include:
- Evidence of innovation/product development, proof of product in market and associated traction through revenue.
- Evidence of employment contract with salary information including any bonus and equity options and history of earnings.
Based on the above requirements, I submitted the following documents;
OC1_1of4 - Evidence of Innovation.pdf (Explaining the innovation, attached a few diagrams and flows, clearly showing that I am the author)
OC1_2of4 - Proof of Product.pdf (Snapshots and links from Central Bank, Central Telecommunication Authority, Google results displaying my product listed with various Digital Banks and Youtube Videos etc etc to prove that the product exist and is well spoken about)
OC1_3of4 - Employment Highlights by HR Dept (Letterhead with Sign and contact details)
- Showing my annual salary along with the benefits that I am entitled to and the rewards that I have been given in past few years.
OC1_4of4 - Sweat-Equity-Agreement.pdf
- The sweat equity from my past UK employer against my contributions.
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For OC3:
As per Tech Nation;
How do I demonstrate that I have made a significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member or employee of a product-led digital technology company?
Technical examples of a âsignificant contributionâ include:
- Having led in the development of high-impact digital products or services;
- Having worked as a key engineer in the core product of a start-up, showing evidence as to how you have contributed to its success.
Documents that will be considered as acceptable evidence include;
- Letter from an employer wherever applicable. This is in addition to the required letters of endorsement and should be written by another individual;
- Documentation on product designs or architecture diagram clearly showing your contribution. Please ensure this evidence is no more than three A4 pages long and demonstrates your personal work, not that of the company or team of individuals;
Please note that the term âsignificant contributionâ in this criteria requires you to demonstrate impact, not necessarily innovation.
Submitted the following Documents:
OC3_1of2 - (Impact) Companyâs CEO.pdf (Letter from the companyâs CEO describing my contribution and attributing the success, impact and growth to my hardwork and innovation.
OC3_2of2 - Documentation on Product Designs.pdf (Documentation on product designs or architecture diagram Clearly showing my contribution)
My Rejection Report:
Assessment panel feedback:
The applicant has applied for the exceptional talent pathway via OC1 and OC3.
For MC1, the applicant shares the 5 recommendations which are not sufficiently backed up by independently verified evidence that can corroborate the assertions made. As noted in the Tech Nation Visa Guidelines, letters alone without third party evidence to corroborate the assertions made, are insufficient to demonstrate how an applicant meets any criteria. The News channel YouTube screenshot shows modest subscriber and viewership figures vs. greater reach & recognition. None of the speakers noted for the November World Economic Forum lists the applicant as keynote speaker on digital technology to notable audience attendance. The media and linkedin links do not individually name and recognise the applicant. Overall it is not clearly demonstrated how the applicant has achieved sustained national or international recognition as a leading talent in digital technology in the past 5 years. MC1 is not met.
My stance:
Out of 3 recommendation letters only one is from my Ex-Employer, the other two are independent C-level Officers who have signed and shared their visiting cards as well. Other than that I have shared a âEvidence of Growth.pdfâ A document including evidence that is publicly available and verifiable.
Organizations typically claim credit and ownership of products, particularly those at the national level involving government institutions and multiple private sector industries. In such cases, the only way to ascertain an individualâs significant contribution is to consult industry professionals who have already acknowledged and attributed their involvement. How else can this be independently verified? The numbers referred to can be found on various platforms, including LinkedIn, Google, and newspapers. Naturally, it is not feasible for the entire government and industry to solely attribute all credit to one person and prominently feature their name everywhere.
Objection:
"The News channel YouTube screenshot shows modest subscriber and viewership figures vs. greater reach & recognition. "
My stance:
The stats shown in the document were taken on somewhere around the last week of December, what can you expect in the span of just three weeks? It were 1.6K likes and 1.7K views in just a span of two weeks. I checked today and they are around 6K. If you check such level of interviews or videos you will find that its not bad at all. I guess they did not open the links and instead relied on the numbers mentioned in the document, still two weeks is not too much.
Objection:
âNone of the speakers noted for the November World Economic Forum lists the applicant as keynote speaker on digital technology to notable audience attendance. The media and linkedin links do not individually name and recognise the applicant. Overall it is not clearly demonstrated how the applicant has achieved sustained national or international recognitionâ
My stance:
Yes, thatâs correct. The purpose was to showcase the national and international recognition of the product, including referencing the November World Economic Forum Spotlight Day event. It is understandable and expected that in the presence of high-level individuals such as the Prime Minister and Finance Minister, the focus is not on a technical explanation by a person with a technical background. Instead, the emphasis is on highlighting how the product is disrupting and making a positive impact on peopleâs lives. However, the important question remains: Who built this platform? To whom is the CEO attributing the success? The signed documents from the industry provide evidence that the success is attributed to a me.
âOC1 Objectionsâ
Objection:
âFor OC1, while respected, it is not clearly demonstrated how the wallets are
unique in the global digital technology sector amongst existing solutions around the globe.â
My Stance:
The technology utilized in our product is truly unique, and there is no similar many-to-many implementation found anywhere in the world. This fact has been extensively discussed and documented across various sources.
Considering this, why would the World Economic Forum recognize our product? Why would the countryâs Central Bank, Prime Minister, Finance Minister, and Telecommunication Authority praise us? It is evident that such recognition and commendation would not be bestowed upon us if there were no innovation or impact. The very reason for these acknowledgments lies in the uniqueness and significance of our product, which sets it apart from common solutions.
Objection:
The employment and sweat equity agreements do not demonstrate how the applicant has authored groundbreaking innovation that is unique amongst existing solutions in the global digital technology sector.
My Stance:
In this section the Tech Nation clearly states;
Examples of relevant evidence include:
-Evidence of employment contract with salary information including any bonus and equity options and history of earnings.
-
So thatâs what I have exactly submitted. Firstly, my salary is far more than the industry standard in my country.
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Secondly, The equity document and the relevant recommendation letter clearly highlights my contribution and innovation and there is a reason why a UK based digital technology firm awarded me the equity, I must have done something great right?
Objection:
Overall it is not clearly demonstrated how the applicant has authored multiple examples of groundbreaking innovation in the global digital technology sector. OC1 is not met.
My Stance:
As per tech nation;
Examples of relevant evidence also include:
- Evidence of innovation/product development, proof of product in market and associated traction through revenue.
It appears that Evidence of Innovation.pdf and Proof of Product.pdf have been overlooked or not taken into consideration at all.
âOC3 Objectionsâ
Objection:
For OC3, the applicant shares screenshots that do not demonstrate how the applicantâs efforts resulted in notable impact on a product-led digital technology where the applicant was an employee, founder, senior executive or board member of such an organisation.
My Stance:
Technical examples of a âsignificant contributionâ include:
Having led in the development of high-impact digital products or services;
- Having worked as a key engineer in the core product of a start-up, showing evidence as to how you have contributed to its success.*
Documents that will be considered as acceptable evidence include;
Letter from an employer wherever applicable.
Documentation on product designs or architecture diagram clearly showing your contribution.
After carefully, reading the following lines, I feel they got confused.
âshares screenshots that do not demonstrate how the applicantâs efforts resulted in notable impact on a product-led digital technologyâ
I have presented screenshots of documentation on product designs and architecture diagrams, clearly showcasing my contributions. The reader was specifically examining the diagrams to assess the impact. The CEOâs letter serves as proof of the impact.
They tried to consider the technology diagrams to look for the imapact.
The diagrams and architecture documents, which explicitly identify me as the author, provide clear evidence that I led the development.
Objection:
*The applicant also shares another recommendation letter. As noted in the Tech Nation Visa Guidelines, letters alone without third party evidence to corroborate the assertions made, are insufficient to demonstrate how an applicant meets any criteria. *
Overall it is not clearly demonstrated how the applicant has made multiple significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder, senior executive, board member or employee of a product-led digital technology company. OC3 is not met.
My Stance:
Tech Nation states:
Having led in the development of high-impact digital products or services;
Having worked as a key engineer in the core product of a start-up, showing evidence as to how you have contributed to its success.
Who will provide evidence that I led the development? If I did, someone from my organization must state it on the letterhead, right? The CEO has clearly stated this fact in his signed appreciation letter on the companyâs official letterhead, which serves as a clear identification. So, how else can one provide proof of their leadership?
The CEO of the organization acknowledges that all the impact and success are a result of my contribution. Industry experts have also expressed the same sentiment. Considering this, who else can provide evidence that this highly impactful product, which has already been validated through various sources such as print media, the central bankâs website, news channels, and the World Economic Forum, is indeed impactful? Given the industryâs recognition and the CEOâs endorsement, how else can one substantiate their claim?
Ending Note from the Feedback:
Overall the evidence presented is insufficient to demonstrate how the applicant meets all necessary criteria. We are therefore not convinced that they meet the standard of the global talent visa exceptional promise or talent pathway.
We cannot endorse this application.
Would greatly appreciate the help in here.