Seeking Advice for Exceptional Promise Reapplication After Exceptional Talent Rejection

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Hi everyone,

I recently applied for the Global Talent Visa (Exceptional Talent) under Tech Nation but my application was rejected, including my endorsement review appeal. I am now preparing to reapply under Exceptional Promise (EP) and would appreciate your guidance on improving my application to ensure a successful outcome.

My Profile & Experience (linkedin profile link : https://www.linkedin.com/in/nabeelbinmuhammed/ )

  • Current Role: Founder & Product Owner of Fluck AI Ltd (under development and not yet launched)., an AI-driven fintech super app integrating Open Banking, predictive analytics, and financial automation to help SMEs and consumers optimize their finances.
  • Previous Experience: Worked at Amazon UK in three roles (Operations Lead, Interim Manager, Change Management), where I led process automation and predictive analytics implementation for inventory management.
  • Previous Startup: Founder of Quzyn, a food-tech platform that introduced flat-fee restaurant subscriptions, corporate cafeteria management, and AI-powered meal planning. The startup scaled to 15,000+ users and 100+ business partners and was nominated for the India 500 Startups Award (2020).
  • Thought Leadership: Published articles on AI, fintech, and digital transformation with combined views or 216k+.
  • Speaking Engagements: invitation received as speaker and panelist at White Label World Expo and conducted a session virtually on scaling digital products and customer acquisition strategies.
  • Mentorship & Community Contribution: Mentored multiple professionals, including early-career fintech entrepreneurs, and worked on digital transformation projects for NGO.

What I Submitted in My Previous Application

** Mandatory Criteria (MC) – Recognition as a Leader**

  1. Republic World media coverage
  2. Quzyn’s nomination for India 500 Startups Award 2020 and more about quzyn including architecture diagrams
  3. Published 3 articles on AI, fintech, and digital transformation in various platforms
  4. Speaking engagement on digital product scaling
  5. NGO digital transformation

Optional Criteria 2 (OC2) – Recognition Beyond Employment

  1. Mentorship for professionals and startups. Mentees have launched their own startups now.

  2. 2 letters added from mentees

  3. structured Mentorship mentorship through different platforms and organizations. Evidence of email communications were provided.

Optional Criteria 3 (OC3) – Significant Commercial Contribution

  1. Amazon UK – Inventory tracking system design and implementations, operational cost savings, efficiency improvement in change management process

3.Fluck AI – Early-stage traction, business model proof, figma designs, jira planning screenshots

Request for Advice

  • How should I position my evidence to make my case stronger?
  • How should I restructure the evidence and what to add?
  • How can I strengthen my MC, OC2 and OC3 contributions, especially for Fluck AI & Amazon? Is there any other OC I should or can consider?

I would greatly appreciate any feedback, insights, or suggestions from those who have gone through the process successfully.

Thanks in advance for your support! :raised_hands::rocket:

feeback on initial application:

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appeal i have made:

Meeting Mandatory Criteria (MC)

Tech Nation requires evidence that a candidate is a recognized leader with extraordinary ability in digital technology with sustained national or international recognition. I submit the following evidence:

Independent Media Recognition

  • Republic World Feature: An independently researched feature by Republic World—one of India’s leading tier-1 media outlets with a global audience—highlighted my contributions in fintech and digital transformation. This was not a self-published or solicited mention; it independently validated my impact across Foodtech and Fintech sectors. The article specifically discussed my work on the fintech super app (Fluck) and my role in the growth of Quzyn. This external validation confirms my leadership status.
  • Published Thought Leadership: I have authored several articles on digital transformation, fintech innovation, and data-driven growth on globally recognized platforms (names). These pieces have collectively reached over 216,000 readers. They provide strategic insights into the role of digital technology in driving business growth, operational efficiency, and product innovation. Such publications further reinforce my standing as an industry thought leader.

Product-Led Innovation and Market Impact

  • Quzyn – Founder & Product Owner: As the founder of Quzyn, I developed a disruptive food-tech platform that has scaled to over 15,000 active users and secured partnerships with more than 100 restaurants.

    • Business Model Innovation: I introduced a flat-fee subscription model at a time when traditional commission-based systems dominated the industry. This innovative approach not only helped restaurants retain more revenue but also created a new business category. The model is now being piloted by Uber Eats India in 2025.
    • Award Nomination: Quzyn’s innovation and disruptive business model led to its nomination for the prestigious India 500 Startups Awards (2020). The selection criteria for this award include:
      • Customer importance and quality of service
      • Team leadership and employee professional growth
      • Innovative concepts and continuous improvements
      • Societal impact and future expansion aligned with a clear vision
      • Demonstrable achievements in products, services, or management Additionally, Quzyn consistently generates a monthly profit of INR 200,000—a significant figure in the Indian market—validating its impact and market traction.

  • Fluck – Fintech Super App: Since May 2022, I have co-founded Fluck, a UK-based fintech super app that integrates open banking, predictive analytics, and financial coaching to streamline SME finance.

    • Market Traction and Investor Interest: Despite being in advanced beta testing with focus groups and high-level industry interest, Fluck has already attracted investor attention and secured a waitlist of over 500 top industry professionals, including directors from Mastercard, Currys, Dunelm, Carwow, and others.
    • Commercial Impact: Fluck’s development represents a transformative solution in digital payments and financial services, addressing financial inefficiencies and empowering SMEs while also improving consumer financial literacy.

International Impact through NGO Work

  • ---- Digital Transformation: My work with ----—an international NGO operating in the UK, India, the Middle East, and other countries—demonstrates sustained global influence. I led the modernization of their financial operations and membership management systems, which increased efficiency and expanded their reach. This international impact confirms that my digital innovation is recognized not only nationally but across multiple regions.

Optional Criteria 3 (OC3): Significant Commercial, Technical, and Entrepreneurial Contributions

OC3 requires that the candidate has made significant technical, commercial, or entrepreneurial contributions in a product-led digital technology company. I provide evidence from two major areas: my work at Amazon UK and my role as Founder & Product Owner at Fluck.

Contributions at Amazon UK

  • At Amazon UK, I served in several key roles—as Operations Team Lead, Interim Manager, and in Change Management—where I led the design, implementation, and scaling of data-driven solutions that directly impacted product commercialization:
    • Inventory Management and Automation: I designed and defined the predictive analytics framework for a real-time inventory tracking system. Collaborating with data scientists, engineers, and UX designers, I ensured that our system reduced stockouts by 30%, decreased inventory waste by 15%, and delivered annual savings exceeding ÂŁ50,000 per store.
    • Scaling Retail Innovation: As Interim Manager, I refined the system to improve demand forecasting and enhance the scalability of Amazon Fresh’s “Just Walk Out” technology.
    • Process Automation in Change Management: Managing a ÂŁ20M+ portfolio, I introduced structured sprint planning using tools such as Asana, automated stakeholder approvals, and standardized change request tracking. This streamlined product updates and improved system rollouts across the UK and European eCommerce platforms.
  • Team Leadership and Specific Contributions: It is important to distinguish that while I worked collaboratively within teams, my role was central in conceptualizing and driving data-driven automation and predictive analytics frameworks. I explicitly defined the designs and strategic elements that were implemented, thereby leading the transformation rather than merely executing existing processes.

Founder & Product Owner at Fluck

  • Leadership in Product Development: As the Founder and Product Owner of Fluck, I have led the entire product lifecycle—from ideation and prototyping to product architecture, model design, and commercialization planning.
  • Technical Innovation and Market Validation: Fluck is designed to integrate open banking and advanced predictive analytics in a way that creates a new financial automation model for the UK and European markets. Despite not yet being fully launched, beta testing and market research confirm that Fluck has moved beyond early development:
    • Investor Proof and Waitlist: Fluck has attracted notable investor interest and has a waitlist of over 500 high-level industry professionals.
    • Supporting Documentation: The submission includes company registration documents, detailed product roadmaps, flowcharts of technical innovation, and investor correspondence—all of which verify my significant contributions in leading a product-led digital technology venture.
  • Direct, Measurable Impact: Both at Amazon and through Fluck, the evidence clearly shows that my work has driven tangible improvements in operational efficiency, product scalability, and commercial viability.

The comprehensive evidence provided demonstrates that I have:

  • Achieved sustained national and international recognition as a leader in digital technology, validated by independent media features, award nominations, and high-impact thought leadership.
  • Made significant technical, commercial, and entrepreneurial contributions in product-led innovation—both at a global organization like Amazon UK and as the Founder of a pioneering fintech super app, Fluck.

In addition to the extensive evidence submitted, I wish to bring Tech Nation’s attention to the fact that I am applying for a Global Talent Visa Endorsement to remain in the UK and scale my app into a market success. With the app being in its final stages of development, its first version is scheduled for launch in the first week of April 2025, and with over 10 dedicated professionals working alongside me, this venture is poised for significant market impact and continued innovation. My strategic intent to remain in the UK to further develop and scale my app also underscores my long-term commitment to contributing to the UK’s digital technology ecosystem.

I respectfully request a full reassessment of my application under both the Mandatory Criteria and Optional Criteria 3. My documented achievements, market impact, and leadership in driving transformative digital solutions clearly meet and exceed the criteria for Exceptional Talent under the Tech Nation Global Talent Visa endorsement.

feedback for appeal:
Re: Application for Endorsement for Global Talent (stage 1)

Thank you for your Application for Endorsement under the Global Talent category. The application was forwarded to Tech Nation on 30 Jan 2025 and they have provided a recommendation to the Home Office.

You have requested that the decision not to endorse your application be reviewed.

The Home Office forwarded your request to Tech Nation and it has confirmed it is satisfied with the recommendation not to endorse. We have included further details regarding the decision below:

The candidate has applied for the Global Talent Visa (GTV) through the Exceptional Talent pathway. While all evidence has been reviewed, not all may be commented on. After careful consideration, the assessor concludes that the candidate does not meet the criteria necessary for endorsement.

A significant portion of the evidence consists of self-authored documents and reference letters, which lack corroboration from independent third-party sources as specified in the guidelines.

The mandatory references speak well of the candidate, but do not explain how they are one of the world’s leading talents in technology or how they have achieved significant external recognition beyond their employment.

The Mandatory Criteria require the candidate to demonstrate they are a recognized leader with extraordinary ability within a technology field and demonstrate national or international recognition. Their work history is not typical of an ET awardee. We respect their project Quzyn, but the self authored document doesn’t provide any compelling examples of how they have achieved significant recognition. The nomination for the India 5000 awards is not sufficiently prominent. The architecture diagram is not relevant for this criteria. The KMCC volunteering is not relevant to the sector of technology. We respect their efforts to support the operations, but this did not result in field advancement or significant public acclaim. Speaking at the webinar “Building Scalable Digital Products and Customer Acquisition Strategies” is respect, but is not sufficiently high profile to meet ET. It also doesn’t appear to be niche or advanced within technology. The articles do not have high engagement. Overall, we do not see the extraordinary ability or public recognition typical of an ET awardee. MC is not met.

Regarding Optional Criteria 2, the candidate should provide proof of recognition for work beyond the applicant’s occupation that contributes to the advancement of the field. The mentoring work is not compelling. The candidate is clearly generous with their time and has apparently helped a number of people, but the feedback from users suggests that it was more career guidance, and we don’t see examples of field advancement in technology, which is the primary focus of this criteria. OC2 is not met.

Regarding Optional Criteria 3, the candidate should demonstrate significant technical, commercial or entrepreneurial contributions to the field as a founder or employee of a product-led digital technology company. The letter of support is kind, but is quite vague and mostly supports the candidate as a valuable employee rather than a world leading talent in technology. There is no independent evidence to corroborate the claims of impact made. The Inventory Tracking Tool is noted, but we need to see objective proof of its impact. Their company documents are not relevant to OC3 and the various diagrams and screenshots of Fluck do not provide verifiable evidence of impact within a market. OC3 is not met.

On the basis of the above, we do not endorse this application.

Should you wish Tech Nation to consider your case again, you must submit a further application with the relevant fee.

Can someone help me with my case please?

2

@Francisca_Chiedu @alexnk @Maya @Victrr @alex_james @pahuja your thoughts and guidance would be very helpful and highly appreciated. Thanks in advance :slight_smile:

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By skimming through your details here, I found that you are behind in these major criterias

  • Your self-authored documents. << However I see that you also attached ref letter. But How did you proof the evidence in the reference letter to prove these evidence?
  • and recognition of your events you participated are not at the expected level. << what do you think?
  • Your OC3 is only 1 evidence? Why?

Also when you appeal, you are not able to add more details. You can usually point into the files and paragraphs which explained why you think you are supposed to get endorsed.

At least, your OC2 is accepted. Getting OC3 improved seem to be a challenge to you, but still achiveable I believe.

I hope this helps @Nabeelnbm

1 Like
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Hi @Nabeelnbm
took a quick look on the details. Here’s what I’d advise:

MC:

  • Ensure every piece of evidence is independently verifiable by a third party. Replace self-authored documents with externally validated evidence.
  • Revise reference letter briefs to explicitly address potential leadership (for Exceptional Promise), concrete examples of external recognition, and impact beyond employment on the tech sector.
  • For Quzyn, replace self-authored documents with independent media coverage. Downplay the India 500 Startup Award nomination for Exceptional Promise. Focus on verifiable, independently reported metrics of Quzyn’s success such as user growth, revenue, partnerships.
  • Remove irrelevant evidence like architecture diagrams and non-tech focused volunteering (KMCC). Refocus NGO work to emphasize digital transformation aspects and quantify tech-focused impact with verifiable metrics, if possible. Otherwise, remove it.
  • If using the webinar speaking engagement, emphasize audience size and relevance to digital product scaling for Exceptional Promise. Seek higher profile speaking engagements at recognized tech conferences for future applications. Replace webinar evidence if a stronger engagement is available.
  • For articles, focus on impact, not just views. Show citations by industry leaders or discussions in reputable tech forums. If impact is not demonstrable, replace articles with stronger evidence like media coverage or awards. For Exceptional Promise, highlight potential impact of thought leadership.

OC2:

  • Refocus mentoring evidence to demonstrate advancement of the technology field, not just career guidance.
  • Provide evidence of mentees launching tech startups, developing innovative tech solutions, or achieving recognition in the tech sector as a direct result of your mentorship.
  • Obtain testimonials specifically highlighting the tech field advancement aspect of your mentoring.

OC3:

  • Replace vague letters of support with independent, verifiable evidence of impact for both Amazon and Fluck AI.
  • For Amazon, get quantifiable data (cost savings, efficiency gains) verified by internal Amazon reports or a senior manager’s letter with specific metrics.
  • For Fluck, focus on investor validation (reputable investors, due diligence reports if permissible), waitlist quality (senior industry professionals), and early market traction metrics (beta user feedback, pre-launch interest).
  • For Amazon Inventory Tool, provide objective, quantifiable proof of impact from Amazon internal sources (data on reduced stockouts, waste reduction, cost savings).
  • Remove irrelevant company registration documents, diagrams, and screenshots of Fluck. Focus on market validation evidence for Fluck, showing market impact potential, not just development progress.

Overall advice:

  • Prioritize independent validation for all evidence.
  • Quantify your impact using data and metrics whenever possible.
  • Aim for higher profile recognition (media, awards, speaking).
  • For Exceptional Promise, tailor evidence to highlight potential for future leadership and impact.
  • Re-evaluate your entire evidence portfolio, and ask yourself if each piece is strong, impactful, independently verified, and clearly relevant to the digital technology sector.

Hope this helps!

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I see your application has some good foundations with your entrepreneurial experience, but Tech Nation is looking for more outside validation than what you’ve provided. Try getting statements from your managers at Amazon that include specific numbers on how your inventory system saved money.

Your mentorship evidence needs to show how you’ve advanced technology specifically, not just helped with general career advice. The guidelines for mentorship are also highly strict if you look at the documentation - they need to be in-person, for a structured and selective program.

For media coverage, Republic World is good, but tech-focused publications would carry more weight. If you have speaking invitations, make sure to actually do those talks and get recordings or attendee feedback to include in your application.

With Fluck, get something in writing from those interested investors, and include actual metrics from your beta testing. See if any of those waitlisted professionals would write specific testimonials about why they’re excited about your product. For Quzyn, focus on proving your business model’s impact with real financial data rather than technical diagrams.

Make sure everything you submit clearly connects to Tech Nation’s specific criteria. You might have better luck applying under Exceptional Promise first, and really focus on showing technical achievements that others can verify.