What qualifies as strong evidence (and what doesn’t)

Stage 1
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If you’re preparing your Tech Nation Stage 1 application, understanding what counts as strong evidence versus weak evidence is absolutely critical. Many applicants get tripped up by submitting vague, generic, or misaligned documentation that doesn’t meet the endorsement criteria.

To help you stay on track, here’s a quick breakdown of what could qualify as compelling evidence and what doesn’t:

Strong evidence includes:

  • Measurable outcomes (e.g., user numbers, revenue, growth percentages, adoption rates, citations, downloads).

  • Recognition from third parties (e.g., awards, major media coverage, speaking engagements at vetted and peer-reviewed conferences, criterion specific evidence reference letter).

  • Independent verification (e.g., published papers about your work, granted patents, audited financials, signed client contracts).

  • Detailed recommendation letters, that follows the guidance criteria from credible experts whose credentials are publicly available and verifiable and electronically signed.

Weak or questionable evidence includes:

  • Self-published blog posts lacking editorial oversight.

  • Mentoring via online platforms (like ADPList) used as sole proof of mentorship.

  • Generic or templated recommendation letters that lack specificity.

  • Team accomplishments without a clear explanation or not backed with evidence of your individual contribution.

  • Evidence that doesn’t align with the stated criteria.

  • Reusing the same evidence across multiple criteria.

  • Inconsistent claims about your discipline or skillset - e.g., Positioning yourself as a Full Stack Developer, Product Manager, Project Manager, and Graphic Designer in different instances.

:white_check_mark: For more expert tips and pro guide guide on how to present strategic, convincing evidence, check out my free guide at tech-pal.co.uk - it’s a great resource to start with, for all applicants.

All the best.

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Thank you so much for this. It really clears things up for me. But I have a question. You said “ * Reusing the same evidence across multiple criteria.”
So is it okay to use different evidence from the same place? Say for instance talking about different features from one app.
Also, can I show proof of commercial impact with a product that’s not exactly product led, If my skills contributed to their growth significantly?

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@Maryam_Yahaya I’m really glad it helped! About your question:

Talking about different features from one app, the issue is that those features still come from the same App. They’re not considered unique or separate pieces of evidence.

Think of it like this: We were asked to bring two people from unique families, and we showed up with a grandparent from the village and their grandchild from the city. They’re still the same family, just from different generations and locations.

And here is how Tech Nation puts it in one instance:

At least 2 unique documents showing you are recognised as either a leading talent or potential talent.

Unique! Means independent, unrelated sources - not multiple angles of the same thing.

All the best.

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Thanks for sharing! This is a really clear breakdown, very helpful for anyone preparing a strong Tech Nation Stage 1 application.

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