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This visa gives young Indian tech founders a legal route to launch a startup in the UK. No employer sponsorship. No endorsement body. No job offer.

https://thetechfounders.co.uk/news/india-young-professionals-scheme-2026-tech-founders/

It is called the India Young Professionals Scheme. And the 2026 ballot closes tomorrow (19 Feb, 2:30pm IST).

3,000 places. 24 months in the UK. And the right to be self-employed and set up a company from day one.

Most people think of this as a "work visa." It is not. It is a launchpad.

Here is what you can do on this visa:

- Register and run your own company
- Work in most jobs while you build
- Study at UK institutions
- Enter and leave the UK freely for 2 years

Eligibility:

- Indian citizen, aged 18-30
- Bachelor's degree or above
- £2,530 in savings
- No dependent children under 18

The self-employment rules are simple: rented premises, equipment under £5,000, no employees. If you are building a tech product from a laptop in a co-working space, that is not a limitation. That is exactly how most startups begin.

The UK has attracted over £45 billion in committed AI investment. London has produced 188 tech unicorns. Two years inside that ecosystem, building with the legal right to do so, is a serious head start.

Cost if selected: £319 visa fee + £1,552 health surcharge. The ballot itself is free.

I have written a full breakdown of the scheme, eligibility, costs, and how tech professionals can use it as a founder launchpad:

https://thetechfounders.co.uk/news/india-young-professionals-scheme-2026-tech-founders/

If you know a developer, designer, or tech professional in India aged 18-30 who has been thinking about building in the UK, share this with them. The ballot window closes tomorrow.