Baker & Co. Associates to host Envestors’ inaugural UK Innovator Founder Visa roadshows in the UAE

UAE entrepreneurs will take centre stage on October 19 as Baker and Co. Associates launches Envestors’ UK Innovator Founder Visa roadshows across the UAE.

The high-profile gathering will bring together business leaders, investors and aspiring entrepreneurs eager to explore new pathways for innovation and international expansion. Among the distinguished attendees will be Baker Abu Sido, UAE- and Romania-based businessman, investor, and CEO of Baker and Co. Associates; alongside Scott Haughton, COO, and Iman El Sherif, Investment Manager of Envestors, one of the UK’s most trusted government-endorsing bodies for innovative business migration.

Empowering global entrepreneurs

Founded in 2004, Envestors has earned a stellar reputation for connecting ambitious entrepreneurs with investors who can fuel their growth. Since becoming a UK government-approved endorsing body in 2019, the firm has played a pivotal role in helping global founders establish thriving businesses in Britain and progress towards permanent settlement.

Through the Innovator Founder Visa programme, Envestors has assessed more than 2,000 international applications – 30 per cent led by women, far exceeding industry averages. Collectively, the entrepreneurs endorsed by Envestors have raised over £40 million (Dh690 million), created 180 jobs, and paved the way for 96 innovators to achieve UK settlement.

“The UK’s strength has always been its openness to talent,” said Dr Kevin Lomax, Chairman of Envestors. “Through the Innovator Founder Visa, we’re not just endorsing businesses; we’re investing in the future of innovation.”

At the helm of this mission is Scott Haughton, Envestors’ COO and MBEB Concession Lead, whose leadership has been instrumental in turning the endorsement framework into a catalyst for measurable economic growth.

A vision for the Gulf

Speaking ahead of the event, Abu Sido emphasised the importance of bridging global innovation ecosystems.

“When international founders are given the right platform, they can deliver extraordinary results,” he said. “Envestors has built a proven model that can be successfully adapted to our region, empowering UAE entrepreneurs to establish a global presence while remaining rooted locally.”

Abu Sido highlighted that the UAE and wider GCC have already made significant progress in nurturing start-ups through incubators, accelerators, and government-backed funding. However, he stressed that scaling globally is the next crucial step.

“We are building the cities and infrastructure of the future. Now we must build the ecosystems that attract and retain the best minds,” he added.

Building bridges between the UK and UAE

The upcoming event on October 19 will serve as a launchpad for deeper collaboration between UK and UAE entrepreneurial networks. Envestors’ presence in the UAE will allow policymakers, investors, and business founders to engage directly with the team behind one of the UK’s most impactful innovation programmes.

Through this initiative, Baker and Co. Associates aims to enable UAE-based founders to scale internationally while maintaining strong local operations, adapting successful UK models to fit the Gulf’s dynamic economic and cultural landscape.

Driving global impact   

The collaboration between Baker and Co. Associates and Envestors signals a growing globalisation of entrepreneurship. In today’s interconnected economy, regions that combine policy innovation with entrepreneurial support are best positioned to thrive.

For the UAE and GCC, embracing elements of the Envestors framework could accelerate diversification and further position the region as a hub for innovation, technology, and knowledge-based enterprise.

As the event approaches, anticipation is building among entrepreneurs and investors alike. If successful, this collaboration could become a defining moment for cross-border innovation, strengthening ecosystems, expanding opportunities, and placing Gulf founders firmly on the global innovation stage.

“This is just the beginning,” said Sido. “Together with Envestors, we aim to empower the next generation of entrepreneurs to think globally, act locally, and lead boldly.”

Only limited seats are available. To attend the event call 04 584 9553 or email info@bakerandco.ae