Creating an immigration platform that is dedicated to tech professionals and entrepreneurs, Immigram, has raised over €460k to help tech talent work internationally and reach their full potential.
The funding was led by Xploration Capital with the participation of Mikita Mikado, an immigrant founder and СEO of PandaDoc, Joint Journey Ventures, and a group of angel investors. Immigram is also backed by Hatchery, a startup incubator run by University College London.
Immigram is building a B2B SaaS platform enabling employers to attract and retain international talent by carefully guiding them through the entire relocation journey from applying for a relevant visa to finding an apartment and getting a bank account set up. The startup combines legal expertise with tech-enabled processes to automate immigration.
The company also provides support to users after they move, helping them navigate the stresses of living and working abroad and setting up a new life. The platform helps with essential tasks like opening a bank account, securing an apartment, and even finding kindergartens.
Immigram’s founders – Anastasia Mirolyubova and Mikhail Sharonov – relocated to the UK and personally experienced all the challenges involved in immigration. Immigram’s mission is to help talented immigrants unleash their full potential where businesses and organizations appreciate it and is reflective of the changing work cultures whereby more and more people are relocating internationally for work.
Anastasia Mirolyubova, CEO and co-founder at Immigram explained: “We are building the product around the immigrant, not a particular country. The global talent shortage amounts to 40 million skilled workers right now, and it’s already affecting the immigration laws and is pushing developed countries to establish new talent visa programs. Our goal is to build an end-to-end global mobility platform that will guide people through the entire journey and help them find a community of like-minded people anywhere.”
In 2019 the United Kingdom created a Global Talent visa to welcome the brightest tech talents to join and contribute to the UK’s digital technology. Unlike the program it replaced with an upper limit of 2,000 successful applicants a year, the Global Talent visa has no cap. In addition to that, employees on a Global Talent visa aren’t tied to a particular employer, which allows them to negotiate better terms.
The United States might also soon introduce a similar option. In January 2022, the House Rules Committee introduced a bill that creates a temporary visa for foreign-born entrepreneurs. These pieces of legislation show the need for tech like Immigram’s offering to keep up with changing global perspectives.
Since its inception, Immigram has already helped 150 clients successfully relocate. Immigram also provides a B2C solution for tech professionals and entrepreneurs interested in relocating. Unlike traditional law firms that charge by the hour, Immigram provides fixed pricing, costs 50% less, and issues a full refund in case of failure. It’s also used by top execs from Google, Meta, Twitter, Revolut, Bumble, and Yandex, as well as founders and alumni of Y Combinator, 500 Startups, and Techstars, for example, Kirill Kochnev, VP Goldman Sachs.
Igor Kim, Managing Partner at Xploration Capital, said: “We are now at a very particular moment in history when countries begin to compete for people. Immigram facilitates that process by helping professionals fully realize their ambition on a global scale. They’ve gathered truly fantastic people as their clients, and I know for sure there has already been an investment deal between them.”
In 2022 the platform is planning to further expand to other regions.
