Date: 19 March 2021
International Student Support
International Student Support Student Services Department
The University of Sheffield
Level 6, Student’s Union Western Bank Sheffield
S10 2TG United Kingdom
Tel: (0114) 222 1304
www.sheffield.ac.uk/ssid/international
Start-Up Visa Endorsement Letter
This letter confirms that you have been endorsed for a UK Start-up visa application.
Applicant’s details:
Name: Yiran JING
Date of birth: 20 January 1989
Endorsement details:
Endorsement reference number: EB20200983
Date of issue: 19 March 2021
Name of endorsing body: The University of Sheffield
Work address:
Western Bank, Sheffield, S10 2TN
E-mail: casenquiries@sheffield.ac.uk
Further details of your endorsement are set out overleaf.
Nationality: China
Passport number: E10600150
Date of expiry: 19 June 2021
Name of authorised person: Charlie Eason
Telephone: 0114 222 4764
In applying for this endorsement, you consent for me to provide an electronic copy of this letter to the Home Office and confirm its contents at their request.
Please note that this endorsement letter does not confer any immigration status or right to work in the UK. You should use this letter within 3 months of the above date of issue to make an application to the Home Office. Details of how to apply can be found on the gov.uk website.
Signature of authorised person of the endorsing body:
Dr Tony Strike University Secretary Official Stamp of the Institution
Further details of endorsement:
Applicant’s name: Yiran JING
Names of any entrepreneurial team members who are also being endorsed: n/a
Name of applicant’s business: Straw Architects
Business sector: Architecture
Short description of the business and its main products or services:
Straw Architects is an architectural firm specialising in the use of straw for residential and commercial architecture. The business plans to offer architectural designs, full design packages for planning, artistic impressions, energy consulting, Building Information Modelling support and site based technological management solutions.
Short description of the applicant’s role in founding the business:
Yiran has studied Architectural Design and is the sole founder of Straw Architects. She will lead the design process from initial concept to implementation, taking full responsibility for the performance of the business and hiring additional staff as the company grows.
Type of endorsement: Start-up
Innovation – The applicant has a genuine, original business plan that meets new or existing market needs and/or creates a competitive advantage.
Short description of how the applicant meets this requirement:
Yiran has provided a genuine and original business plan that demonstrates how she intends to take a sustainable approach in the design and construction of properties. By combining 3 different service packages with Building Information Modelling and Virtual Reality technologies Yiran aims to create competitive advantage in the residential and commercial market to ensure buildings are constructed more environmentally friendly.
Viability – The applicant has, or is actively developing, the necessary skills, knowledge, experience and market awareness to successfully run the business described above.
Short description of how the applicant meets this requirement: Having studied Architectural Design and with 5 years experience of on-site construction design, Yiran is well placed to manage this technically focussed company. She has used her research to identify a gap in the market and position the business so that it is attractive to both existing and new homeowners as well as the commercial market. She plans to create an advisory team at the outset to further strengthen the business as it enters the architectural sector.
Scalability – There is evidence of structured planning and of ✔
Criteria (mandatory) Y N
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potential for job creation and growth into national markets.
Short description of how the applicant meets this requirement:
Straw Architects have provided a well structured business plan that demonstrates the services on offer and potential for growth. As it grows, Yiran intends to employ a production manager and a cost estimator. The roles of account officer, legal adviser, marketing executives and IT personnel will be outsourced initially but the long term strategy is to create permanent roles within the company. To recognise the business vision of becoming one of the foremost sustainable architectural brands, there is also the intention to scale up by building a R&D department that will create more sustainable solutions for straw buildings as well as exploring the use of other low-carbon building materials.
The University of Sheffield is satisfied the applicant is either the sole founder of the business or an instrumental member of the founding team.
The University of Sheffield is satisfied the applicant is relying on their own business plan. The applicant must have generated the ideas in the plan (or made a significant contribution to those ideas) and must be responsible for executing the plan.
The University of Sheffield is satisfied that the applicant will spend the majority of their working time in the UK developing their business venture as referenced in this letter.
The University of Sheffield is satisfied that the applicant has not previously established a business in the UK
The applicant has previously established a business in the UK, under the Start-up or Tier 1 (Graduate Entrepreneur) categories or on the Doctorate Extension Scheme.
The applicant is applying for an additional 12 months leave, as a result of their business being negatively impacted by the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic
Short description of how the applicant meets this requirement:
✔
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Any other relevant information:
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