Transforming Social Mobility in the UK Tech Industry

Founded in 2012, upReach is a social mobility charity dedicated to supporting undergraduates from less-advantaged backgrounds to access and sustain top graduate jobs. The Hg Foundation, an independent charity funded by leading investment firm Hg Capital, exists to remove barriers to education and skills in technology.

United by a shared vision to improve diversity in the UK tech industry, the two organisations partnered in 2021 to launch the upReach Tech500 programme. A ground-breaking new initiative that will provide 1-to-1 careers support to 500 ambitious students looking to break into the tech industry each year, the upReach Tech500 programme provides exclusive employer events, targeted application support, and skills development training - arming students with the tools and knowledge they need to succeed. Alongside funding this programme, The Hg Foundation has generously supported the charity’s capacity building. Through this financial support, upReach has been able to grow their number of employer partners in the tech industry to fourteen, forging new partnerships with tech giants like Amazon, Google and Nvidia. These recruitment and skills development partners will provide game-changing career development opportunities for undergraduates from less-advantaged backgrounds, paving the way for a more diverse UK tech industry in the future.