Does time on the High Potential Individual visa count towards settlement (ILR)?

The HPI visa is not a route to settlement. Time you spend in the UK on this visa will not count towards the qualifying period for indefinite leave to remain (ILR).

If permanent settlement is your goal, treat the HPI visa as a bridge: use it to secure a job and then switch to a route that does count towards ILR, such as the Skilled Worker visa, where the qualifying clock would then start. Switching before your HPI visa expires is essential.