World at their feet: New generation founders launch Cambridge University Accelerator in style
The initial 11 flagbearing companies launched by Cambridge students, alumni and academics have been hand-picked to join the Start Accelerator 1.0 programme.
All are working on difficult challenges across hardware, life sciences and sustainability, covering topics as varied as computer vision software for the semiconductor industry to fixing the UK electricity grid to power a Net Zero future.
The Start Accelerator 1.0 is for early-stage DeepTech companies, with a connection to Cambridge – either as a recent graduate, researcher or academic.
The programme is designed to fast-track and smooth the path to success, allowing Cambridge startups to compete with emerging companies from the likes of MIT and Stanford in the US and ETH Zurich in Europe.
Of the 30 founding team members taking part in the first-ever cohort, 76 per cent have a PhD, whilst 10 different nationalities are represented, including British, American, Dutch, Indian and Lithuanian. The average age is 34 and the average CEO age is 29. Around a fifth of the founding teams and 36 per cent of the CEOs are women.
During the 12-week programme, the teams will receive non-dilutive seed funding from a pool of up to £2 million, which includes funding from the University of Cambridge and investor partner Parkwalk Advisors.
Each team will also receive 50 hours of intensive mentorship from their own entrepreneur in residence (EIR) – one of the Founders’ network of over 100 experts, specialists and connections.
Supporting partners involved in the programme include sponsors KPMG, AstraZeneca, and Hitachi as well as the Babraham Research Campus and the University of Cambridge Judge Business School.
Teams also benefit from free hosting by ideaSpace West, a newly redeveloped co-working space on the West Cambridge site, and priority access to lab space. The Founders at the University of Cambridge programme is delivered by Cambridge Enterprise, the innovation arm of the University.
Gerard Grech, Managing Director at Founders at the University of Cambridge, said: “Cambridge is an ideas capital and as we enter the next wave of digital innovation the university is producing a new generation of venture scientists who are fully focused on solving the world’s biggest problems, with audacious world-leading innovation and research.
“Selecting the first teams to join the inaugural Start Accelerator programme was a difficult task, but we are committed to supporting these teams to turn their science and research into practical reality. Venture scientists like these hold the key to building a stronger, more sustainable economy and with the right support the potential is huge.”
The first cohort:-
• AetoSense – applying patented technology to drive precision in air quality monitoring, addressing potential health hazards
• BioTryp Therapeutics – dividing bacteria to conquer infections and provide an alternative to traditional antibiotics, starting with urinary tract infections
• BravelyCultured – using a proprietary marine microbial biobank and solid-state cultivation methods to replace animal- and petroleum-based products
• Cambridge Vision Tech – early detection of Alzheimer’s
• Molyon – creating next generation high-energy density batteries for weight-critical applications
• Nanomation – building computer vision software for the semiconductor industry to enable clients to build products using advanced, complex nanomaterials
• Orbit – using non-invasive neurotechnology to create a smart fitness device for brains, making mental health data transparent and actionable
• Protonera – turning waste plastics into valuable commodities to make recycling work
• VOLTQUANT – fixing the UK electricity grid to solve one of the biggest challenges preventing Net Zero
• William Oak – developing a point-of-care test for micronutrient deficiencies to improve maternal, infant and child health
• Xterna – engineering a cell-targeting platform that delivers therapeutic cargo to specific cell types.
Moray Wright, CEO at co-investor Parkwalk said: We’re really pleased to see such a varied cohort of entrepreneurs coming through the first Start Accelerator, which exemplifies the high-quality research and technology that is being produced by University of Cambridge and this new global programme.
“As the UK’s most active investor in university spin-outs, and having worked with Cambridge Enterprise for over 10+ years, we look forward to supporting this set of founders as they scale.”
Dr Giorgia Longobardi, Founder and CEO of Cambridge GaN Devices and expert at Founders at the University of Cambridge, added: “It’s great to see such an ambitious group of founders coming out of Cambridge as they scale their ideas into companies.
“I benefited greatly from organisations such as Cambridge Enterprise at the early stages of Cambridge GaN Devices to help me switch from having an academic focus to an entrepreneurial focus and I am pleased to have the opportunity to pay that help forward as an expert at Founders at the University of Cambridge.”
The Founders at the University of Cambridge Start Accelerator programme offers:-
• £40k guaranteed up-front investment with a possible £160k after 12 weeks
• No equity taken until investment raised
• 50 hours+ intensive mentorship with a bespoke entrepreneur in residence (EIR)
• Dedicated support from 30+ additional mentors and investors
• Free office space at ideaSpace West for three months
• Priority access to lab space at the Babraham Research Campus after 12 weeks
• Access to 100+ world-class experts from the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community
• Access to Cambridge Enterprise’s 100+ investors at Demo Day (at 12 weeks) & curated intros where appropriate .
Cambridge is one of the world’s leading University-based ecosystems as home to over 5,300 hi-tech companies. The city is the birthplace of 23 unicorns – privately-owned tech companies valued at $1 billion or more – while University-backed startups have raised over £3bn investment and research since 1995.
A recent independent report gave the economic impact of the University as £30bn a year – or four times that of the English Premier League. Staying with the soccer analogy, this is not a bad first XI to have on the pitch shooting for global goals.