Springboard

About

Springboard is a mentorship-led accelerator program for startups.

We provide seed capital, office space and – most importantly – that magical ingredient of “smart-community” with mentors and other entrepreneurs.

Springboard comes in the shape of an intensive 13 week programme originally based at the inspirational ideaSpace, part of Cambridge University’s state-of-the-art Hauser Forum and is now in London from early 2012.

In 2009, Red Gate Software successfully debuted the programme – subsequently spinning it out to increase the number of teams and mentors involved – through the support of angel investors and NESTA.

It’s the product of our learning from other game-changing accelerator programs (specifically Y Combinator and TechStars in the US and the Difference Engine in the UK) and adapting them to fit an international environment.

Historically, over 50% of the starts up who enter these programmes have succeeded in raising capital in the next round of funding.

What we’ve learned is that at the heart of Springboard should be the exchange of experience, advice, know-how and counselling provided by over 100 great mentors including experienced entrepreneurs and venture capitalists.

Alongside this we provide each founder with £5,000 (up to a maximum of three founders per startup). The founders move to Cambridge or London for the 13 week programme where they receive intense mentoring and business support.

Springboard culminates in an Investor Day where the teams get to present to venture capitalists and angel investors.

Rackspace are sponsoring Springboard during 2012 in both London and Cambridge with providing cloud hosting for applicants and winners, more details to follow shortly.

Applications for our Spring 2012 intake are open now.