London: Cyber London (https://cylonlab.com), Europe’s first dedicated cyber security start-up accelerator and incubator, is today announcing the start of its second programme to support the brightest new European security companies. Cyber London fosters a thriving home-grown community of cyber security companies in the heart of London and the first programme was successfully completed between April and July 2015.
Cyber London’s cyber security accelerator consists of a 14-week programme where entrepreneurial teams with innovative business ideas are provided access to professional training and guidance from an accomplished network of mentors and investors. At the end of this programme, the companies will present their businesses to potential customers, investors and partners at an in-house Demo Day. In addition to training, mentorship and fully-furnished office space, the teams selected to participate in the programme will receive a £15,000 investment in their businesses in return for 3% equity.
Applications for the next Cyber London programme open today on the f6s.com portal at https://www.f6s.com/cyberlondon2cylon-winter2015, with candidate start-up and growth-stage companies from across Europe being encouraged to seek selection. Participants may include the very earliest stage teams, through to established companies seeking support as they seek to accelerate development and reach new customers and markets. Entrepreneurs working on any technology with security applications and with the ambition to build a successful business are encouraged to apply.
Of the eight companies that graduated from Cyber London’s first programme, all but one has been fast-tracked onto the next stage of their growth path.
Chris Wallis, co-founder of http://Intruder.io which has already graduated from Cyber London, commented: ‘CyLon was the best possible start we could have had for our company. Intruder was founded shortly before the accelerator began, and CyLon gave us both the platform and the rocket fuel we needed to launch our business. From the network of people we were introduced to, to the mentoring and review sessions which kept us on track and pushing forwards, the whole experience taught us more than we would have learned from years of going it alone. Also, the opportunities that have opened up through being involved with the accelerator have been mind blowing.’
Alex van Someren of Amadeus Capital Partners, a co-founder of Cyber London, said: ‘The success of the first programme has proven the value that can be derived from bringing together the brightest new start-ups in a hothouse environment and plying them with the skills, knowledge and contacts that they need to get to the next stage of their evolution. We’ve learned a lot from the first programme and are keen to attract the same high level of applicants to the next one.’