We have worked closely with key stakeholders in the Cambridge ecosystem to establish two accelerators: Start Codon for life sciences and healthcare businesses, and Deeptech Labs for technology businesses. The goal of these accelerators is to speed up the process of going from “bench to product” by compressing years of learning for many companies and researchers into structured and intensive programmes, ending in a demo day.
Our strategic rationale
The Cambridge ecosystem is globally recognised as a centre of academic excellence and innovation, with an incredible track record for building category-leading life sciences and technology businesses. However, we identified an important gap in the ecosystem: dedicated hands-on support to bridge the gap between translational research and Series A ready businesses. As a limited partner in the accelerator funds, CIC will benefit from pre-emption rights in companies participating in the accelerators.
The programme and support offered to entrepreneurs
The accelerators support early stage businesses in multiple ways, including providing:
Dr Jason Mellad, CEO, Start Codon
CIC was instrumental in getting Start Codon off the ground and since the launch of the first cohort, have been a great support to our portfolio companies.
Miles Kirby, CEO, DeepTech Labs
CIC has been a key part of Deeptech Labs from day one. They helped to found us, they're an investor and on the board, and as we've selected the cohort, CIC has been involved in the selection committee and helping us with the companies. They’ve really been an integral part of everything we've done and we would not be here without CIC.
start something amazing
Start Codon was established as a partnership between CIC, The Milner Institute and the Babraham Institute. It leverages the unique resources of the Cambridge Cluster to identify, seed-fund and drive the success of truly disruptive healthcare start-ups.
Start Codon leverages the unique resources of the Cambridge ecosystem to identify, seed-fund and drive the success of truly disruptive healthcare start-ups. It aims to disrupt monocultures and stagnation.
Start Codon focuses on supporting highly disruptive, translational innovations created by exceptional teams from across the globe, accepting a small number of exceptional applicants onto its programme. Each year ten companies to join a 6-month programme, each company receives:
Click here to apply to participate in the next Start Codon cohort
The catalyst for deeptech success
Deeptech Labs (DTL) was established as a partnership between CIC, ARM, the University of Cambridge, and Marshalls. DTL provide seed funding, mentorship, and access to resources in the Cambridge ecosystem for early stage companies in the deep technology sector.
Twice a year, DTL’s cohort of startups are embedded in a powerful network of successful entrepreneurs, expert practitioners, leading researchers, and deeptech organisations worldwide.
Having a new technology at the heart of a business isn’t just an extra work stream, it fundamentally changes the nature of the challenge. It’s not just a startup + tech, it’s a technology startup.
Cambridge is Europe’s leading technology cluster and has been a leading source of technological understanding and commercialisation as far back as Babbage and Lovelace.
Many technologies fail to be widely deployed due to strategically ill-judged early decisions. Deeptech Labs offers startups access to expert practitioners who have successfully trodden this path.
