28k
people are in digital
employment in the growing
tech sector in South Wales
W e a r e a l w ay s l o o k i n g f o r
potential projects, tech and
business mentors and the ne x t
g e n e r at i o n o f e n t r e p r e n e u r s
of world-class external mentors who
guide students through a range of areas
critical in developing successful high-
technology start-ups. At the end of the
year, the teams will have developed a
workable solution and business plan.
At that stage, the team, their product
and their business plan are assessed. If
successful the team can access a seed
investment fund of up to £250,000.
The first cohort of students joined
Alacrity in September 2013 and we’ve so
far graduated three cohorts, with seven
teams incorporating and awarded seed-
funding. These companies are operating
in a diverse range of areas including
cybersecurity, hospitality, temporary staff
solutions, innovation management, web
calling and co-browsing, and voluntary
activity management. Several of these
companies are now cash-positive,
receiving further rounds of funding and
attracting significant investor interest.
The Alacrity Foundation programme
is the only one of its kind. We believe it
is a significant step in the right direction
for applied, high-impact, technology-led
higher education. We hope that the next
few years will see several of our graduate
companies become leading players
in their chosen markets. If you think you
may have what it takes, why not come
and join us? ■
For more information visit
alacrityfoundation.com and
alacrityglobal.com
graduates are paid a stipend of £18,000,
which is tax-free. After intensive coding
and business boot-camps, project
teams are formed. Team selection is
based on experience, personal and
technical competence, and attitude.
The boot-camps bring graduates up to
speed either in technology or business,
depending on the student’s background.
During the programme the teams will
work on demand-driven solutions
for organisations. The teams take
the organisational issue and develop
solutions for these, from concept to
market-ready. Throughout the year
students have internal mentors that
assist them with technical and business
issues. They are also exposed to a range
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