IBM is taking entrepeneurship into the Cloud with a global initiative for start-ups to help them capture emerging business opportunities in fast-growing industries like energy and utilities, health care, telecommunications and government.
Under the new Global Entrepeneur Initiative, start-ups for the first time can access IBM’s software portfolio through a Cloud Computing environment, including IBM industry frameworks to accelerate software development; work with scientists and technology experts from IBM Research to develop new technologies.
Entrepreneurs worldwide are invited to apply, with IBM choosing startups that the US technology powerhouse thinks are "strategically relevant to the market." The startups must be privately held and less than three years old. Selected startups will also be introduced to venture capitalists.
Under the new initiative, start-ups can:
- access IBM's software portfolio through a Cloud Computing environment, including IBM industry frameworks to accelerate software development
- work with scientists and technology experts from IBM Research to develop new technologies.
- take advantage of dedicated IBM project managers to assist in product development.
- attend new IBM SmartCamp mentoring and networking workshops with VC firms, government leaders, academics, and industry experts at the global network of 40 IBM Innovation Centres to build business and go-to-market plans.
- tap a new social networking community on IBM developerWorks to connect with other entrepreneurs and more than eight million IT professionals from around the world.
“In the climate we have been in since 2008 it is clear there is a bit of a void in terms of nurturing very young companies," said Claudia Fan Munce, IBM managing director of Venture Capital Group. "Our Smarter Planet agenda calls for that pipeline to be bigger while right now it is getting pretty small if not a complete gap. We invest over $6 billion per year in research, with about 3,000 people in eight labs across the world. With 4,914 new patents in 2009, we bring innovative technologies to market.
“Business around the world are increasingly applying new technologies to address industry—specific needs. This would help entrepreneurs gain skills they need to bring new ideas to market faster using IBM technology to accelerate industry transformation.”
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