Launching Startupbootcamp

Today is the start of Global Entrepreneurship Week 2009 (http://www.unleashingideas.org/?_c=1),  during which "for one week, millions of young people around the world will join a growing movement of entrepreneurial people, to generate new ideas and to seek better ways of doing things."

This is a fitting time for the Rainmaking partnership to launch its latest initiative: Startupbootcamp (link to www.startupbootcamp.dk). 

Startupbootcamp is for entrepreneurs with great ideas and great teams who are looking to convert their idea into a live company in 3 months.  Following a rigorous selection, up to 10 teams will come to Copenhagen in summer 2010 to be part of the first generation of Startupbootcamp companies.  We will host the teams in an incubator environment in the heart of Copenhagen, we will inject some cool cash and lots of top notch mentorship, and we will close with Investor Day - a unique opportunity for the 10 to pitch to the most active Danish, Nordic and international investors.  See how to apply here. (http://startupbootcamp.dk/apply)

Feeding the underforrest

Small plants have trouble getting sunlight and growing in the shadow of big trees.  The recent financial crisis has reduced business angels' and venture capitalists' appetite for risk and a natural reaction has been to invest in more mature startups with proven business models and existing customer bases.

Startupbootcamp feeds the budding underforrest of young entrepreneurs by giving a highly selected group the ideal conditions to reach up to the big trees.  Rainmaking calls itself a "startup factory" because this is exactly what it's good at:  converting an idea on a napkin into a live company by injecting the needed energy, creativity, and business acumen.  The key for entrepreneurs joining Startupbootcamp is that they not only get the support they need but experienced co-founders who have 'skin in the game'.

Born global in Copenhagen

Startupbootcamp's roots are Danish but our ambitions are global.  We aim to attract the very best teams and ideas from the Nordic region (in our broad definition that not only includes the Baltic countries but also Poland and northern Germany).  but we're not concerned with the candidates' age or nationality.  Our ambition is to have several Startupbootcamp companies expand on several continents. We already have an international team and we are not limited by our location. 

Come meet us

We are celebrating the launch of Startupbootcamp by inviting David Cohen, founder of Techstars, to Copenhagen this Wednesday Nov. 18th.  David has a long track record with his own tech startups and he runs Techstars which is recognised as a leading program for tech entrepreneurs. 

We will be using the occasion to officially launch Startupbootcamp and we'd love to meet you. Sign up here. (http://startupbootcamp.dk/apply-cohen).

We look forward to reading your comments below and will answer your questions via email (info@startupbootcamp.dk) or phone (+45 24 29 4000).

Kind regards, 

Alex Farcet