A new network has launched that aims to help start-ups in South Yorkshire secure £100m in venture funding over the next five years.
Peter Hopton, founder and convenor-in-chief of Venture.Community (image credit: Venture.Community)
Venture.Community is the brainchild of tech entrepreneur Peter Hopton, the founder of data centre cooling company Iceotope and VeryPC, which provides sustainable computers and IT systems to schools and businesses globally.
Iceoptope has raised more than £58m in venture funding since its formation.
Venture.Community will provide resources and a rolling programme of education and events open to any founder who wants to access them. Start-ups with the most potential will receive mentorship from experienced founders in the community and support achieving specific outcomes, such as funding.
It is being piloted in South Yorkshire.
Peter Hopton, founder and convenor-in-chief of Venture.Community, said: "This is a new approach to tech acceleration that is scalable, sustainable and open to all ventures and venturers. Sheffield and South Yorkshire is the UK's secret startup capital and probably the most collaborative tech ecosystem on the planet. This is the perfect place to pilot Venture.Community.
"Tech founders frequently swim in a sea of sharks, so we are providing safe harbour, an inclusive community where founders support founders and entrepreneurs can connect with trusted experts that provide genuine, meaningful support."
The Venture.Community concept has been developed over the last two years through mentorships focused on supporting strategy, fundraising and executive team building with five start-ups, including Productive Machines, BOW and TUBR, which raised more than £5m in funding between them in the period.
It has curated a roster of venture capital and service provider partners, including Squire Patton Boggs, Fuel Ventures, SFC Capital, EHE, Finance Yorkshire, Anticus Partners, AngelGroups, Medici Global Ventures, UK Business Angels Association, Sedulo, Creative Space Management, Roaring Mouse Public Relations, British Blockchain & Frontier Technologies Association, Pinpoint Ventures and Mantra Media.
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