ABN AMRO joins Startupbootcamp as a shareholder. The global financial institution values innovation and joins the programme to support entrepreneurs in their efforts to make their business idea succeed. ABN AMRO's stake solidifies the investment for the programme and adds a significant amount of expertise to the already impressive pool of investors, mentors, sponsors and partners.
Bridge Ventures is a capital investment vehicle, lead by brothers Van Brugge and John Linders. This team is well acquainted with technology, start-up markets and innovation, from a technical business model and IP (intellectual property) perspective. The addition of ABN AMRO and Bridge Ventures has ensured Startupbootcamp Amsterdam has funding for the next three years.
Serviced housing corporation, Ymere, has agreed to provide housing for all the finalists during their stay in Amsterdam. The start-ups will be offered apartments in Slotervaart (a vibrant area near to the city centre) close to the Startupbootcamp offices. The housing corporation owns over 75,000 rented properties in and around Amsterdam and lets out more than 7000 other facilities including tenement houses, stores, business premises and parking lots.
Ruud Hendriks and Patrick de Zeeuw are thrilled with the market response to date. "To see this level of participation and enthusiasm from large companies makes us extremely proud. There is so much scope for Startupbootcamp to expand that 2012 is going to be an exciting time for the business."
Menno van Leeuwen, responsible for Technology, Media and Telecom companies at ABN AMRO, says: "ABN AMRO has a distinct focus on fast growing and innovative companies. We support them with our financial knowledge, our network in various markets and this time for Startupbootcamp with investment capital. Clearly, Startupbootcamp is an excellent platform for us to discover and support growth and innovation."
Bridge Ventures describes Startupbootcamp as an appealing initiative. Kim van Brugge, co-founder at Bridge Ventures: "For us, it is fantastic to be able to use our knowledge and experience to accelerate the go-to-market of new and inspiring initiatives. As a start up you can't wish for a better start, as using this network will get you going in no time.
Dennis van der Burgt, portfolio manager at Ymere is also very enthousiastic about the initiative: "Finding a temporary living space in Amsterdam can be a time-consuming process for the participants of Startupbootcamp. Ymere is offering living space so that the participants can put all their available time in the preparation for demo day."
The commitment of the above mentioned parties follows earlier agreements secured with Vodafone, VMW Taxand, Tripolis and AxiCom.
About Startupbootcamp
Startupbootcamp is a pan-European startup accelerator program. We currently run accelerator programs in Copenhagen, Dublin (runs February-May '12), Amsterdam (runs April-June '12) and will soon be expanding to London and Berlin. At this moment applications for Startupbootcamp Amsterdam are open. Applications close on February 12th 2012.
Startupbootcamp it is all about network and be part of an international startup eco-system that will help participating startups do more faster. Not only to we have a huge network of mentors, sponsors and investors but we also have ambassadors pushing the Startupbootcamp concept all over the world. For more information, visit http://www.startupbootcamp.org or Twitter: @SBootCamp
About ABN AMRO
http://www.abnamro.com/...
About Ymere
http://www.ymere.nl/aboutus/
About Bridge Ventures
For more information about Bridge Ventures contact Kim van Brugge at 06-51112566 or kvbrugge@bridgeventures.nl