Birmingham Science Park Aston (BSPA) has used cutting edge videoconferencing technology to give budding entrepreneurs from around the world the opportunity to join its latest business incubator programme.
The candidates were invited to pitch their ideas for start-up businesses to a panel of experts, with a lucky few being given the opportunity to take one of ten
places on the Oxygen Accelerator programme, an intensive 13-week mentor-driven bootcamp for technology start-ups.
The interviews were held using BSPA’s cutting-edge Ideas and Communication Suite, a cornerstone of the Park’s Science Parks Without Walls initiative. Using Cisco Systems’ cutting-edge Tandberg technology coupled with the Park’s own super-fast broadband, the suite enables real-time large videoconferencing, creating the next best thing to thing to a face-to-face meeting.
Over the course of the day-long interview process, the panel heard from businesses based in Romania, Austria, Lithuania, the Russian Federation, Argentina, Israel, the USA, Belarus, Spain, Brazil and India. A number of entrepreneurs from Birmingham and London also attended the Park to make their pitches in person.
Dr David Hardman, Chief Executive Officer, Birmingham Science Park Aston, said: “The technology that we have in the Ideas and Communications Suite goes far beyond the level of videoconferencing that is widely available and really creates a sense that the person on the other end is in the same room, rather than several thousand miles away.
“This is the perfect demonstration of the technology available in the suite and its importance to realising our Science Parks Without Walls concept, providing an unparalleled level of connectivity that can be used to put start-up businesses in touch with professional organisations around the world.”
Launched earlier this year, the Oxygen Accelerator programme is open to any web-based business that can build and develop a prototype product during the course of the programme. Companies that are successful in their application to join the Oxygen Accelerator will receive a package of support including up to £20,000 and use of office space at BSPA for six months, in exchange for a six per cent stake in the business.
Simon Jenner, Head of Incubation, Birmingham Science Park Aston and member of the judging panel, said: “This was a hugely successful use of the Ideas and Communications Suite and we were able to hear some truly outstanding business proposals.
“As part of the programme, we require successful companies to relocate to Birmingham for the duration and I would hope that some of them would feel that they could stay here and benefit from the city’s burgeoning reputation as a centre for technological development.”
Interview slots were organised around candidates’ local time zones and participants were contacted beforehand by BSPA’s technical team, who conducted a test call to ensure that the line was operating efficiently prior to their 20-minute pitch to the judges.
The technology has also been used by members of BSPA’s Entrepreneurs for the Future (e4f) incubation programme, primarily to allow entrepreneurs to take part in the International Investment Forum and for mentoring sessions with mentors based outside of Birmingham.
