The aim of the Graduate Programme is to equip graduates with all the skills and attitudes needed to found and develop a technology company. One measure of the success of the Programme is the number of companies that formally graduate from it. Of equal importance to the Foundation is to ensure our Alumni companies have a clear path for sustainable growth.
From a Lighting comparison search engine to an Online Communication tool, Alacrity's graduates have penetrated a variety of indutries and successfully flown the nest.
As well as our Graduated companies, We've also got our the current generation of Alacrity who are working towards being the next generation of successful Alacrity Entrepreneurs.
Founder, Persona Jobs
"My time with Alacrity was short and very sweet. Initially I approached it to pitch a business idea... which was rejected. However, Alacrity saw something in our initial meeting that encouraged it to offer me a place on the software boot-camp. I grabbed the opportunity with both hands and haven't looked back. After an intense 6 weeks, I was offered a position in a team - Persona. Six months and a 12 month contract with a strategic partner later, we graduated. A balance of freedom and guidance has allowed us to evolve, graduate from Alacrity and move to our own offices. Persona has gone from strength to strength and the Foundation has always been open for help, made their contacts available and provide further business opportunities. This is a life changing opportunity for the right person, and you don't even have to go on TV and sing"
"As an Economics PhD student I was having many business ideas, but had no channel or structure to take them to the next level. Also, I was keen to learn what would be required (of myself and others) to create an international tech company. So I joined the Alacrity Foundation, which provided the structure, workplace experience, and learning environment conducive to scientific questioning applied to business and entrepreneurial activities (as well as an all-important seed investment!). Today, Enjovia has grown to a dozen customers, gaining more every month, and I really enjoy the feeling of giving back by providing more and more people meaningful employment!"
Founder, Enjovia
Founder, Persona Jobs
"Alacrity gives you the time, money, and environment to attune your entrepreneurial aptitude and become a well-rounded business owner. Make no mistake, you will only get out what you put in, and at the beginning you may lack the experience to even know what to put in! Reading books and talking to people along with running mini science experiments are ways to find your feet without the guide of intuition. Intuition is the opposite of what you want in a startup because a genuine opportunity should not be obvious to everyone nor accessible to anyone. Be VIRO - Valuable, Inimitable, Rare, and Organised to capture value. Don't fully commit to an idea until you understand how that will be the case, and then don't hype yourself up until you've proven it is the case. Take advantage of the mentoring and take charge of your future."
“My time at Alacrity was one of the toughest yet most rewarding years of my life. It was a difficult journey of lows and highs, but it ended with me running my own business with two great friends and colleagues. The training and encouragement received from the foundation was invaluable to our team. Being surrounded by like minded individuals who were also working towards the same goal was not only motivational, but allowed us to share problems and experiences to better ourselves, our teams and our products."
Founder, Culturvate
Founder, Talkative Ltd
“Alacrity has helped me to fulfil my goal of starting a technology business. I’ve formed a lasting relationship with talented teammates. We’ve learnt how to create a software product and build a business around it. Now we’re having incredible fun growing our company, Talkative. Even after graduating from Alacrity, we still receive great guidance from seasoned mentors. I personally think Alacrity is one of the best opportunities for graduates in the UK. The experience is certainly unique.
You will learn far more here than from a regular graduate scheme. For the adventurous and ambitious, this is the perfect place for you. Traditional tracked careers are dead. The world needs creative problem solvers and entrepreneurs. Here you team up with like-minded peers to build a company of your own design. No startup experience is required, you just need a strong work ethic and the courage to do things differently. Thinking of applying? Do it. You won’t regret it. Learn from the best. Prove yourself. Create something of your own.”
“What can the Foundation offer to aspiring Entrepreneurs? Let’s take it in turn, from the superficial to the profound. (1) The physical goods - free office space, a laptop and a range of other office equipment. (2) Salary - the foundation will pay you a stipend, so you don’t have to starve or sleep on the streets for a year. (3) Co-founders - lone wolfs rarely make it in the start-up world; Alacrity puts you in contact with equally enthusiastic entrepreneurs. (4) Mentors - for recent graduates lack of experience is a problem; the foundation has an extensive mentor network to learn from. (5) Time - not many places offer people time to grow professionally; Alacrity excels at this. (6) Practical learning opportunities - you’ll be exposed to plenty of real business scenarios. (7) A business - at the end of it, if you put in as much as the foundation invested in you and your team, you end up with a business. Sweet!”
Founder, Learnium
