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ACCELERATING CONNECTION.

INTRODUCING SYNC 2.0

SYNC 2.0 is Cambridge’s co-founder matching accelerator. This part-time programme brings together 40 ambitious students, PhDs, researchers and recent alumni to form co-founding teams and launch startups. We are here to build great founding teams by concentrating talent, not by choosing who you decide to build with.

Many people join having thought deeply about a problem or opportunity for years. Others have tackled challenge after challenge through side projects and hackathons. Some have worked in industry and spotted things that need fixing. What they share is the drive to act now, build a startup and go full-time.

Apply now

THE PROGRAMME
AT A GLANCE

Exploration sprint

Kicking off with a weekend of intense conversations, you’ll meet the 40-participant cohort, ideate rapidly and hear founder stories from successful Cambridge alumni. Four weeks of ideation sprints then follow to explore potential co-founder matches, test ideas and stress-test working styles with direct feedback from the programme team. By the end of this sprint, co-founding teams will begin to form.

Building sprint

As teams form, support shifts to structured check-ins, milestone reviews and tailored workshops. You’ll share progress openly with the cohort, build trust and gain a mentor tailored to your business when ready. These feedback loops help sharpen your direction.

Investment Readiness sprint

Lighter touch schedule as teams prepare decks, refine narratives and run practice pitches with mentors and founder-friendly investors. The programme concludes with startups pitching to the University of Cambridge investment team to kick-off their fundraising. Throughout this sprint, teams will be aiming for introductions to our Community of 300+ investors, operators and industry leaders.

SYNC 2.0:
THE OFFERING

We offer:

  • Access to a cohort of 40 prospective co-founders
  • Mixer events to introduce you to additional prospective co-founders
  • Evening sessions to fit around your research, study or work
  • Access specialist masterclasses from product to fundraising
  • Dedicated industry or investor mentors as you build
  • Opportunity to pitch for up to £20,000 of starting capital, followed by larger investments when you are ready
  • Early access to Google Cloud credits
  • Recognition and grants for teams showing exceptional pace and execution
  • Curated access to 300+ mentors, investors and industry leaders in the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community
  • No programme fee and no investment kickback

YOU

YOU

Who’s it for?

 

If you want to build solutions to hard problems and are ready to go all-in within 12 months, this programme is for you.

SYNC 2.0 selects 40 exceptional individuals from across the University of Cambridge:

•  Engineers, computer scientists and AI researchers

•  PhDs, postdocs and academics exploring applications of new technology

•  Ex-founders and technical builders ready to launch again

•  Industry veterans, commercial operators and recent alumni who want to start now, not later


Who’s it for?

 

If you want to build solutions to hard problems and are ready to go all-in within 12 months, this programme is for you.

SYNC 2.0 selects 40 exceptional individuals from across the University of Cambridge:

•  Engineers, computer scientists and AI researchers

•  PhDs, postdocs and academics exploring applications of new technology

•  Ex-founders and technical builders ready to launch again

•  Industry veterans, commercial operators and recent alumni who want to start now, not later





CULTURE

CULTURE

High-trust, high-performance.

 

We create a culture of pace, clarity and honest dialogue. Participants are encouraged to aim high, learn fast and normalise failure as part of growth.


High-trust, high-performance.

 

We create a culture of pace, clarity and honest dialogue. Participants are encouraged to aim high, learn fast and normalise failure as part of growth.





GUIDANCE

GUIDANCE

Relentless support.

 

Every founder receives 1:1s and team check-ins, plus monthly performance reviews (you + mentor + programme lead). We are backing you as an individual, with everything designed to support your growth.

 


Relentless support.

 

Every founder receives 1:1s and team check-ins, plus monthly performance reviews (you + mentor + programme lead). We are backing you as an individual, with everything designed to support your growth.

 





COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

Community for life.

 

Join SYNC 2.0 and become part of the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community: a network of peers, alumni and advisors committed to building world-class companies.


Community for life.

 

Join SYNC 2.0 and become part of the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community: a network of peers, alumni and advisors committed to building world-class companies.





We aim to shape 15 new University of Cambridge startups each academic year by connecting people who might never have met otherwise.

We believe SYNC 2.0 is the most time effective way to test co-founder relationships at scale in Cambridge, while gaining access to capital, mentorship and community.

APPLICATIONSOPEN
APPLICATIONSCLOSE
INTERVIEWS
WEEKEND KICKOFF
SPRINT ONE
SPRINT TWO
SPRINT THREE

FAQ

Do I need to pay to join the programme?

No, we do not charge a programme fee.  



Who is eligible?

Final-year students, PhDs, postdocs and alumni within five years of graduation. We welcome technical builders, researchers and exceptional commercial candidates.

We are looking for people who want to be full-time founders by Autumn 2026. If that’s not for you, this programme is not for you.



Do I need an idea before applying?

No. Many participants join without a pre-formed idea. The programme is designed to help you explore, test-fit with co-founders and form a direction together. That said, if you already have an idea, or even a half-formed one you’re encouraged to apply. SYNC is an ideal place to test your way through the idea maze, refine your thinking and build momentum with a co-founder.



How do I find a co-founder?

Through short ideation sprints. You’ll explore working with new potential co-founders, work on different problems and see where the strongest fit emerges. We will also hold mixer events throughout the programme to increase your exposure to aspiring founders.



Do you match me with a co-founder?

No. We create the environment, intensity and support system for you to choose the right person yourself.



What if I don’t find a co-founder in the first weeks?

It doesn’t matter. Some teams will take longer to form and people will continually break up and rematch. The goal is to find a long-term co-founder that you are aligned with, not to match as quickly as possible.



What kind of companies form out of SYNC 2.0?

We are sector agnostic. We cover AI applied to old industries all the way to novel deep tech ventures. The common thread is ambitious founders solving hard problems.



How does funding work?

There’s no guaranteed investment. Instead, we recognise high-performing teams with cash grants and warm introductions to Cambridge Enterprise Ventures and our investor network. Our initial investments start at £20,000, with a larger investment round likely brought together by investors within our Community and beyond.

We will look at the following criteria when making investment decisions:

  • A company must be formed
  • Strength of the founding team
  • Progress made during the programme
  • A clear plan to spend the money and raise follow-on funding
  • A viable business model


What support do teams get?

  • Weekly check-ins and monthly team reviews
  • Dedicated mentorship from Cambridge alumni and industry leaders
  • End-to-end support from testing co-founding relationships, prototyping, customer discovery, go-to-market, to investment readiness


What are the attendance requirements?

We require full participation across the programme. This is to give each aspiring founder a fair and equal opportunity to find a co-founder.

  • Four evenings in the first week, followed by three evenings per week for 8 weeks.
  • We will then move to a check-in schedule of one evening per week plus optional co-working meetups for 11 weeks.


Can you sponsor visas?

Unfortunately, we can’t help with visas at this time. However, you may want to apply to the UK’s Global Talent visa which enables exceptionally talented individuals potentially like yourself to come to the UK to work for five years. More on other visa routes can be found here.



What happens after SYNC 2.0?

Teams with traction will be fast-tracked to the interview stage for START 4.0, our pre-seed accelerator programme. Whatever you choose next, you are part of the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community.



Any additional questions?

If you have a question that is not answered above, please reach us at connect@founders.cam.ac.uk



Apply for SYNC 2.0

Application will close on  4 November 2025.

Apply now

MEET OUR SYNC 2.0
SPONSOR PARTNERS

AstraZeneca brings deep industry knowledge and a commitment to encouraging innovation in life sciences and helping the next generation of entrepreneurs.

Known for their cutting-edge research in the technology space, Hitachi is an essential partner on our journey.

Specialists in the innovation economy, HSBC Innovation Banking helps visionaries with entrepreneurial minds achieve their ambitions and beyond.

With a legacy of excellence in financial and legal services, KPMG adds a wealth of experience to our community, alongside a vast global client network.