Accelerating connection

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WELCOME BACK

SYNC 3.0 is a co-founder matching accelerator from Founders at the University of Cambridge. This part-time programme brings together 30 University of Cambridge students, PhDs, academics and recent alumni who want to build a startup.

SYNC 3.0 is now closed for applications. To be the first to know about future programmes, register your interest.

Register your interest

Who is this for?

Being in the SYNC cohort is the fastest way to test co-founding relationships and ideas while in Cambridge. Everyone who joins is on a mission to build something great and go full-time. Alongside the cohort experience, the programme offers access to mentors, investors, industry experts and founder-friendly funding.

The specialist

Cambridge is home to incredible technical talent looking for their next challenge. Some arrive with a technology they’ve already built, others with early ideas they want to explore.

Master’s students like Emile Ferreira, PhDs like Friederike Nintzel and postdocs like Deepanshu Kush join SYNC with exceptional technical expertise, looking for partners with the industry knowledge needed to build a venture.

The operator

Cambridge draws commercial talent from around the world looking to create something of their own, whether that’s solving a problem they’ve seen or building a startup around it. Experienced operators join SYNC to meet technical co-founders and start something new.

People such as John Cirenza and Elizabeth Matthews left successful companies in the Bay Area and Australia to build with technical talent in Cambridge.

The entrepreneur

You don’t have to fit neatly into a category to be a founder. Whether you’ve built side projects or taken a startup from idea to exit, we’re looking for resourceful people who make things happen fast.

Like Zeno Ebeling, a trader by training who also worked as a software engineer or Abhinav Nair, who taught himself to code alongside medical school, many are early in their careers but already creating opportunities for themselves and others.

1 / 7

Emile Ferreira

Co-founder and CTO, Verascient

SYNC gave me the space, community and expertise I needed to turn my research into a company.
1 / 7

Friederike Nintzel

Co-founder & CTO, Neela Biotech

A programme that supports you not just for an evening or a weekend, but over several months, helping you navigate the countless small questions that arise along the way.
1 / 7

Mihai Mesteru

Co-founder & CEO, siliXon

The resources and community SYNC offered were paramount for our growth. Everyone within the cohort genuinely wants to see each other succeed.
1 / 7

Anita Verő

Co-founder and CEO, Latom

SYNC gave me the support to build a startup. I not only met my co-founders but also joined a community and ecosystem I’m incredibly lucky to be part of.
1 / 7

Deepanshu Kush

Co-founder & CTO, Loom Light

SYNC gave me the structure and freedom to explore the impact I want to have on the world.
1 / 7

Elizabeth Matthews

Co-founder & CEO, Finchex

SYNC enables aspiring founders to meet, collaborate and pave their way through the thriving - yet complex - Cambridge startup ecosystem.
1 / 7

Regina Amézquita

Co-founder & CEO, Helora

Being part of SYNC was one of the best experiences of my MBA. A space to grow, experiment, be challenged with new perspectives and meet some of the most creative, resilient and passionate people I’ve come across.
1 / 6

THE PROGRAMME
AT A GLANCE

Exploration sprint

A two-week sprint that kicks off at our Cambridge office and ends with a residential weekend in the countryside.

You’ll meet the 30-participant cohort, then ideate rapidly and test working relationships across a number of evening sessions. By the end of this sprint, you will have tested at least ten potential co-founder matches and chosen who you want to spend more time building with.

Building sprint

A three-week sprint designed for co-founders to test how productive they are together during ideation, customer discovery and prototype building.

During the sprint, the cohort get private masterclasses from exited founders and one to one mentor time to sharpen their direction. The sprint ends with a project showcase where teams will share their target problem, unique insights and progress to date. Everyone gives each team actionable feedback to take into the final sprint.

Investment Readiness sprint

A two-week sprint that kicks off with an investment masterclass, followed by short-term goal setting.

During this period, founding teams build their own networks while accessing our Community of over 300 investors, operators and industry leaders. The sprint concludes with a feedback pitch night, where founders get direct feedback from mentors, industry and early-stage investors.

SYNC 3.0:
THE OFFERING

  • Access to a cohort of 30 prospective co-founders
  • Evening sessions to fit around your research, study or work
  • Grow faster with world-class industry or investor mentors as you build
  • Opportunity to pitch for up to £20,000 of founder-friendly starting capital, followed by larger investments when you are ready
  • Curated access to 300+ mentors, investors and industry leaders in the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community
YOU

YOU

Who’s it for?

 

If you want to find people like you – wildly ambitious, motivated by hard problems and excited by the idea of going full-time as soon as possible (for example, after graduation) – then this programme is for you.

SYNC 3.0 selects 30 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 specialists 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 find people like you – wildly ambitious, motivated by hard problems and excited by the idea of going full-time as soon as possible (for example, after graduation) – then this programme is for you.

SYNC 3.0 selects 30 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 specialists ready to launch again

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





CULTURE

CULTURE

High-trust, high-performance.

 

Building strong relationships takes time, which is why SYNC exists as an evening programme alongside your day-time commitments.

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.

 

Building strong relationships takes time, which is why SYNC exists as an evening programme alongside your day-time commitments.

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 Manager). 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 Manager). We are backing you as an individual, with everything designed to support your growth.





COMMUNITY

COMMUNITY

Community for life.

 

Join SYNC 3.0 and gain access to 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 3.0 and gain access to the Founders at the University of Cambridge Community: a network of peers, alumni and advisors committed to building world-class companies.





SYNC 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 KICK-OFF
SPRINT ONE
WEEKEND RESIDENTIAL
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. Register your interest here if you fall outside of these criteria, as we may find ways of connecting you with Cambridge talent.

We are looking for people who want to be full-time founders by Summer 2027. 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 3.0?

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



How does funding work?

Through Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, we invest out of the Discovery Fund, which was generously donated by University of Cambridge alumni. We invest in promising teams on founder-friendly terms, focusing on the earliest and riskiest stages of company formation, with all returns reinvested into the fund to support the next generation of founders. Investments start at £20,000 on a SAFE so that founders can experiment and build momentum at an early stage. We help founders move faster through introductions to our Community of investors.

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
  • Mentorship from University of Cambridge alumni and industry leaders
  • Specialist masterclasses that cover a wide range of topics from product to fundraising
  • 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.

  • Kick-off weekend
  • Three evenings a week throughout Michaelmas, with the final session on 11 December 2026.
  • Post-programme we move to a check-in schedule plus optional co-working meetups


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 3.0?

Teams with traction will be fast-tracked to the interview stage for our pre-seed accelerator programme, START. 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



MEET OUR SYNC 3.0
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.

APPLY FOR
SYNC 3.0

Applications will close 11:59 PM, 23 September 2026. 

Apply now
 

Register your interest in our programmes

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Inside SYNC 2.0: The kick-off weekend Play
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Inside SYNC 2.0: The kick-off weekend

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Why finding the right co-founder should not be left to chance
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Community