Microsoft Ventures is opening an accelerator in London and is currently seeking applications from UK technology and gaming start-ups which are at the seed stage of investment.
The 12-week programme will be located at Central Working in Shoreditch, London’s ‘Tech City’.
Partners with the accelerator include London Business School, KPMG, Barclays, Jenson Solutions, a business support services provider, Ventures in Motion, Penningtons Solicitors, Train2Game, a provider of learning courses for the gaming industry, and Microsoft’s game development studios Lift London and Lionhead Studios.
Microsoft does not provide equity funding to companies inside the accelerator. However, applicants will receive membership of Microsoft’s BizSpark programme, which provides three years of free software, support and visibility.
Microsoft already has accelerators in Bangalore, Beijing, Paris, Seattle and Tel-Aviv and, as well as London, is adding Berlin, Moscow and Rio de Janeiro. A total of 119 companies have already participated in the global Microsoft Ventures programme, of which 85% received funding on demo day or within six months.