UOG hosts one-of-a-kind tech and cyber bootcamp

Launched at FuturePark, the fully funded tech and cyber bootcamp enabled future founders to turn their ideas into viable start-ups – all in just five days.

The event, supported by the Barclays Eagle Labs Ecosystem Partnership Programme, had the campus buzzing with innovation as the ‘Future Founder Bootcamp’ got underway.

Designed and run by CyNam, CHLTM TECH and The Ideas Agency, the bootcamp brought together early-stage founders from across the South of the UK to get clarity on their business ideas and gain confidence in pitching them.

Delegates included students from the universities of Bath, Exeter, Gloucestershire and Royal Holloway, alongside cybersecurity professionals and mid-life career-changers.

Bootcamp delegate, Sushma Saxena said: “I came through the door with just an idea – something I’d been quietly thinking about to help make healthcare more affordable and accessible in the UK. In just eight hours, that idea turned into a digital prototype. Now I’ve got a proper pitch, a clearer direction and my brain hasn’t stopped buzzing since.”

Hosted at FuturePark, the bootcamp showcased the University’s new state-of-the-art facilities for cyber and digital studies. The £5.8 million space offers students, local businesses and community organisations cutting-edge equipment and technology, helping to cement Cheltenham as the cyber capital of the UK.

Delivered over five days, bootcamp participants gained insights from a standout lineup of award-winning innovation experts including BAFTA-winning writer Tim Reid.

Expert speakers Nik Venios and Mark Famy from The Ideas Agency commented: “It’s been an incredible privilege to be part of this.

“In just a four-hour session, delegates went from spotting a problem to validating a solution with AI as a companion. Ideas are cheap, it’s bringing them into the world that makes them real.”

The Future Founder Bootcamp provided delegates with a range of skills and knowledge, including app and website development. It created a unique space for participants to shape ideas, connect with pre-seed investors and in some cases, even find co-founders.

Rob Stemp, CTO of DeepMinds, said: “You can’t learn this stuff from books or YouTube. That’s why we started the bootcamp – to share the real, messy truth about building something that works.”

To find out more about future bootcamps, visit: https://www.chltm.tech/