IBM's New Global Entrepreneurship Program Accelerates Cloud Development

IBM announced the launch of the IBM Global Entrepreneur Program for Cloud Startups, which will enable startups and technology entrepreneurs to take advantage of the IBM Cloud platform, as well as access to IBM’s global network of corporate customers, consultants and innovation centers to accelerate the development, scale and development of cloud computing. decisions.

According to reviews of more than 300 venture investors and business angels received in 2014 from around the world, most of the investments were directed to technology companies, especially those developing cloud and mobile technologies (source: 2014 Global Venture Capital Confidence Survey) In turn, IBM is contributing to the industry’s active development by offering companies the tools they need to create next-generation cloud applications and capitalize on sales revenue.

“The IBM Global Entrepreneur Program for Cloud Startups offers the most comprehensive set of resources for innovative development in the cloud,” said Promod Hack, Managing Partner at Norwest Ventures. - By providing access to a growing portfolio of third-party solutions and cloud services based on open APIs, IBM provides startups with the opportunity to deploy and monetize solutions in the shortest possible time. And, most importantly, this program can help entrepreneurs accelerate the process of bringing cloud applications to the market. ”

Through participation in the program, startups that meet the selection criteria will be able to use the resources of the IBM Cloud platform for up to 120 thousand US dollars. The IBM Cloud will provide entrepreneurs with infrastructural capabilities to quickly deploy their businesses and allocate resources to further develop, scale, and market solutions. The program will also provide entrepreneurs with access to IBM’s global customer base, many of which work with the startup community to find new approaches to solving industry problems.

As part of the program, entrepreneurs will have access to an integrated portfolio of IBM Cloud, built on the basis of the IBM SoftLayer cloud infrastructure. The comprehensive portfolio includes the Bluemix cloud-based application development platform, which offers over 75 runtime applications and services. These services will help startups handle the growing volumes of big data generated by mobile and social networks, as well as user devices, sensors and sensors. Bluemix also includes a wide range of services for developing innovative cloud applications:

• Integration with Twitter to collect and analyze data from social networks;
• Aspera toolkit for high-speed data transmission;
• Services for monitoring the current state and performance of applications;
• High-performance and flexible database as a service from Cloudant.

Startups can apply for participation in the program on the IBM website .
“Now we are starting to select a new generation of startups for the further development of these projects. Programs like the IBM Global Entrepreneur Program for Cloud Startups are important because they help build a strong community of promising innovators, ”said Gabriella Drani, co-founder and CEO of Tech Wildcatters, a seed fund and technology incubator for young entrepreneurs in the B2B segment. “IBM provides startups with the necessary solutions, as well as helping to establish business relationships, and we are pleased with our cooperation, which helps to develop the best ideas for the further transformation of industries and entire markets.”

IBM will provide start-up technology companies with the opportunity to establish the necessary connections and partnerships that are critical in the early stages of enterprise development by holding individual and informal meetings with entrepreneurs. In parallel to developing and scaling solutions, startups will also receive technical and advisory support through a global network of 40 IBM innovation centers, a new incubator located in the Silicon Alley district of New York, and the Bluemix Garage Center in San Francisco.

“IBM is the only major technology company that offers personal contact and direct cooperation with other enterprises, as well as various mentoring programs. These factors are especially important for early-stage companies, ”said Robin Hrasnig, CEO of Diabetizer, a European startup and partner at IBM. The company has been recognized by WHO for its innovative healthcare application. “Along with the process of developing an application that, through cognitive computing and cloud technology, allows diabetics to treat with maximum accuracy and flexibility, we are increasingly turning to such partnerships to advance our approach to working with big data in various industries.”

Startups turn to IBM for cloud innovation

The cloud, as one of the key transformative technologies of the decade, is transforming the use of big data, mobile and other technologies for the development of a wide range of products, from interactive mobile applications to biomedical devices. By 2016, more than a quarter of all applications, about 48 million, will be available in the cloud, and today 85% of new software can operate in the cloud (source: Global Technology Outlook and IDC).

“The IBM Bluemix platform offering is an important first step in integrating startups into the cloud,” said Brad Hanstable, CEO and founder of Ustream, a San Francisco-based startup that offers video hosting services for more than 80 million users. - Thanks to Bluemix, Ustream allows developers to easily upload large streams of video to their applications. We are pleased to partner with IBM, and we are eager to start working together in the field of innovation with the new leaders in the technology sector that will emerge as a result of the partnership with IBM Cloud. ”

Startup Grid Mobile, a mobile software developer based in Grand Central Tech in New York, is working with IBM to introduce new technology tools and find new contacts for business development. Using IBM resources, the founders of Grid Mobile plan to turn the mobile service into a secure and fully integrated communications platform.

“With the expansion of the range of services and capabilities, as well as the increase in the number of partners using the IBM Cloud, our cloud is becoming more accessible for startups around the world. This is critical to accelerating the innovation process in many industries, from healthcare to banking, ”said Sandy Carter, CEO of Ecosystem Development at IBM. “With the help of cloud technology, the technology sector’s capabilities for working with big data, analytics and cognitive computing are endless, and helping to bring such ideas to the forefront will solve some of the most complex problems facing business today.”

For more information about the IBM Global Entrepreneur Program for Cloud Startups, as well as the application form, please click here.