Prime Minister Invites Top Global Entrepreneurs to Join “StartUp Games” in Tech City London, Summer 2012

London, 9 January 2012 – Prime Minister David Cameron today extended an invitation to the world’s most outstanding startups to join the StartUp Games, a unique event to be held in London’s Tech City during the 2012 Paralympics, with participants and winners visiting the Olympic Park.

Organised by a partnership of the Olympic Park Legacy Company and Tech City Investment Organisation, with the close support of StartUp Britain, the StartUp Games will provide an opportunity for the best entrepreneurs from the UK and around the world to present their business to an international panel of judges and investors and compete to be recognised as some of the world’s highest potential startups.

A call for applications will be issued in March 2012 and the competition will take place in Tech City, Europe’s fastest growing tech and digital cluster in September 2012. The finals will be held at a location overlooking the park during the Paralympics.

Andrew Altman, CEO of the Olympic Park Legacy Company, said;

“We are delighted to be able to support the StartUp Games and welcome the opportunity to encourage such an important group of entrepreneurs, from the UK and abroad. The StartUp Games furthers our ambition for the Park to be a catalyst for innovation”

Michael Hayman, Co-Founder of StartUp Britain, said;

“Hosting the StartUp Games is a unique opportunity to bring together some of the world’s highest calibre entrepreneurs to inspire and learn from each other. In the current economic climate, training and talent development are as important as ever, and we are proud to be supporting this event to help bring together young businesses alongside inspiring business leaders.”

Eric Van der Kleij, CEO of the Tech City Investment Organisation, said;

“2012 is an exciting year for the UK, and the world’s attention will be focussed on London and the Olympic Games. The StartUp Games allow us to showcase the very best of Tech City and the fantastic facilities of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park to some of the world’s very best startups, while inspiring and encouraging our own startups to excel.”

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Notes to Editors: 

For more information on the Tech City Investment Organisation, please contact: 020 7413 3751 or [email protected].

The Tech City Investment Organisation (TCIO) was created in March 2011, following Prime Minister David Cameron’s announcement of the Tech City initiative in the ‘Silicon Roundabout’ area of East London. TCIO was set up by UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) and is designed to help the existing cluster of tech-digital and creative companies flourish. Tech City stretches out from the financial heart of the City of London to Stratford and the Olympic Park in East London, and is the fastest growing technology cluster in Europe. The TCIO team is a　unique combination of experienced entrepreneurs and UKTI business specialists. Their role is to help　existing companies succeed, as well as attract global business, entrepreneurs and high-value investment to the digital capital of Europe. For more information, visit www.techcityuk.com or www.ukti.gov.uk/techcity or follow us @techcityuk

UK Trade & Investment (UKTI) is the Government Department that helps UK-based companies succeed in the global economy. We also help overseas companies bring their high quality investment to the UK’s economy – acknowledged as Europe’s best place from which to succeed in global business. UKTI offers expertise and contacts through its extensive network of specialists in the UK, and in British embassies and other diplomatic offices around the world. We provide companies with the tools they require to be competitive on the world stage. For more information on UKTI, visit www.ukti.gov.uk or telephone +44 (0)20 7215 8000. For latest press releases, visit the online newsroom at www.ukti.gov.uk/media

The Olympic Park Legacy Company was established in May 2009 by its founders, the Government and Mayor of London, as a public sector not-for profit company, responsible for the long term planning, development, management and maintenance of the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. For more information visit www.legacycompany.co.uk

StartUp Britain is the private initiative for entrepreneurs, by entrepreneurs. The campaign aims to raise the profile of entrepreneurship and to celebrate, inspire and accelerate enterprise in the UK. It has the backing of Government, although it is not publicly funded. For further information on StartUp Britain please visit www.startupbritain.org