{{Short description|British alumni organisation}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} The '''Cambridge Computer Lab Ring'''<ref name="cam.ac.uk ring">{{cite web |title=Cambridge Computer Lab Ring |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ring/ |access-date=May 11, 2025 |website=Department of Computer Science and Technology Lab Ring |publisher=University of Cambridge}}</ref> is a members' association for staff and graduates of the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory. It was formed in 2002<ref name="businessweekly quested 2012">{{cite news | url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/hi-tech/13791-gates-no-barrier-to-bango-enterprise | title=Gates no barrier to Bango enterprise | work=Business Weekly | date=March 27, 2012 | access-date=March 28, 2012 | author=Quested, Tony}}</ref> by Stephen Allott<ref>{{Cite web |last=University of Cambridge |date=2025-02-24 |title=Stephen Allott |url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/people/sa333 |access-date=2025-05-11 |website=www.cst.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref> as a non-profit, independent and voluntary members’ association, and was absorbed into the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04491100/filing-history|title=Cambridge Computer Lab Ring – Filing history (free information from Companies House)|access-date=January 15, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180115185522/https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/04491100/filing-history|archive-date=January 15, 2018|url-status=dead}}</ref> It was named by Sir Maurice Wilkes after the Cambridge Ring.<ref name="cl.cam.ac.uk careers">{{cite web |title=Computer Laboratory: Careers |url=http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/intro/overview/node6.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120116202718/http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/intro/overview/node6.html |archive-date=January 16, 2012 |access-date=March 28, 2012 |publisher=University of Cambridge}}</ref>
The association was mentioned by Richard Lambert in the Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration as an example of how "universities, departments and faculties should develop their alumni networks in order to build closer relationships with their graduates working in the business community."<ref name="nationalarchives lambert 2003">{{cite web|url=http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/9/0/lambert_review_final_450.pdf |archive-url=http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20080910163041/http://www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/9/0/lambert_review_final_450.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-date=2008-09-10 |title=Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration |publisher=Her Majesty's Stationery Office |work=Lambert Review |date=December 2003 |access-date=March 28, 2012 |author=Lambert, Richard |author-link=Richard Lambert |pages=32 }}</ref>
Notable companies formed by members of the Cambridge Computer Lab Ring include ARM, DeepMind Technologies and Raspberry Pi.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Samols |first=Jan |date=2018-01-23 |title=The Hall of Fame |url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/ring/halloffame |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=www.cst.cam.ac.uk |language=en}}</ref>
== Formation == Founded in 1937 as the Mathematical Laboratory, the Cambridge Computer Laboratory was at the forefront of the development of computing through the twentieth century.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Computer Laboratory - The History of the Computer Lab |url=https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/relics/history.html |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=www.cl.cam.ac.uk}}</ref> This included the introduction of the world's first full-year taught course in computer science, the Cambridge Diploma in Computer Science.<ref>{{Cite web |title=A brief informal history of the Computer Laboratory |url=https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/events/EDSAC99/history.html |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=www.cl.cam.ac.uk}}</ref>
With several alumni going on to found successful technology companies, notably in computer software, several University of Cambridge alumni and staff saw benefit in forming a network that would allow graduates to get "a lifetime benefit from their Cambridge degrees, professionally, technically and socially."[https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/downloads/ring/ring-2012-05.pdf]
To this end Head of the Computer Laboratory Professor Ian Leslie directed Stephen Allott, a Cambridge graduate who had recently scaled software provider Micromuse to $7.8 billion following its floatation on the Nasdaq,<ref>{{Cite web |title=BBC News {{!}} BUSINESS {{!}} E-commerce needs e-reform |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/679133.stm |access-date=2025-11-07 |website=news.bbc.co.uk}}</ref> to form an alumni association. This led to the introduction of a programme of events to promote "intellectual rigour" and to connect alumni.[https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/downloads/ring/ring-2012-05.pdf]
==Hall of Fame== The association claims that, as of May 2026, there are 371 companies created by computer lab graduates and staff.<ref>{{cite web |title=The Hall of Fame – companies started by Computer Lab graduates and staff |url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/ring/halloffame |access-date=May 11, 2025}}</ref> A 'Company of the Year' is chosen from this list annually.<ref>{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame Awards |url=https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ring/awards.html |access-date=May 11, 2025}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=15em}} * 2005 Sophos * 2006 Codian * 2007 Jagex<ref name=bw1>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/14064-computer-lab%E2%80%99s-%E2%80%98nannies-newcos%E2%80%99|title=Computer Lab's 'nannies for newcos'|publisher=Business Weekly|date=May 17, 2012|access-date=15 January 2018}}</ref> * 2008 Xensource * 2009 Linguamatics<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/10229-linguamatics-named-lord-ring|title=Linguamatics named lord of the Ring|publisher=Business Weekly|date=April 20, 2009|access-date=15 January 2018}}</ref> * 2010 Ubisense<ref name=bw1/> * 2011 RealVNC<ref name=bw1/> * 2012 Trampoline Systems<ref name=bw1/> * 2013 Raspberry Pi<ref name=bw>{{cite web|url=https://www.businessweekly.co.uk/news/hi-tech/cambridge-spawns-its-15th-1-billion-company|title=Cambridge spawns its 15th $1 billion company|publisher=Business Weekly|date=May 12, 2017|access-date=15 January 2018}}</ref> * 2014 DeepMind Technologies<ref name=bw/> * 2015 SwiftKey<ref name=bw/> * 2016 Unikernel Systems<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ellexus.com/mistral-wins-product-of-the-year/|title=Mistral wins 'Product of the Year'|date=April 14, 2016|access-date=15 January 2018}}</ref> * 2017 Improbable<ref name=bw/> * 2018 Bromium<ref name=bw1/> * 2019 PolyAI * 2020 DisplayLink<ref name=bw1/> * 2021 iKVA<ref name=bw1/> * 2022 Tenyks<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/news/presenting-2022-hall-fame-awards|title=Presenting the 2022 Hall of Fame Awards|date=April 23, 2023|access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref> * 2023 ARM<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/news/celebrating-our-hall-fame-awards|title=Celebrating our Hall of Fame Awards|date=April 28, 2024|access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref> * 2024 Tractable<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/announcing-winners-our-hall-fame-awards|title=Announcing the Winners of our Hall of Fame Awards|date=April 28, 2025|access-date=11 May 2025}}</ref> * 2025 Rivos<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cst.cam.ac.uk/news/celebrating-culture-innovation-our-hall-fame-awards|title=Celebrating Culture and Innovation in our Hall of Fame Awards|date=April 16, 2026|access-date=7 May 2026}}</ref>{{div col end}}
== Valuation == In May 2025, data analytics provider Beauhurst demonstrated a £145 billion value of companies founded by University of Cambridge Computer Science staff, students and alumni.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Richardson |first=James |date=2025-05-15 |title=How Beauhurst demonstrated a £145 billion value of companies founded by University of Cambridge Computer Science staff, students and alumni |url=https://www.beauhurst.com/blog/cambridge-university-cs-companies-impact/ |access-date=2025-05-17 |website=Beauhurst |language=en-GB}}</ref> The same study found that the companies employ over 28000 people.
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== *[http://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ring/ Cambridge Computer Lab Ring] *[http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/20070701114244/www.hm-treasury.gov.uk/media/9/0/lambert_review_final_450.pdf Lambert Review of Business-University Collaboration] December 2003
Category:2002 establishments in England Category:Organizations established in 2002 Computer Category:University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory