# Cambridge Computer Lab Ring > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cambridge_Computer_Lab_Ring > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Cambridge_Computer_Lab_Ring.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Computer_Lab_Ring > Source revision: 1352967854 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) {{Short description|British alumni organisation}} {{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} The '''Cambridge Computer Lab 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](/source/University_of_Cambridge)}} is a members' association for staff and graduates of the [Cambridge University Computer Laboratory](/source/Cambridge_University_Computer_Laboratory). It was formed in 2002{{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}} by [Stephen Allott](/source/Stephen_Allott){{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}} as a non-profit, independent and voluntary members’ association, and was absorbed into the Cambridge University Computer Laboratory in 2012.{{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}} It was named by [Sir Maurice Wilkes](/source/Maurice_Wilkes) after the [Cambridge Ring](/source/Cambridge_Ring_(computer_network)).{{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](/source/University_of_Cambridge)}} The association was mentioned by [Richard Lambert](/source/Richard_Lambert) in the [Lambert Review](/source/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."{{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](/source/Her_Majesty's_Stationery_Office) |work=[Lambert Review](/source/Lambert_Review) |date=December 2003 |access-date=March 28, 2012 |author=Lambert, Richard |author-link=Richard Lambert |pages=32 }} Notable companies formed by members of the Cambridge Computer Lab Ring include [ARM](/source/Arm_Holdings), [DeepMind Technologies](/source/DeepMind_Technologies) and [Raspberry Pi](/source/Raspberry_Pi_Holdings).{{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}} == 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.{{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}} This included the introduction of the world's first full-year taught course in computer science, the [Cambridge Diploma in Computer Science](/source/Cambridge_Diploma_in_Computer_Science).{{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}} With several alumni going on to found successful technology companies, notably in computer software, several [University of Cambridge](/source/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](/source/Stephen_Allott), a Cambridge graduate who had recently scaled software provider [Micromuse](/source/Micromuse) to $7.8 billion following its floatation on the [Nasdaq](/source/Nasdaq),{{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}} 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.{{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}} A 'Company of the Year' is chosen from this list annually.{{cite web |title=Hall of Fame Awards |url=https://www.cl.cam.ac.uk/ring/awards.html |access-date=May 11, 2025}} {{div col|colwidth=15em}} * 2005 [Sophos](/source/Sophos) * 2006 [Codian](/source/Codian) * 2007 [Jagex](/source/Jagex){{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}} * 2008 [Xensource](/source/Xensource) * 2009 [Linguamatics](/source/Linguamatics){{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}} * 2010 [Ubisense](/source/Ubisense) * 2011 [RealVNC](/source/RealVNC) * 2012 [Trampoline Systems](/source/Charles_Armstrong_(ethnographer)) * 2013 [Raspberry Pi](/source/Raspberry_Pi){{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}} * 2014 [DeepMind Technologies](/source/DeepMind_Technologies) * 2015 [SwiftKey](/source/SwiftKey) * 2016 [Unikernel Systems](/source/Docker%2C_Inc.){{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}} * 2017 [Improbable](/source/Improbable_(company)) * 2018 [Bromium](/source/Bromium) * 2019 [PolyAI](/source/PolyAI) * 2020 [DisplayLink](/source/DisplayLink) * 2021 [iKVA](/source/iKVA) * 2022 [Tenyks](/source/Tenyks){{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}} * 2023 [ARM](/source/Arm_Holdings){{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}} * 2024 [Tractable](/source/Tractable_(company)){{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}} * 2025 [Rivos](/source/Rivos){{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}}{{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.{{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}} 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 --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Cambridge Computer Lab Ring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Computer_Lab_Ring) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cambridge_Computer_Lab_Ring?action=history)). 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