We're in the home stretch for applications for the inaugural TechStars cloud program. If you're interested in applying please do it now...you're running out of time!

What is TechStars Cloud?

TechStars Cloud is a thematic accelerator that will fund companies focused on cloud computing and cloud infrastructure.

The inaugural TechStars Cloud program will run from January to April 2012 in San Antonio, TX.

TechStars will select approximately ten companies focused on cloud infrastructure to participate. Chosen companies will receive seed funding, mentorship from many of the world’s top cloud infrastructure thought leaders, and will have access to perks available only to TechStars companies and alumni. The program will be managed by Jason Seats and Nicole Glaros. Jason was the founder of Slicehost (acquired by RackSpace in 2008) and has deep understanding of cloud infrastructure and entrepreneurship. Nicole Glaros is currently the Managing Director of TechStars in Boulder, and will relocate to San Antonio to co-manage the inaugural program with Jason.

Applications for TechStars Cloud are now open. Applicants must be startups that are building cloud infrastructure and should apply by October 21st for priority consideration, with a final application deadline of November 7th, 2011. Our Boulder, Boston, Seattle, and NYC programs continue to fund the full spectrum of web, internet, and software companies and applications for those programs are currently open.

Wondering if your business fits into the “Cloud” definition?  

Cloud is an ill-defined term with a lot of semantic dispute on what makes a cloud company.  Below is a list of terms and concepts that we believe often apply to cloud companies.  The more that these terms describe what you’re doing, the more likely you’re a good fit for TechStars Cloud and we’d love to see you apply.  If not, TechStars still wants you – just apply to one of our 4 other programs.

plumbing of the web
internet infrastructure
PaaS/IaaS
APIs
productized computational/storage resources
network automation (network as a service)
virtualization
security infrastructure
OpenStack
hosted services
dev ops
datacenter automation

*Not* a simple consumer, social or web application (angry birds for the cloud probably not a great fit)

SaaS to the extent that it is addressing an interesting problem, solving a problem in a particularly novel way, or addressing a broad (horizontal) market

A mantra is defined as a group of words that are considered capable of "creating transformation"

I've been on the road talking to folks about the Rackspace Cloud for a few months now and this group of words seems to resonate and I certainly believe it's capable of creating transformation...

"Use the Cloud when you can,
use virtualization when you can't,
use a physical server when you must."