John McKenna loves startups and is a Space Cowboy with the Rackspace Startup Program. He enjoys telling stories through his writings.
It’s no secret that Rackspace loves startups. We were a startup back in 1998 and that spirit is a vital part of the fabric of our culture. Rackspace understands the challenges and difficulties that all aspiring entrepreneurs face, and we have been committed to helping them achieve their dreams by providing world class hosting and Fanatical Support™.
In 2011, we upped the ante and created the Rackspace Startup Program, which provides cloud hosting and coaching services to aspiring entrepreneurs. We have partnered with some of the premier incubators including Y Combinator, 500 Startups and TechStars to help support startup companies.
Since that time, we have enrolled over 300 startups in our program and have been able to tell many of their stories. We have visited with startups in a variety of industries, from music, food, gaming, finance and fitness among many others. While the types of companies may vary, each of these startups goes through similar struggles as they build a business.
The Rackspace Startup Program has a role in helping startups overcome some of the challenges they encounter. First, we want these young companies to focus on their business and not worry about their hosting infrastructure. We provide them with our world class Fanatical Support™ and hosting expertise to make sure that their site is up and available.
Second, we offer different coaching opportunities and a network of Rackers that can help with any question that might come up. There will be bumps in the road during the startup phase, but most likely others have faced similar situations. The Rackspace Startup Program can connect startups to technology experts who can provide advice and information to help through the tough times. Furthermore, we have launched a series called the Startup Program Insider where we interview people from Rackspace who were around in the early days and get their perspective on the current landscape.
The Rackspace Startup Program has a passion for our startups and our Cloud Computing platform that they are building companies on. If you are a startup with a vision and need solutions for the technical side of your business, we are here for you every step of the way. Contact the Space Cowboys for solutions to your startup needs.