Nweike wants to do something different with Ziphii which launches this month. The product "Webb" offers a unified digital home for individuals, solopreneurs, and creators. It integrates four pillars:

1.    Presence - your digital identity and portfolio

2.    Experiences - booking, blogging, contact management

3.    Commerce - built-in monetisation

4.    Community - owned audience management

In addition to introducing “Webb”, the real heart of this episode is Nweike's journey and his vision for Ziphii. His story is compelling: from building websites in Nigeria in 2000 to scaling a 60-person enterprise software company, Nweike brings genuine perspective on how technology evolves.

Headline sponsor Holden Polestar

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NuQuantum's journey is a masterclass in pivoting based on market reality.

"Quantum computing is reassuringly hard," Ed explains. "Whatever technique you pursue, there are different limits of scale. But pretty much every modality hits a point where you can't physically assemble enough qubits in a monolithic machine to solve valuable problems."

The solution? Apply classic computing. Just as data centres rely on networking to make distributed computing work, quantum computers need interconnection to scale beyond their physical limits.

"No one company, probably no one country is going to dominate this. This is going to be a collective endeavour, woven together to make highly valuable, highly resilient solutions."

With Series A funding secured, NuQuantum is on an aggressive expansion trajectory.

Ready to dive deeper? Listen to the full episode on the Cambridge Tech Podcast to hear Ed's insights on scaling quantum systems, building diverse teams, and why decent coffee matters more than you'd think.

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#CamTechPod

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Cancer data is fragmented. Clinical trials, pre-clinical research, and real-world patient data exist in silos. There's no unified way to predict how individual patients will respond to specific therapies, until now.

Concr's technology borrows from astrophysics, specifically, how scientists model dark matter using gravitational lensing. The parallel is striking: Astrophysicists can't directly observe dark matter, so they build complex simulations to infer its distribution. Concr can't directly know why a drug worked for a patient, so they build digital twin simulations to predict outcomes.

Key innovations:

·      Bayesian inference at scale to handle messy, incomplete cancer data

·      Hierarchical modelling that learns from shared biology across cancer types

·      94% prediction accuracy on retrospective clinical trial data

·      Prospective validation underway with NHS partners and pharma companies

Concr dramatically reduces the cost and complexity of clinical trials. This episode brilliantly illustrates why Cambridge is a global innovation hub. It's not just about brilliant science, it's about brilliant people from different disciplines colliding, recognising patterns, and building companies that matter.

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The Problem Is Real

The statistics are sobering. The UK has 700,000 unemployed graduates struggling to gain a foothold in the labour market. Young people aren't just worried about AI - they're confused and increasingly anxious about their futures.

What makes this episode essential listening is the nuanced, multi-stakeholder perspective it brings, including Liz Tolcher, Associate Partner, PA Consulting; Ayeisha Kone-Massouma, Degree Apprentice Project Manager, Bidwells; and those noted below.

The podcast brings together educators, employers, policymakers, and AI experts to explore three critical themes:

1. Self-Knowledge Over Specialisation

Anne Bailey, CEO & Co-Founder, Form the Future emphasises that young people's greatest asset is self-awareness:

"Your uniqueness, your humanity, your curiosity, your interest, your values - these are the things that should be the driving factors in thinking about what work you want to do in the future."

2. Foundational Skills Matter Most

Agnieszka Iwasiewicz-Wabnig FRSA, Director, Maxwell Centre, University of Cambridge, argues that critical thinking, ethical discernment, and mental agility are non-negotiable:

"Invest in foundational skills, invest in exercising your mental capabilities and you will be competitive against any AI."

Aga also raises an important tension: over-optimisation for productivity might actually stifle innovation. Without room for experimentation, there's no space for human creativity to thrive.

3. Responsible AI Development for Children

Maria Luciana Axente, Founder & CEO, Responsible Intelligence, highlights that most technology isn't built with young people in mind. The UK's "age-appropriate design" legislation represents a breakthrough, but urgent action is needed to prioritise children in AI policy and design.

Tune in on your chosen podcast platform to subscribe and listen.

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We’ll hear from this year's winners: GreenMixes, Maricene and Phase Shift. And also, from Pinepeak – a returning winner who this year won the Angel Prize.

This isn't a feel-good competition recap. It's a masterclass in how rigorous evaluation, technical depth, and genuine community support can nurture founders solving the world's hardest problems. You'll hear directly from founders grappling with real challenges - resource constraints, market uncertainty, and the pressure of scaling - with refreshing honesty.

The Trinity Bradfield Prize represents what's possible when universities, investors, and mentors work together to support deep tech innovation.

Headline sponsor Holden Polestar

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We caught up with Jane Hutchins, Director of Cambridge Science Park, on the Cambridge Tech Podcast for an illuminating conversation about what makes science parks tick, why green space matters more than ever, and where the sector is heading next.

Whether you're a founder scouting locations, a VC understanding how ecosystems work, or simply curious about how institutions like Trinity College think long-term, this episode delivers genuine insights. Jane's 18-year journey from Southampton to Cambridge - plus her frank discussion of what actually makes companies succeed - is unmissable.

Tune in on your chosen podcast platform to subscribe and listen.

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This episode cuts through the noise of startup hype and delivers genuine, battle-tested insights. Whether you're wrestling with talent acquisition, navigating investor conversations, or trying to build defensible technology in the AI space, Alex's story offers a masterclass in strategic thinking.

Episode Highlights:

🎯 How to attract world-class talent to your startup

💰 Why US and UK investors think completely differently

🤖 The three categories of AI talent (and why two don't matter)

📚 Building proprietary technology in a big tech-dominated world

🏢 Maintaining startup culture post-acquisition

Subscribe to the Cambridge Tech Podcast to hear the full conversation.

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If you've ever wondered how we might make pharmaceutical manufacturing greener without sacrificing innovation, this week's episode delivers some genuinely exciting answers.

HotHouse Therapeutics, a Norwich-based biotech spinout, is harnessing AI and plant biosynthesis to develop the next generation of therapeutic compounds - and they're doing it in greenhouses, not laboratories.

Dr Dave Sheppard and D. Phil Spence joined the show to discuss their genuinely innovative approach to drug discovery. "We use AI and plants to make small molecule therapeutics. Plants have evolved these tools over millions of years to make small molecules - we essentially hijack this system and combine tools from different species to make new molecules with therapeutic purposes."

We find out about:

• Compounds that would take synthetic chemists years to produce individually
• Using greenhouses and vertical farming rather than chemical labs
• Discovery projects (finding new compounds) and production projects (scaling hard-to-access natural compounds)
• HotHouse Therapeutics are not just building a company; they're pioneering an entirely new approach to drug discovery
• Opening a funding round this month (January 2026), aimed expansion into additional therapeutic areas (neurodegeneration, oncology), and a continued focus on proving that sustainable drug discovery isn't just better for the planet, it's better for patients too.

The team emphasises Norwich's emerging biotech ecosystem, particularly the John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, and Anglia Innovation Partnership. With eight team members currently and plans to scale to 20 post-funding, they're committed to keeping operations rooted in Norwich.

This is genuinely exciting stuff. If you're interested in deep-tech innovation, sustainable biotech, or just want to hear how AI is enabling entirely new approaches to one of humanity's oldest challenges, this episode is essential listening.

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The discussion isn’t just a forecast - it’s a sharp analysis of current market trends, user adoption, and technology realities.

Key Highlights & Insights:

Surging GenAI Adoption – But Reality Lags the Hype:

• “Standalone daily usage of GenAI is now about 6% of the population. In London, it’s 40% using it weekly - it’s urban centres and knowledge workers leading the charge.”

AI’s Gender Divide is Narrowing:

• “We’re far closer to parity: as of April, 53% of men and 42% of women have used GenAI tools.”

SaaS Meets AI Agents:

• “50% of organisations will be committing half of their digital transformation budgets to AI automation by 2026. Customers will buy in, but only if SaaS platforms develop agentic capabilities at speed.”

Agentic AI Poised to Explode:

• “There’s an avalanche of interest. Last year we said 25% would launch POCs—now, all it takes is a couple of clicks inside your ERP.”

Search Gets an AI Facelift:

• “AI-powered search engines now drive three times more discovery than standalone apps. This will reshape how we consume and find information, with huge implications for publishers, marketers, and regulators.”

Industrial Robots: Still Hype Over Reality

• “There are only 5 million industrial robots in the world - rising to 5.5m by 2026. Humanoid robots? Mostly a science-fiction obsession, not yet a real market.”

Tech Sovereignty Spending Accelerates:

• “$100 billion will be committed in 2026 to build AI compute infrastructure outside US/China. Yet 90% of global AI compute remains in their hands - a number falling only moderately by 2030.”

The Rise of Video Podcasts (Vodcasts):

• “The global podcast industry will hit $5 billion this year - driven by video. If you're just audio, you’ll have FOMO. Time for a pivot?”

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The lively panel features:

• Sara Jones, Head of Marketing, Carbon 13

• Jonno Evans, Principal, IQ Capital

• Adam Mandel, Entrepreneur in Residence, Carbon 13

• Anil Madhavapeddy, Professor of Planetary Computing, University of Cambridge Computer Laboratory

Key Takeaways

• AI’s Growing Footprint: Training frontier AI models is massively energy-intensive - think billions of pounds and the equivalent annual power consumption of entire UK counties.

• Global Competition & UK’s Role: The US and China dominate in sheer model scale and capital, but the UK can lead with small, efficient models, edge computing, and unique research talent.

• Climate Shockwaves: A 2.5ºC world would “fundamentally restructure the world’s global supply chain,” warns Prof. Madhavapeddy.

• Sovereign AI & Infrastructure: Expect a world where every country wants their own AI infrastructure - raising urgent questions about energy independence, data localisation, and technological sovereignty.

• Hardware & Efficiency Race: Innovations like IPUs and federated learning promise greater sustainability, but as costs drop, usage surges, so efficiency gains may be offset by soaring demand (Jevons’ Paradox in action).

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“Banking for all its pretense and purpose is moving money, receiving money, sending money… What I really want to do is enable my clients to do that in the least stressed way possible.”

Key takeaways from the episode:

• Finding your niche matters – Sam emphasizes making your passion visible and building the right advocates, whether you’re a founder or growing your career.

• Eagle Labs as a community engine – Since 2015, Barclays’ Labs have grown to 43 UK locations, offering workspaces, mentorship, and sector-focused hubs. Cambridge is now a national climate tech hub.

• Support at every stage – From online Founders’ Academy courses to accelerators for female and black founders, and sector-specific programmes, Labs help startups go from idea to IPO.

• Demo Directory & investor visibility – A platform where startups pitch directly to investors, turning ideas into funding opportunities.

• Facing the funding gap – Sam highlights the UK’s scale-up challenge: strong innovation but limited domestic growth capital, especially compared to the US.

• Sustainable innovation in action – Cambridge Eagle Lab itself is a retrofitted, solar-powered space demonstrating the kind of climate tech solutions it supports.

For anyone building, scaling, or funding a tech business in Cambridge, this episode offers both practical insight and a sense of community momentum.

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“It’s been a really good year for Cambridge. There’s a huge amount of momentum, inclusive innovation, and people really getting behind the agenda.”

Here are the key takeaways

A more united Cambridge tech cluster

• Innovate Cambridge has helped align the ecosystem around a clear, collective vision
• One voice into government is paying off, with £400m secured for ecosystem infrastructure
• Strong buy-in across academia, founders, VCs and industry
• AI is accelerating fast, while early-stage life sciences face tougher conditions, but the depth of local support continues to be a differentiator

Scaling ambition through partnership and inclusion

• Cambridge’s strength is not just density, but collaboration beyond the city
• Growing partnerships with Manchester and Oxford to unlock talent and investment
• A strong focus on inclusive innovation, from schools through to scaleups
• A push to raise ambition: less talk of unicorns, more focus on building decacorns

What’s top of the agenda for the year ahead

• Activating the Cambridge–Manchester partnership in a meaningful way
• Making innovation careers accessible to local talent through work with schools and councils
• Attracting more global R&D leaders to the region
• Backing founders to build, scale and exit globally

Quick facts from the conversation

• Cambridge now ranks 37th globally for tech cities (Savills)
• £60m raised for quantum networking, a new sector record
• Inclusive innovation and growth capital remain front and centre
• A call to tell the Cambridge story better on the world stage, spotlighting companies like TRIM and Cusp AI
• “We need more company creation, more exits, more global syndicates.”

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As leaders race to integrate AI, ensuring safety, ethics, and trust is more critical than ever. How can we scale AI responsibly while mitigating risks, avoiding bias, and maintaining transparency?

The expert panel includes Emilie van der Lande (Creative Intelligence), Daniel Quirke (Wayve), Dr Jakob Mokander (Tony Blair Institute) and Ray Eitel-Porter (Lumyz Advisory).

Key takeaways

- Cambridge is setting new benchmarks for innovation and investment in AI, biotech, and space tech. 

- Scaling responsibly means embedding AI governance, risk assessment, and inclusion at every level. 

- The debate on regulation favours targeted, industry-led frameworks 

- Mobility and AI are merging - promise and complexity will require cooperation between startups, regulators, and the public. 

- The tech community should focus on people, not just software: “Stop thinking about tech as tech; think about the human risks.”

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Key insights

Metal-Free, Organic Electrolytes: Kodiaq is developing next-gen organic electrolytes for flow batteries, avoiding the supply chain risks and costs tied to traditional metals like vanadium.

Enhanced Energy Density: They had already demonstrated that the energy their electrolyte could absorb was twice that of existing vanadium technology.

Drop-In Replacement: Their solution can potentially retrofit existing vanadium battery systems, instantly increasing capacity without a total system overhaul.

Resilience & Simplicity: Unlike current technologies that need strict air-free conditions, Kodiaq’s electrolyte is “oxygen-tolerant” -making construction, operation, and maintenance more flexible and less expensive.

Sustainability & Sovereignty: Kamil notes, "Developing this chemistry removes the dependence on the mining sector. These electrolytes can be produced anywhere and recycled for a second life."

Licensing-Led Approach: Inspired by models like ARM, Kodiaq plans to supply the chemistry and intellectual property, leaving battery manufacturing and integration to partners.

Global Impact, Local Roots: With worldwide ambitions, they’re actively building collaborations - especially seeking corporate partners ready to pilot their tech.

As renewables explode worldwide, storing energy safely, efficiently, and scalably is the central challenge of our net-zero future. Kodiaq could be the company to crack this problem - right from Cambridge’s legendary cluster.

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Key Takeaways:

Drawing on his experiences as an Olympic-level rower and healthtech professional, Finn noticed a gap: “For most people, access to high-quality, frequent physio is nearly impossible.” Enter Flok: an AI-powered physiotherapist offering on-demand, regulation-compliant digital care.

Rather than building another SaaS product, Flok became a licensed healthcare provider. “We are a CQC-approved provider, treating NHS patients directly using our technology and clinicians.” This makes procurement smoother and delivers real outcomes for both patients and the NHS.

Flok’s approach shuns off-the-shelf LLMs in favour of a domain-specific language for clinical reasoning, ensuring safe, explainable decision-making at every step. The system combines real-time video assembly (with a real physiotherapist, Kirsty, as the face of the AI) and robust guardrails against clinical risk.

The results speak for themselves: 68% of patients offered Flok’s service choose it over traditional care, covering ages 18 to 75, and less than 2% need traditional escalation. “Positive patient feedback is central. If people aren’t happy, we don’t have a business.”

Investment Ready: Raised £3.2M pre-product, pre-team. Investors love the addressable market: 80% of healthcare spend is on the delivery of services, not just tools.

Built in Cambridge: Access to deep tech talent, regulatory expertise, and Europe’s largest bio campus makes Cambridge a “no-brainer” HQ.

Actively Hiring: From engineering to clinical and commercial roles - Flok is scaling rapidly and innovating across new therapy areas.

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Key Takeaways:

On the myth of inevitability in AI:

“What we’re hearing is a kind of ugly, aggressive language of inevitability. AI is coming, it’s going to do what it’s going to do. If you don’t like it, get out of the way.”

The real cost to creators:

“What we’re seeing right now in AI is the greatest level of industrial ID destruction in human history… Artists’ work is all being scraped so that it can feed large language models.”

Copy, consent, and credit:

Dr. Heffernan highlights the necessity of strong copyright for artists to keep their livelihood, identity, and voice. Without it, “no income, no reputation, no control, no consent, no identity.”

The tech sector must act like grown-ups:

“We’re not an infantile adolescent industry anymore… we now have choices in front of us that we have to take with some kind of adult responsibility.”

Opportunity, not inevitability:

The big prompt: Use technology to strengthen copyright protections and ensure creators are part of the value chain.

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Rupert explains how London’s 3,000+ AI startups were once scattered across disconnected clusters:

“That fragmentation was stopping the UK from really leading the charge in AI.”

The London AI Hub is changing that. It’s now a go-to space for founders, policymakers, and researchers to meet, collaborate, and shape the future of UK AI.

In just eight months:

40 events hosted and 3,000 participants engaged

15 resident startups across healthtech, SaaS, wearables, and more

9 of 12 startups expanded their teams, and 5 secured funding rounds

Cross-sector collaboration is sparking fresh ideas and new partnerships

Looking ahead:

The Hub isn’t staying local. Rupert shares plans to connect with hubs across the UK - from Glasgow to Manchester - and to record and share events nationwide. There’s also active engagement with government through policy roundtables giving founders a direct voice in shaping AI regulation.

“It’s about putting founders and regulators in the same room and letting them be heard.”

What’s next?

Expect another 5–10 startups joining the Hub, new themed event series (like investor demo days and sessions on AI in decarbonisation), and better ways to keep the community in the loop.

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Hosted by Dr Andy Sellars of Cornerstone, the expert panel features Elizabeth Patterson (Seagate Technology), Dr Gwen Wyatt-Moon (Prospectral), Dr Josh Silverstone (Hartley Ultrafast), Mark Rushworth (Finchetto Ltd), and Matthew Anderson (Wave Photonics), sharing insights on how the UK is building global strength in this critical field.

Key takeaways:

Silicon photonics is hitting its stride. After years of promise, it’s now mature enough for large-scale deployment, opening up new opportunities for data centre performance and bandwidth through wafer-scale integration.

Photonics at the heart of AI and data storage. Seagate’s Mosaic 4 Plus drive, using photonic HAMR technology, already stores 30TB with ambitions to exceed 100TB.

A quantum leap. Photonics will be central to scaling different modalities of quantum computers, serving as the critical interface for next-generation systems.

Why the UK, why now? The UK is carving out a niche in photonics that doesn’t depend on leading-edge foundries. With its strengths in packaging technology, materials science, rapid prototyping, and strong university partnerships, manufacturing here is realistic - especially with facilities like Cornerstone in Southampton.

Room for growth. The ecosystem from idea to prototype is world-class, though challenges remain in scaling production and keeping skilled talent local.

💡 Keynote spotlight

Professor Andrew Fitzgibbon opened the session with a thought-provoking talk that connected technology and humanity. His message: innovation should serve core human needs - food, health, and shelter - so that we can spend the rest of our time creating art and exploring what makes us human. It was a powerful reminder of the “why” behind all this progress.

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💡Highlights

CFT is now creating 8–10 companies a year, having just incorporated its 17th and on track to hit 20 by year-end. The team takes a hands-on approach to IP scouting, spinning out from both universities and corporate R&D labs.

From the future of compute and quantum technologies to cooling systems and energy optimisation, CFT’s portfolio covers some of the most advanced sectors shaping UK innovation. With partnerships spanning 25+ universities - from Glasgow to Southampton - the studio’s reach is truly national.

CFT builds “mini ecosystems” around each startup, often bringing in experienced industry leaders as CEOs. As Owen puts it, “We’ve learned we’re not just a tech company - we’re a people company.”

The studio is expanding into investment with a new sister fund, Future Tech VC, launching soon marking a shift from simply building ventures to backing them through later stages.

🚀 Looking Ahead

CFT is tackling the ongoing challenge of fundraising in 2025 head-on, engaging family offices and developing tailored capital strategies. With initiatives like the Mansion House Act and British Business Bank signalling progress, the team sees major opportunities ahead—especially in dual-use defence tech, the next quantum wave, and sustainability innovation.

Tune in for an honest look at what it takes to build deep tech companies in today’s UK landscape - and why, as Owen says, “It’s all about the quality of relationships you’re building.”

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Key Takeaways:

• “Momentum is currency.” In the US, rapid scaling matters more than capital itself. Christian urges UK founders to foster impatience for growth and not fear fast failure.

• “Everyone celebrates either a quick victory or a quick blowout. What people fear most are ‘zombie companies’ that just linger.”

• Talent is the differentiator: “Don’t settle for the top 10%. Get the top 0.1%. Two best hires can be worth more than £100m in funding.”

• Focus, focus, focus: “Find your win condition and do nothing else. Avoid shiny distractions- if you win, it’s because you doubled down.”

• The UK has caught up: “You don’t have to move to the US anymore. Capital, talent, and mindset exist here if you assemble the right team.”

• Integrating atoms and bits: “The next 5-10 years belong to startups that bridge digital and physical worlds - think robotics, batteries, sensors, and AI - something Cambridge excels at.”

• Learn by doing: “There are no books. You only learn by scaling, making mistakes, and then helping the next wave go bigger.”

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Here are some key takeaways:

• The UK AI sector has reached a combined valuation of $230 billion, surpassing France and Germany combined. Marco notes, “AI is increasingly becoming a national security question,” highlighting its importance beyond just business.

• The demand for AI talent is skyrocketing, with companies offering lucrative packages to attract top researchers. Marco points out, “AI researchers are in massive demand,” and the competition is fierce, with salaries reaching up to £1 million.

• AI startups accounted for 27% of all UK venture capital funding in 2024. Marco emphasises, “Every company is becoming an AI company,” indicating that AI is no longer a niche but a necessity across sectors.

• To maintain its leadership in AI, the UK must create conditions that encourage startups to scale and remain based in the country. Marco states, “We need to stop the exodus of talent at growth stages going to the US.”

The conversation not only highlights the challenges and opportunities within the sector but also underscores the importance of collaboration and support for startups.

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• The Challenge of Signal Management: Leo explains, “Mobile phones need to transmit a powerful signal while simultaneously receiving a weak one. Our technology addresses this by using advanced signal cancellation methods.” This innovation allows for a more efficient and compact design in mobile devices.

• Tunable Filters: Their solution replaces multiple fixed-frequency filters with a single tunable component, significantly reducing complexity and size. “This opens up new use cases for devices that require cellular connectivity,” Alexander adds.

• Sustainability Focus: The technology not only simplifies device design but also contributes to sustainability by reducing the number of components needed. “We’re helping manufacturers create a single global variant of their products, which is a game changer,” Leo remarks.

• Navigating the Semiconductor Landscape: The duo discusses the challenges of scaling in the semiconductor industry, highlighting the importance of having a credible team and a clear strategy for market entry. “It’s about executing our plans and getting our product in front of customers,” Alexander states.

As Forefront RF gears up for its first product launch, the excitement is palpable. The team is focused on securing partnerships with manufacturers and getting their technology integrated into next-generation devices.

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Key takeaways:

• The Importance of Milestones: Shai emphasises the significance of externally driven milestones in guiding team behaviour and company progress. “If it wasn’t for those milestones, they may not have made as much progress,” he notes, highlighting how crucial it is for teams to stay aligned with their goals.

• Nurturing Early-Stage Startups: Shai points out that while funding often shifts towards scale-ups, it’s vital to continue supporting early-stage startups. “We need to ensure that we’re nurturing the early-stage startup with the type of funds that are required,” he stresses.

• Role Models in Entrepreneurship: Shai advocates for celebrating successful entrepreneurial figures within academia, suggesting that these role models can inspire the next generation of innovators. “Let’s make our successful entrepreneurial professors into role models and heroes,” he urges.

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From standout moments to personal reflections, they capture the energy of a week that brought together innovators, startups, and investors from across the tech community.

If you couldn’t make it to #CamTechWeek, this episode is a great way to catch up on what you missed. And keep an eye out - panel sessions and talks from the week will be released soon.

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As the vibrant atmosphere of Cambridge Tech Week unfolds, Faye Holland and James Parton bring us a concise yet impactful episode of the Cambridge Tech Podcast. This week, they dive into the latest happenings in the tech ecosystem, highlighting significant developments.

Key Highlights from the Episode:

• Cambridge Tech Week Buzz: The hosts share their excitement about the ongoing Cambridge Tech Week, a pivotal event that showcases innovation and collaboration in the tech sector.
• Cambridge Innovation Capital appointing Sir Nigel Wilson as chair, signalling a strong leadership transition.
• CuspAI, an AI for material science company, securing over £100 million in funding, showcasing the growing interest in AI-driven solutions.
• Quantinuum, a quantum computing firm, raising a staggering $600 million, reinforcing Cambridge’s status as a leader in advanced technology.
• Innovative Marketing Campaigns: Faye and James discuss a guerrilla marketing campaign launched by Innovate Cambridge, promoting innovation throughout the city. This creative approach aligns perfectly with the spirit of Cambridge Tech Week.
• AI in Legal Work: The episode also highlights a groundbreaking development from AnthroTek, where they utilised AI for their fundraising legal work, eliminating traditional legal fees. “Startups no longer have to pay 20 to 30k to do their investment deals,” says GENIE AI's CEO, signalling a shift in how startups can manage costs.

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We discuss:

• The Evolution of Speech Technology: Ricardo noted, “In the last decade, it has absolutely transformed... We are interacting with speech technology everywhere.” This shift is evident in everyday applications, from subtitles on TV to voice-activated assistants.

• Market Potential: He highlighted the burgeoning market for speech technology, particularly in healthcare. “Across Europe, it’s probably going to be a market of somewhere in the region of 3 to 5 billion hours of audio,” indicating a massive opportunity for growth in transcribing doctor-patient interactions.

• Ethical Considerations: Addressing concerns about bias and accountability, Ricardo stated, “We put an awful lot of effort into making sure that the engines we produce are incredibly unbiased.” This commitment to ethical AI is crucial as the technology becomes more prevalent.

• Innovative Products: Speechmatics is not just about speech-to-text; they are also venturing into text-to-speech technology. This innovation could revolutionise how businesses communicate globally.

•Generalist vs. Specialist: Ricardo shared his thoughts on career trajectories in tech, suggesting that “it is so important to be a bit of a generalist in what you do.” This perspective is particularly relevant in a rapidly evolving landscape where adaptability is key.

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We discuss:

• Career Evolution: Seb emphasises the importance of adaptability in one’s career. “I never had a five-year plan; I just took opportunities as they arose,” he shares, highlighting how his diverse roles at 1Spatial enriched his experience.

• The Importance of Data Quality: Seb discusses the shift in focus from software to data quality, stating, “The thing you need to keep and maintain is the data at the core of it.” This insight is crucial for tech startups looking to leverage data effectively.

• Digital Twins and Smart Cities: The conversation touches on the concept of digital twins, with Seb noting, “Digital twins are a digital representation of the real world,” and how they can enhance decision-making in urban planning and utilities management.

• Machine Learning and Geospatial Data: Seb advocates for using machine learning techniques on structured data and encourages collaboration across industries to unlock the full potential of geospatial data.

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• The Birth of CMR Surgical
• A Vision for Robotics
• Challenges in MedTech
• The Future of Surgical Robotics
• Commitment to Ethical Practices

Produced by Cambridge TV

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What to Expect at Cambridge Tech Week:

• Diverse Programming: The week will feature a variety of events, including keynotes from industry leaders like Sir Nick Clegg and Margaret Heffernan, as well as a pitching competition showcasing five innovative startups.

• Innovation Alley: This year, Innovation Alley will span two days, allowing attendees to engage with over 50 exhibitors and explore cutting-edge technologies. As the beating heart of Cambridge Tech Week, Faye encourages everyone to participate: "Get that bolt-on ticket and make sure you visit Innovation Alley."

• Networking Opportunities: Attendees can look forward to a Tech Leaders Dinner and a gala reception, providing excellent opportunities to connect with fellow tech enthusiasts and industry leaders.

Book your ticket here: https://cambridgetechweek.co.uk/

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Christoph shares his academic journey, which spans from Jena to Oxford, Harvard, and finally Cambridge. He reflects on how these diverse environments shaped his entrepreneurial mindset.

We discuss:

• Illumion's Mission: Illumion focuses on revolutionising battery research with its charge photometry platform, which allows real-time analysis of ion movement within batteries. Christoph explains, “We wanted to provide a lens into the inner workings of a battery at the R&D stage, where there is a critical gap.”

• Market Opportunities: The R&D sector for batteries presents a significant market opportunity, especially as the demand for innovative battery materials grows.

• Challenges and Triumphs: Christoph candidly discusses the challenges of startup life, particularly in securing funding during tough market conditions. “Last year was very, very hard to raise. It is ultimately a very, very hard job and you can only do it if you're tenacious and believe in the idea that you have.”

• Future Plans: Looking ahead, Illumion aims to scale its manufacturing capabilities and expand its market reach. Christoph emphasises the importance of maintaining control over production: “It gives us the agility to respond quickly to different demands.”

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Josephin shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing how Evoralis is revolutionising plastic recycling through innovative enzyme technology.

Key insights:

• Josephin and her team, originally postdocs at the University of Cambridge, recognised the potential for their research in biochemistry to impact the circular economy.
• Evoralis develops enzymes that can efficiently break down various types of plastics, particularly in the textile industry. Josephin explains, “We can screen up to 10 million enzyme candidates per day, which is 1,000 times faster than conventional methods.” This rapid screening process is crucial for identifying effective solutions to plastic waste.
• The company is currently in the R&D phase, aiming to deliver its first enzymes within a year. Josephin emphasises the importance of collaboration, stating, “We need someone to produce our enzymes... we don’t want to build our own factory to recycle plastics.”
• Josephin candidly discusses the hurdles in the biotech landscape, particularly in securing investment. “You have to be persistent and patient,” she advises, sharing her experience of navigating investor conversations and the importance of demonstrating traction in the market.

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Some standout moments include:

• The importance of proof-of-concept funding: Andrew highlights the critical need for proof-of-concept funding to bridge the gap between fundamental research and commercialisation. He states, “Proof of concept funding is essential for advancing technology far enough to attract both large corporations and investors.”

• Evolving equity terms: The conversation touches on the need for universities to adopt more founder-friendly equity terms. Andrew notes, “The sentiment in the sector has improved, and we’re starting to see equity allocations fall, which is encouraging for founders and investors alike.”

• Celebrating entrepreneurship: Andrew emphasises the importance of promoting entrepreneurship as an aspirational career path. He reflects, “We need to do a better job of celebrating our entrepreneurs and the breakthroughs they achieve.”

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In the episode, Sabesan breaks down how battery-free RFID is quietly transforming major industries:

• Retail: Tackling theft and stock issues while boosting sales with real-time inventory tracking
• Aerospace: Preventing tool loss and reducing foreign object debris to improve safety and save billions
• Healthcare: Ensuring critical medical equipment is always accounted for, improving patient outcomes
• 
  

He also shares the reality of turning lab research into a commercial product, the power of strategic partnerships, and how PervasID is positioning itself for global scale.

Plus, Sabesan reflects on his commitment to STEM education and the role tech companies can play in shaping future learning, especially in a world increasingly influenced by AI.

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Robert Fryers, CEO of Spotta, shared some incredible insights on how their innovative early warning systems are revolutionising pest control. From humble beginnings in 2013 to now operating in 24 countries, Spotta is making waves in the tech world.

Robert's journey is a testament to the power of innovation and perseverance. From navigating the challenges of COVID-19 to securing investment and expanding their product range, Spotta's story is truly inspiring.

Key Insights

The pest control market is vast, with insect infestations causing about half a trillion dollars in damage annually. Spotta's technology addresses this significant market opportunity

Spotta's first product targeted bedbugs in hotels, but the company has since expanded to other sectors like forestry, agriculture, and horticulture

Spotta uses ultra-low power vision systems for real-time monitoring of insects. This technology is designed to be cost-effective and sustainable, running for up to a year on an alkaline battery

The company is committed to reducing the use of chemical insecticides, which aligns with global regulatory pressures and the need for more sustainable pest control solutions

Robert expresses a desire for Spotta to become a unicorn. He believes that the scale of the problem they are addressing, combined with their unique technology and market position, makes this goal achievable.

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Six months into the role, Jim Glasheen joins us to talk about his early moves as incoming CEO, like opening a London office to better plug Cambridge into global capital and talent flows. But this episode goes deeper than strategy.

Key takeaways:

• Cambridge has over 40 entrepreneurship programmes, but Jim questions if we’re at risk of creating an “illusion of entrepreneurship” without real market pressure.

• There’s a persistent Series B funding gap. His push? Build international investor relationships before companies need to scale.

• He wants the ecosystem to get more comfortable with failure and take on more risk.

• Cambridge Enterprise now spans licensing, founder support, venture investment, consulting, and ecosystem-building.

Jim’s set the clock ticking: in 6 months, he’ll report back on how international outreach and risk appetite are shifting. For now, he's off to the BIO conference in Boston to keep building those global ties.

Listen in for a sharp, honest look at what Cambridge needs next, and how leadership is setting the tone.

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Key Takeaways:

• David challenges the traditional notion of serendipity as mere luck. He asserts, “Serendipity doesn’t happen by accident. It’s much more by design.” This perspective encourages us to create environments that increase the likelihood of unexpected, beneficial encounters.

• He emphasises the need for organisations to rethink their structures and networks to facilitate serendipitous interactions. “You want to actually design things so that the unpredictable is going to happen,” he explains.

• The book is aimed at those frustrated with slow innovation in large organisations, including civil servants and corporate leaders. David’s goal is to inspire a shift in mindset towards embracing unpredictability in the innovation process.

• He shares his experience of writing the book, highlighting the collaboration with a personal trainer-like figure who helped him structure his thoughts and ideas effectively.

• David also provides practical frameworks for fostering serendipity within teams and organisations, encouraging listeners to consider how they can engineer opportunities for chance encounters.

The episode then features highlights from David’s previous appearance on the podcast in November 2024 (episodes 112 and 113), pulling together serendipity related highlights from that conversation to celebrate the book launch.

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Nazmus and Raoul come from very different worlds - law and VC on one side, drug delivery and materials science on the other - but together they’re building hyper-realistic silicone solutions for real world impact.

A few standout moments from the conversation:

🧠 “We started with this idea of what the market might need, and very early on, we realised the demand is not for hyperrealism, but for functionality.” – Raoul

🌍 “We want to stay a humane company that finds solutions that help people and the planet.” – Nazmus

Key Takeaways from the Interview:

• The duo emphasised the importance of market discovery, stating, “We literally started with a lot of ideas and we didn’t know which one was going to work.” This approach has allowed them to refine their focus on medical applications, which currently account for 80% of their revenue.

• Both founders are passionate about sustainability, aiming to develop biodegradable alternatives to traditional silicone. “We are really interested in using our material science knowledge to explore can we find within five years an alternative to silicone that is actually biodegradable,” Nazmus shared.

• The Cambridge tech scene has played a pivotal role in their success and they highlighted the importance of networking and collaboration.

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“We want to bridge the gap between employers who need skilled talent and young people who are eager to learn.”

We also dive into Tech Futures Day, an initiative designed to give students real exposure to the tech world through hands-on experiences and direct access to industry professionals.

Later in the episode, we shift focus to HackEd, a hackathon with a twist. James Adams and Tim Smith from Tech Educators talk about the impact of bringing diverse groups of students together to explore, build, and present tech projects in just a few days:

“HackEd is about bringing together diverse backgrounds and exposing students to the world of technology.”

From teamwork and mentorship to presenting ideas to real industry leaders; it’s clear this isn’t just another school trip.

💡 Why listen?

·       Hear how initiatives like HackEd and Tech Futures Day are shaping the future tech talent pipeline

·       Get inspired by the students making their first mark on the industry

·       Understand why this matters for founders, VCs, and anyone who wants to support a more inclusive, future-ready tech ecosystem

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Teja’s background is impressive, she holds a PhD in nanomaterials, has published research in top journals, and recently won the Female Founders category at the Wolfson Entrepreneurship Competition. But it’s her ability to bridge deep science with commercial application that really stands out.

What exactly are nanomaterials? Nanomaterials are materials at the nanoscale, 1,000 times smaller than the width of a human hair. They have unique properties that make them ideal for applications in electronics, including transistors and sensors.

With Moore’s Law hitting physical limits, Teja explains how nanomaterials can offer new functions beyond just shrinking components.

But translating cutting-edge research into viable tech isn’t easy. She’s candid about the hurdles early-stage companies face in scaling advanced materials into mass production.

The conversation touches on the vast market opportunities for sensing applications, particularly in the infrared spectrum. Teja aims to lower costs while enhancing functionalities, making her technology appealing to various industries.

Teja praises the collaborative spirit within Cambridge's tech community, noting the invaluable connections and support she has received. "Everyone knows everyone, and it's great.”

If you're curious about the future of semiconductors, or how science moves from lab bench to product, this one’s worth a listen.

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Alexandra talks openly about the journey of scaling deep tech, the importance of educating the market, and how strategic partnerships are helping Xampla grow. She also shares why replacing over 4 million tonnes of plastic coatings annually is not just a target but a real opportunity.

In the episode, we cover:

• The science behind using plant proteins to create biodegradable materials

• Why raising awareness is just as important as product development

• How partnerships with companies like Huhtamaki and Just Eat are unlocking market access

• Xampla’s next steps - with a clear focus on food service coatings and expanding into new markets

This is a great listen for anyone interested in climate tech, materials science, or how Cambridge startups are building for global impact.

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Angel Academe now has over 1,000 registered investors, with a core group of around 100 active angels - 70% of whom are women. That’s a key part of what sets them apart. As Sarah puts it, “70% of our core community are women, which is our big differentiator in the market.”

In this episode, Sarah also talks about the launch of the UK’s first EIS fund focused specifically on female founders. The fund aims to raise £1.2 million, giving investors the chance to back a portfolio of female-led startups with a minimum commitment of £10,000.

She talks about what Angel Academe looks for in a business, tech or science-based, with a strong and defensible technological edge, and encourages both founders and potential investors to get in touch for guidance and support.

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Andy shares insights from a commissioned report predicting an additional £78 billion contribution to the regional economy. He stresses the need for government intervention and policy changes to achieve this target, stating, "If we don’t do anything, growth may drop to 2 or 1%, which would be a disaster."

The conversation also touches on the critical need for infrastructure improvements, including lab space, housing, and transport connectivity. Andy highlights the importance of balancing growth with community needs, saying, "We must be careful not to wreck the quality of life in the region."

He also discusses the importance of engaging local communities and ensuring that the benefits of innovation are felt widely. He believes that "for every job created in science and technology, another four or five jobs are created in the wider community."

This episode is packed with insights that can inspire and inform your approach to innovation and investment. Andy’s extensive experience in the biopharmaceutical industry and his passion for fostering collaboration in the tech sector make for a compelling listen.

If you’re a startup founder or a venture capitalist looking to navigate the evolving landscape of technology and innovation, this episode is a treasure trove of information.

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Amelia shares the personal story behind ivee, inspired by her mother’s struggles to return to work after taking time off for motherhood.

With a background in psychology, Amelia discusses how gender differences in job applications significantly impact hiring. Research shows that men apply for jobs when they meet 50-60% of qualifications, while women typically wait until they meet 90-100%. This discrepancy underscores the need for tailored recruitment strategies.

ivee leverages AI to connect companies with a vast talent pool of women returning to work. “What we’re building at ivee is an AI agent that can surface returner talent,” Amelia explains, emphasising the platform's unique approach to recruitment.

Returning to work can be isolating. Amelia discusses how ivee fosters connection and confidence through supportive peer networks and resources that help women navigate their comeback journeys.

The conversation turns to how return-to-work barriers often exacerbate long-term pay inequality, and why solving one problem helps address the other.

This episode is not just about ivee; it’s a call to action for the tech community to rethink how we approach recruitment and diversity. If you're a hiring manager, consider the untapped potential of the return-to-work market. ivee is actively seeking companies to partner with and post jobs on their platform. For those returning to work, ivee offers a supportive community and resources to help you navigate your journey.

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Key Insights:

• Defining Scale-Up: Chris emphasises that a scale-up is more than just a growing business; it’s one that has a product in the market and is pushing towards a million in annual recurring revenue.

• The Importance of Internationalisation: Chris highlights that scaling should involve looking beyond local markets. He stresses the need for UK businesses to tap into international markets and collaborate with global partners.

• Understanding the Funding Landscape: The conversation touches on the funding gap that exists for scale-ups, particularly in comparison to their US counterparts. Chris points out, “Some businesses need a much longer runway,” and discusses the importance of understanding the capitalisation journey.

• Governance and Culture: Chris shares insights on the dynamics within scale-up companies, noting that strong governance and a healthy culture are crucial.

Whether you're a founder or investor, this episode is packed with practical advice on moving from startup to scale-up.

Produced by Cambridge TV, edited by Kate O'Connor.

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CWOW offers a glimpse behind the scenes of Cambridge’s pioneering life sciences companies. The event also welcomes visitors from outside Cambridge, around the country, and across the world who are curious to see what’s going on ‘inside’ Cambridge.

What to expect: A week-long agenda packed with talks, masterclasses, and open doors across the city.

Monday’s Venture Tour brings together companies from pre-seed into Series A and Series B, spotlighted by: Amadeus Capital, Cambridge Innovation Capital, Cambridge Angels, Cambridge Enterprise, Accelerate@Babraham, BioSpark, Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst, o2h Ventures, and Meltwind Advisory LLP.

Wednesday’s Wide Open Day keeps the energy rolling with some new venues joining returning favourites: Babraham Research Campus, Cambridge Judge Business School, Allia, Cambridge Science Park, West Hub, and more.

And yes, we finally unpack the difference between biotech and techbio, and why Cambridge is leading the global charge in this space.

Register: cambridgewideopenweek.com

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Martin shares insights from his research, revealing that a diversified investment strategy in Cambridge tech deals since the mid-1990s has consistently outperformed traditional stock market benchmarks like the FTSE 100.

Key highlights include:

🚀ET Capital's Journey

Martin recounts his journey from a venture capital firm to establishing ET Capital, which has managed nine funds since its inception in 1993. The firm has successfully backed notable companies, including those in life sciences and low carbon technologies.

🚀 A new kind of fund

ET Capital is shaking things up with a fund designed to open doors, making high-growth Cambridge startups accessible to investors beyond the typical angel networks.

🚀 Backing the ecosystem

From partnering with Cambridge Enterprise to Deep Tech Labs, Martin shares how collaboration is key to unlocking the region’s startup potential.

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Ushnish and Federica share their unique journeys and how a shared vision at MediaTek led to the creation of Sqwish: an “efficiency layer” for AI that’s already reducing input sizes by up to 10x and transforming GenAI performance.

Key Highlights:

·       The entrepreneurial spark - from childhood toy trades to cutting-edge tech

·       Tackling one of AI’s biggest challenges: cost and latency

·       Why Sqwish is just getting started, with tools like smart routing and output compression on the horizon

If you're working with GenAI, building AI products, or curious about startup journeys from within the Cambridge ecosystem then this is for you.

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Key Insights include:

· The Importance of Community: Ilker emphasises, “Technical communities provide support to all the moving parts within entrepreneurial ecosystems.” These communities foster collaboration and innovation, essential for growth in the tech sector.

· Creating Safe Spaces: Natalie shares that grassroots communities offer a “safe space where you can practice, make mistakes, and learn your craft.” This is crucial for both newcomers and seasoned professionals looking to enhance their skills.

· Intentionality in Community Building: Ilker highlights the need for a clear purpose in community initiatives, stating, “If you put the member journey at the centre of the community, you can't really fail.” This focus ensures that communities remain relevant and valuable to their members.

· Regular Engagement: Natalie stresses the importance of consistency, saying, “As soon as you start skipping events, that’s when cracks start to show.” Regular meetings help maintain engagement and commitment from members.

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We delve into:

• VyperCore’s innovative technology, which aims to enhance general-purpose computing performance up to five times without altering existing code, specifically targeting the data center market with efficient accelerator cards. 

• The launch of VyperLab as a confidential cloud-based environment for performance testing, showcasing significant improvements on benchmarks

• The challenges of securing funding for silicon startups, particularly the need for effective collaboration with European and US investors. 

Additionally, Russell discusses VyperCore's strategic presence in Cambridge and Bristol to leverage local talent while promoting a hybrid work model and fostering connections within the silicon community.

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Some standout moments included:

·       Dr. Nik Johnson highlighted Cambridge’s role as a global tech hub, stressing that AI should enhance, not replace, human creativity.

·       Michaela Eschbach reinforced how the city enables high-risk innovation in a low-risk environment.

·       Jessica Montgomery called for AI to prioritise real-world impact over hype, raising concerns about its influence on creative industries and accountability.

·       Professor Neil Lawrence warned that professionals are losing control over AI systems and urged businesses to reinvest AI-driven time savings into skills development.

The event wrapped up with a panel discussion featuring leaders from Innovate Cambridge, Faculty AI, and Cambridge City Council. The key takeaway? AI development needs to be practical, ethical, and inclusive.

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We discuss what will be taking place during the week including:

• Seizing the AI Advantage - this year’s overarching theme focuses on how Cambridge’s deep-tech ecosystem is leading AI innovation.

• Industry Deep Dives - expect discussions on MedTech, CleanTech, AgriTech, Quantum, and Semiconductors.

• Fringe Events - running throughout the week, these independently organized sessions allow for even more engagement and networking.

• Innovation Alley - a dedicated space for the most cutting-edge startups to showcase their technology, now extended to two days due to popular demand.

Cambridge Tech Week is a must-attend event for startup founders and scaleups seeking investor connections, VCs and investors scouting the next big breakthrough in AI and deep tech, corporate leaders and policymakers shaping the industry, and academics and researchers driving innovation.

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Today’s episode features:

·       Details of the winners across all three categories.

·       Podcast interviews with winners Lucy Jung from LYEONS Neurotech (People) and Monica Saavedra from Lambda agri (Thing).

·       Insights from independent judge, Christine Martin (Cambridge Enterprise), who shared her experience of the judging process.

·       Recognition of the independent judges: Christine Martin, Chris Ellis (Innovate UK Business Growth), Jo Słota-Newson (Almanac Ventures), and Tom Hughes (Trinity College Cambridge).

·       Up to £20,000 prize for each winner from the event sponsors

·       And, James caught up with Emily Stoner, Careers Consultant at the University of Cambridge Careers Office, to discuss the growing interest in entrepreneurship among students and researchers.

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GScan is pioneering Muon tomography, an advanced scanning technology originally used for border security but now revolutionising non-destructive testing (NDT) in construction. The technology helps detect corrosion and structural weaknesses in bridges and buildings, preventing costly and environmentally harmful demolitions. “Bridges are often demolished as a precaution because engineers can’t see inside them. We provide that visibility, potentially doubling their lifespan.”

Initially setting up in London, Andi quickly realised Cambridge’s startup ecosystem was the ideal home for GScan: “London’s tech scene is great, but for deep tech, it’s easy to get lost. In Cambridge, you can build a network fast. The Bradfield Centre has been amazing.”

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Key initiatives include:

• Founder Dinners & Fireside Chats – Creating spaces for female founders to connect.
• Funding Programmes – Helping women navigate the notoriously tough fundraising landscape.
• Investor & Conference Connections – Placing female founders on panels, in accelerators, and directly in front of investors.

“Women have to pitch 4x more than men to secure funding. We’re changing that by connecting the right investors with the right founders.” — Clarisse Beurrier

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“We have more microbiologists here than anywhere else in the UK—possibly the world. That’s a testament to the depth of expertise we’re building.” – Roz Bird

Key takeaways:

• A Hub for Science & Startups – The park hosts top-tier institutions, including the John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute, and the Earlham Institute, alongside the University of East Anglia and a thriving community of startups.
• From Lab to Market – Norwich Research Park fosters commercialisation through the ICURE programme, which helps scientists explore market applications for their research, and a £200,000 pre-seed fund supporting early-stage spinouts.
• Bridging the Talent Gap – The university and research institutes play a critical role in supplying skilled graduates and researchers to the growing tech and biotech companies in the region.
• A Future Accelerator – Plans are underway to launch a venture builder programme in 2025, offering targeted support to high-growth startups in biotech, #agritech, and #medtech.

We were also joined by two standout startups who shared their journeys: Sophie Vaud, Head of Microbial Engineering at Colorifix and Rory Hornby, Cofounder of Alora.

This episode is a must-listen for tech founders, investors, and anyone interested in #deeptech and #biotech innovation.

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If you’re a founder, investor, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on:

·       The evolving AI debate & public perception

·       How Cambridge startups are tackling energy-efficient computing

·       The hard truths of startup pivots & funding strategies

·       Why attention-tracking wearables might be the next big thing

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Nick shares:

·       His journey from his PhD in optical pattern recognition to founding Optalysys.

·       How Optalysys leverages optical processing and FHE to process encrypted data without ever decrypting it—ushering in a new standard for secure AI and cloud computing.

·       Optalysys’s big win at the Cambridge Tech Week Scale Up Awards and their plans for product launches, blockchain applications, and setting up a U.S office.

·       Their mission to establish global hardware standards for FHE as part of the FETCH consortium.

·       And, Optalysys's vision to become the “Nvidia of FHE.”

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·       Demetria who aims to reduce the time it takes for an endometriosis diagnosis from nine years to nine minutes using AI-assisted ultrasound.

·       PowerMatrix who provide the most efficient and compact next-generation high-performance power supplies.

·       Healthspan Biotics who develop and distribute safe, affordable and effective probiotic bacteria that enhances brain resilience to Alzheimer’s disease.

This year’s awards also saw the introduction of the Angel Prize which recognises the most commercial progress over the previous 12 months from winning the competition. The prize was split between BioTryp Therapeutics and Cambridge Nucleomics.

The winners also discuss their experiences during the competition, highlight the importance of networking and skill development for founders, and share their funding needs and expertise requirements.

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As our most listened to episode to date, we re-run the original interview with Alan and Darren Garvey, topped with a quick update with the co-founders.

We find out about progress in the acceleration of engineering design and simulation, saving companies orders of magnitude in engineering costs and time to market; from the design of everything from vehicles and aircraft, to lithium-ion batteries and data centre infrastructure.

We hear about working with Formula 1, partnering with NVDIA as they successfully install one of the first DGX H200 servers worldwide, and a new consortium funding programme in aerospace, another key sector. We talk about team growth and their 2024 seed round led by UP Partners, with Insight Partners and InMotion Ventures, and prior investors.

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CCDC was created by Dr Olga Kennard OBE FRS and J D Bernal who believed the collective use of data would be beneficial and wanted to collect data and making it accessible, transform the data into knowledge banks, and generate new insights.

We learn about the structural database and how researchers use it, and how their work now fosters innovation globally.

It’s also a great story of how tech advancement has changed the Cambridge Structural Database (CSD) over the years, and their support of the next generation of scientists.

And we think this is the first episode where knitting needles have been referenced.

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We talk GenAI; Media, Entertainment and Sports; and Tech and Telecoms - the three main themes for 2025 - and then dig down into some of the specifics, including:

·       Datacentres accounting for 2% of global energy consumption in 2025, and expected to double by 2030 as a result of AI running in the cloud

·       Gender parity in the use of AU should be achieved by end of 2025, closing the gap quicker than in many other areas

·       The growth of autonomous generative AI agents - AgenticAI – next generation of LLM 25% of companies looking

·       An expectation of much more telecoms consolidation , globally

·       And much more, including a nod to other rising trends and updates such as cyber defence, chiplets, silicon photonics, GenAI at the edge, 5G standalone.

And as usual, we have a review of any hits and misses from previous years.

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We talk about:

·       Learning how not to build technology

·       The bridge between technical and non-technical people

·       Creating technology as a service for small gaming studios

·       How 40% of gaming industry is no longer the big companies like Sony

Sam provides an insight into developing multi-player games that can scale to 100,000s players exponentially quicker, with lower risk. 

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The episode originally aired in January 2024 and has generated hundreds of downloads, and it's easy to see why.

Pam gave us an introduction to Cambridge Angels, their focus areas, and how their process works - vital information for any founder looking to pitch to Cambridge Angels.

Pam shares her priorities as chair of the Cambridge Angels, which includes navigating a challenging market environment, adding investor diversity, and raising the profile of its members' depth of expertise.

And we learn about Pam’s unique background, and her journey into investing. And we talk about healthcare and how AI and automation is revolutionising the sector but requires caution – it’s not an area to ‘move fast and break things’ as Mark Zuckerberg advises!

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In this episode we talk about the CHIP Project and speak to some of the early protagonists.

Find out more at https://www.lib.cam.ac.uk/chip

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We have a rich conversation about:

·       A passion for education and teaching the most spoken language in the world – computer code

·       Doing more with less in the startup environment vs the corporate world

·       Taking a B2C coding model to a very successful B2B model

·       Tapping a market need by developing corporate AI skills, and learning how to ‘sell’

·       Building data scientist sandbox environment with EDUKATE.AI

·       Being bootstrapped, but with lots of support from people like Hanadi Jabado and non-dilutive funding like from Innovate UK

·       The transition from CEO to Chair

·       The importance of growth, development and strategic decisions

·       Oh, and Raoul has his own podcast – The Data & AI Mastery podcast – check it out!!

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The Innovation Hothouse is an example of co-creation and collaboration between all the agencies in Norwich Research Park who are passionate about working together to achieve further impact and innovation. Dr Soraya Jones, The Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence is supporting this initiative because she is excited about the potential of a vibrant ecosystem working together “so much more can be achieved together than in isolation”.

We talk about some of the 2023 winners – TraitSeq (we also caught up with Joshua Colmer and Felicity Knowles in the episode), Virilitas, Ediform, Opau

And we catch up with two of the finalists for 2024 - Rosaria Campilongo of PfBIO and Safir Jamal of Vida Vodka before hearing all eight finalists pitch – Knee3D, Healthium Platform, iBoxit, PathoProst Detect Test, Bioscopic, Birthview/Birth4cast.

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James explains how the design for integrated photonics uses the same scalable process used to make semiconductor electronics chips to make circuits for light. And he talks about the market opportunity for both tackling energy and bandwidth, and longer term with sensing and quantum.

We gain great insights about:

·       Quitting a job maybe too early to start a business

·       You don’t have to be impossibly smart and motivated to be an entrepreneur

·       Building technology from scratch

·       Experiencing different universities and accelerator programmes (both sides of the pond)

·       Recruiting the right people

·       Experiencing Silicon Valley next-level optimism and vision

·       Targeting clients at such an early stage of a company

Watch this space as Wave develops their products and builds their go-to-market outreach. 

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In this episode we caught up with Tony Quested and Jamie Quested to talk about not just their #BusinessWeeklyAwards, but the much broader impact and reach of Business Weekly since 1990.

Here are some highlights

·       Current trends include a rise in genomics, synthetic biology, and quantum computing

·       The US will continue to buy up our companies, to access the brain power and innovation across Cambridge and the East of England cluster…

·       …but they will now keep the business here - like Featurespace (Visa), IQGeo (KKR), and Darktrace (Thoma Bravo) – rather than lifting and shifting to the US

·       The demand for 100,000 engineers by leading tech companies will require different thinking

·       The importance of ‘Brain Gain’ and how 70% (£1.65bn) of fundraising in the last year came out of the University of Cambridge…

·       … and how overall funding in the last year topped £2.3bn of which £1bn was for tech (remainder life sciences), and 50% of all funding went to Cambridge Science Park tenant companies

·       Whether our entrepreneurs are thinking strategically enough, especially when VCs and funders may have different priorities

·       And then we finally talk about the Awards, and the ability to spot the successes based on a level of due diligence that is incomparable.

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David has been instrumental in the Cambridge Cluster for decades, with the founding of groups like Cambridge Network and Cambridge Wireless; creating a vision for Cambridge (a few times); the importance of marketing and having a logo; and keeping Cambridge competitive.

A charitable contributor, David firmly believes that if you make some money, you should give back to the community – something Sara Allen at The Cambridge Pledge will be delighted to hear. And we hear about David’s pivotal role at Raspberry Pi and the eight years from formulating a plan to a flotation.

We talk about why an active involvement in public policy and government liaison is vital, and how entrepreneurs can help to fill gaps and stop us sleepwalking into growth challenges – locally and globally.

And we finish with a discussion on serendipity – the approach that will determine your path by making chance encounters happen. Tune in for a future episode when we’ll cover David’s Book – ‘Serendipity – it doesn’t happen by accident’.

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The episode starts with David giving his views on the 2024 UK budget announcement which included providing “funding for Cambridge to help it reach its growth potential”.

We then take a journey into David’s education, career, and entrepreneurial journey including many of the investments he has made and been involved in. What you will hear as a continuous thread - and what we’ll talk about more in Part 2 - is how serendipity shapes careers.

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Focussed on three pillars - Frictionless Innovation – Value for the Local Community – Partnering to scale across the UK - the programme under Kathryn’s leadership is now moving into the delivery phase. We talk through last week’s Innovate Cambridge Summit and some of the other progress that has been made including:

·       The new narrative to ‘sell’ Cambridge

·       A co-created Life Sciences strategy, including the recently announced ARIA funding

·       Building the tech strategy and amplifying the tech sectors voice

·       Bringing Cambridge and Manchester closer together for the benefit of the local region as well as economic growth for the UK, including an update from Lou Cordwell

·       An update on ‘The Glasshouse’ – a new hub for everyone to utilise that opens in November – a front door into Cambridge as people arrive and meet in Cambridge close to the central train station

·       An announcement of The Cambridge Pledge – with an insight from Sara Allen as to how entrepreneurs and businesses can pledge and donate to solve regional social problems

Find out more at innovatecambridge.com and get involved!

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·       the evolution of the company

·       complexities of the market for ‘#ebikes’

·       the benefit of setting up in Cambridge

·       the development stages to the FLIT M2

·       functionality of the FLIT M2

·       design and manufacturing

·       funding and go to market.

We’re amazed at the number of things we didn’t know about mobility, electric bikes, ownership models and recycling which makes this episode another really interesting founders’ story.

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Nicky’s early experiences highlighted that there were lots of startups with ideas, most with great intent, but that they were hard to scale and that the measure of a company should not be dictated by what they earn, but by what they do.

As CEO of Carbon13 Nicky now creates action on climate through innovation and entrepreneurship by bringing together talented individuals to build and scale impactful ventures capable of mitigating 10 million tonnes (net) of CO2E per year.

With a portfolio of 70 companies, representing 30 nationalities, there is no shortage of great Climate Tech to showcase, and Nicky talks to us about the venture builder and launchpad programmes, setting up in Berlin and funding. We also talk about whether Cambridge is doing enough to drive Climate Tech, look at other centres of excellence including Berlin, South East Asia, and the US, and start to discuss what we need to do to keep Cambridge / UK companies migrating to the US.

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We hear about the growth of Cambridge Enterprise, the introduction of new programmes like Founders at The University of Cambridge, how the relationship with Parkwalk Advisors began, and how Cambridge Innovation Capital started.

It’s a fascinating discussion about how Cambridge developed from nascent to buoyant for science and tech innovators, with Anne as a key anchor for over two decades.

Anne shares some sound advice to entrepreneurs, including:

·       Don’t underestimate the value of boards

·       Connect on LinkedIn

·       Use your network to get an introduction

·       And one we particularly like – never underestimate young teams!

Anne, now Investor Director at Parkwalk Advisors, also talks about how things are different on a practical level. She talks about seeking companies to invest in and helping them as they grow, deal flow, and how she’s more likely to say ‘no’ now than in the Cambridge Enterprise Ventures. 

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Joined by Linh Richardson, Programme Manager of impulse, Thomas Albrow-Owen, CTO of Prospectral, and Tim Jones, Product Manager for Digital Engineer and Data Science from NPL.

Linh talks to us about the impulse programme and how it takes hi potential tech innovators and helps them to determine if there is potential for their invention, including alumni such as Steve Brierley from Riverlane, Marc Rodriguez Garcia from Xampla, Jean de la Verpilliere from Echion Technologies, Cyan Williams from Radiant Matters, and Andrew Kadis from Cambridge Vision Technologies.

Tim talks to us about the role of NPL and how he found himself on the impulse programme in 2023 as a lifelong learner.

Tom talks about the huge opportunity for computer vision - the branch of AI on how software recognises images - from the innovative work at Prospectral.

And we collectively talk about the importance of taking the leap from an academic idea into the commercial domain, the ability to leverage very impressive mentors and advisors through the programme and making new connections.

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We talk about the new Innovation and Entrepreneurship report and the investment the University of Cambridge is making to support its students, researchers and alumni.

Did you know that for every £1 the university spends, it creates £11.70 of economic impact? And that out of £30bn of economic impact annually, more than £23bn comes from commercialising University research?

Caroline reiterates that it’s not just economic impact but societal impact where companies like Xampla, Colorifix, T-Therapeutics are making a huge impact in the world.

You can find the link to the report here https://ie.cam.ac.uk/resource/innovation-and-entrepreneurship-at-the-university-of-cambridge-2024/

And check out the new website that Caroline refers to for even more information https://www.enterprise.cam.ac.uk/

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We talk about two huge components of successfully scaling.

Firstly, we hear about the inflection points that have signalled key points in the scale up journey, how to set targets, adapt structures, and even how to take a company public.

Both Ray and Marc also share thoughtful advice on the second topic - culture and leadership. How do you navigate from startup to scaleup whilst not losing the culture and people dynamics? and, When do you know it’s time for changes to be made in the leadership team?

We have audience questions before challenging Ray and Marc to answer what they are most proud of, and what they’d go back and change if they did it all again – you’ll need to tune in to find out what they said!

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·       Growing up with business in mind

·       Doing ‘everything’ in startups

·       The importance of luck and good judgement

·       Having excitement and passion for what you’re doing (even Bingo!)

·       Being inherently commercial, and

·       Doing recruitment a little differently.

Ciaron talks to us about Genie Ventures which includes Broadband Genie, Genie Goals and Genie Shopping, and celebrates the importance of team and doing the right thing.

And I think we can all aspire to be the ‘last click’ – you’ll have to tune in to find out more.

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Entrepreneurship started at school for this week’s guest, amplified by family connections in building tech businesses, and we’re thrilled to talk to Jason Mashinchi, Managing Director at Cambridge Kinetics.

Jason talks to us about the rationale for creating Kinabase – and AI alternative to traditional databases how they are using the power of AI to eliminate the cumbersome and costly development previously required with incumbent alternatives.

Jason also shares some of the lessons learnt along the way, including:

·       Selling expertise vs going down the funding route

·       Leveraging grant funding

·       Disrupting a market that hasn’t changed for decades

·       Starting a company straight from university and the lessons along the way

·       The importance of being well networked, and

·       Mentoring and paying it forward.

See it to believe it, and watch a tailored system being built before your eyes! And if you’re in the Creative Industries, there may even be funding available for Jason to help you!

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Tune in as Bek answers:

·       What was the process like?

·       How long did it take?

·       What are the differences between A, B and C rounds (the answer may be a surprise)?

·       What does this mean to the board and decision making?

·       How do you spend $75m to scale?

·       What are some of the new challenges?

And keep listening to be (re)inspired by Bek’s episode from January 2024.

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We also hear from two of the founders who pitched on the day:

Sarah Blake, Commercial Director and Co-Founder of Minimass – a construction tech company focussed on reproducing beams in a more sustainable way - tells us about her startup experience and the funding journey they have been on.

Chloe So, CEO and Co-Founder of Pulpatronics – a RFID company who are simplifying the production of tags and revolutionizing sustainability with chipless, metal-free, paper RFID tags – shares her rather different experience from Sarah’s.

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We thought this episode we’d pick three tech areas that are gaining in traction – do you agree with our choices? What other technologies are the ones to watch?

#FemTech - Stasa Stankovic – talks to us about her goal to crack the code on reproductive genomics. Stasa talks about how #FemTech as a term often remains taboo, and how it was only in 1993 that women started to be included in female clinical trials. We need government, investment and funding, and research and innovation, to increase awareness and interventions around infertility, contraception, menopause, and broader women’s health.

Who do you know in the #FemTech space? Faye referred to two of the recent impulse alumni - Melis Eda Ekinci, Lorna MacLean

#BatteryTech - Dr Simon Engelke, Founder and Chair of Battery Associates joins to talk about the battery industry and the extensive range of batteries not only available but in development. The industry is still driven greatly by cost, but niche applications offer more room for novel improvements which may change future trends for the larger industries.

We have some great showcase companies here in Cambridge in the #Battery space – Nyobolt, Prof Clare Grey, Sai Shivareddy, Ismail Sami, Molyon, Echion Technologies.

#Dementia #Alzheimer #Technology - Andrew Kadis of Cambridge Vision Technology talks through how Alzheimer’s is the leading cause of death with one in three people not even being aware that they have it. Not only does Andrew share some huge statistics, but he also demonstrates the economic impact of not identifying Alzheimer’s early enough. Andrew shares their focus on biomarkers in the eye, iterating a business plan, and being part of future policy.

And having put the overview together, we’ve just realised that our guests, and many of the companies mentioned in the episode are all previous #21toWatch or Trinity Bradfield Prize winners!

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Using technology, Where You At is essentially a map of a large facility – festivals, conferences, stadiums – which allows users to stay connected when a mobile phone signal or GPS doesn’t typically work. Using a Bluetooth beacon system, and a mesh system between mobile phones users can feel safer and enjoy their experience without worry.

Where you at also provides insights for the providers who can understand more about flow and footfall within their venues, which in turn can result in a better experience for their guests.

Tamzin talks to us about:

·       Being a sole founder and the value of the support network

·       Using lockdown to reset the venue industry

·       Building, and maintaining strong relationships

·       The progress with product market fit

·       Making the decision to bring tech development inhouse

·       Receiving seamless support from Cambridge

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Monday - International Day bringing together national and international guests with Cambridge

Tuesday - Innovation and Investment Day showcasing the tech landscape and ecosystem in Cambridge. 50+ #startups and #scaleups in #InnovationAlley where winners will be crowned at the end of the day.

Also a roundtable on Corporate Innovation with Cambridge Consultants and Cambridge Management Consulting who also host a dinner in the evening.

Wednesday - Deep dive #AI and #Quantum. Finishing with big tech debate. Wednesday also sees the annual Business Weekly newspaper dinner #BusinessWeeklyAwards

Thursday - Deep Dive #Semiconductor and #Climate Tech. And also, Scaleup Day kicking off with #CamTechPod live episode, and then hearing from entrepreneurs who have scaled and a series of workshops in the afternoon. Wrapping up with a drink’s reception.

Friday - Tech Futures Day with Form the Future to help the next generation consider a tech role in the future.

Check out the programme and the fringe events at https://cambridgetechweek.co.uk/

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Our guest Mark Merrywest tells us that 84% travellers are influenced by social media and Yond brings together a way to book your holiday and activities all in one place. The programme helped to direct the seed of an idea into something funded and ready to launch.

And from the most recent cohort Alex Howard Founder of AAH Software providing clinical research, shares how his company has morphed from services to technology led.

We talk about

·       How the size of opportunities developed in Norwich might not be the same magnitude as some of the #Cambridge #deeptech startups, but there is still applicability and marketability.

·       Getting guidance on the valuation of a startup

·       The importance of refining your message to the different audiences

·       How important pitch practice is and the subsequent constructive discussion post-pitch – is nice feedback ever useful?

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iTeams bridges the gap between students who are experts in their own sector, and entrepreneurs and innovators who are looking to drive commercialisation and turn their ideas to reality.

Amy tells us more including three lessons she’s learnt along the way:

·       Technology is far earlier than you think it is

·       It’s going to cost you a lot more money

·       IP and patents are only part of what you have.

We then talk about Amy’s own career at the start of the commercial internet and supporting schools to startups. We cover:

·       Being a young entrepreneur

·       Building a company, quickly, and keeping cash flowing

·       Contracts with some of the largest electronics companies

·       How securing funding has changed over the last decades

·       Being open with corporates

·       Angel investing

·       Paying it forward.

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Tune in to hear about:

·       Eben’s route to Raspberry Pi

·       Celebrating the people that have been part of the journey

·       Doing business in the pub (a very Cambridge thing)

·       From managing a supply chain (please remember numbers and comments are from 2022), to moving into retail

·       The weird and wonderful uses of a Raspberry Pi (and a challenge for someone to achieve Eben’s desire to get a Pi beyond low earth orbit? #LEO)

·       Stories of breaking websites and thoughts on office-based working

·       And of course, floating the company, on which Eben recently said:

“Nearly sixteen years ago, in the autumn of 2008, a handful of us set off on this journey together. We were driven by a shared realisation that something had gone badly wrong in young people’s interaction with technology; a shared conviction that we should do something about it; and the beginnings of a shared idea of what that something might be.

“In the years since, we’ve accomplished amazing things, as a company, as a Foundation, and as a broader movement. We’ve designed PCBs; written software; taped out chips; published magazines; filed patents; trained teachers; run after-school clubs; and seen our products taken to space, to the bottom of the ocean, and to the ends of the earth.

“We’ve sold over sixty million low-cost, high-performance, general-purpose Raspberry Pi computers to the enthusiasts and educators who remain at the heart of the Raspberry Pi movement, and to the industrial and embedded customers who today account for over two-thirds of our sales.

“And thanks to the availability and salience of those computers, and to the curriculum reform and teacher training initiatives championed by the Foundation, we have seen a resurgence in interest in computing among young people. In sixteen years, Computer Science has gone from being the easiest subject to get into at Cambridge to the hardest, a change that has been reflected across the UK higher education sector and beyond. We have engineers working for us today who got their first experience of computing on a Raspberry Pi platform.”

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Marco talks about his background, going to MBA at Imperial to learn ‘business’, which led him to Professor Ian Parry at Uni of Cambridge who together with George Hawker became co-founders of SuperSharp.

SuperSharp is an Earth-imaging company developing unfolding space telescopes to capture high-resolution thermal infrared (TIR) images of the Earth.

These images can be used for applications such as tackling climate change, crop monitoring, and maintaining global security, allowing high-quality affordable Earth-imaging solutions to empower the world in responding to global change.

With a space launch mid-2026, SuperSharp will have had just over 15 years of R&D funded by the UK Space Agency, Innovate UK, the European Space Agency, the UK Ministry of Defence Accelerator, plus equity investment from Cambridge Enterprise, and some individual angel investors.

Tune in to find out more about the SuperSharp journey and how the Cambridge ecosystem has helped at all stages of its growth.

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Post his PhD, Ruizhi Wang then realised he had a hammer, so started looking for a nail! He found a gap in manufacturing where a quick turnaround device was required and where his analytical instrument had a role – and Abselion was born.

Funded through grants and awards, and a bit of bootstrapping we hear about Ruizhi’s own entrepreneurial journey from prototype to the formal launch this month, his fundraising and acquisition goals, and not listening to advice.

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From colloids at the University of Cambridge, to ink at TTP, and jumping into the world’s best loud speaker development at Cambridge Mechatronics, Ben has much experience to share with our listeners.

Now with a focus on actuators, we learn about the magic of Shape Memory Alloy and how Cambridge Mechatronics have cornered that market globally with a list of patents that would rival Arm to Rolls Royce.

We talk to Ben about the company move from ‘hidden gem’ to a much more public profile, triggered by their first external funding round by Atlantic Bridge, Sony and Intel, and what that means to the business model and future portfolio.

Ben also shares useful lessons about building relationships in Japan, Taiwan and China, and the dynamics of doing business is the Far East.

We think you’ll agree that Cambridge Mechatronics is a great representation of a multi-disciplinary tech team of silicon, firmware, software, material scientists, physicists, and more. And with an expansion into new premises on Cambridge Science Park, and a new office in Copenhagen, they are certainly a tech company to watch. 

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Cambridge Science Centre connects everyone with science - from tots, through school years with teachers and parents, to expert communicators and supporters - in an enjoyable and inspiring way.

Originating out of a conversation between entrepreneurs ten years ago, who wondered why Cambridge didn’t have a science centre, the Cambridge Science Centre was born, and the interconnectedness of Cambridge has kept going within it for the last 10 years.

This week Cambridge Science Centre announced a new home on the iconic Cambridge Science Park, and we can’t think of a better place for it to be based.

With 6,000 square feet of 20 new exhibits showcasing #STEM, and portable exhibits taking STEM on the road, join the excitement and passion as you hear CEO John Bull and Trustee Amy Weatherup talk about their goals and aspirations.

Opening in July 2024, it’s time to galvanise the community to become part of the Cambridge Science Centre’s journey – as a volunteer, an expert, a supporter, a school leader, or as a family with a membership season ticket.

Find out more at https://www.cambridgesciencecentre.org/

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We talk to Hanadi about so many things, this is not an episode to miss. Tune in to hear about this, and so much more…

·       Commercialisation from academia needs constant work

·       Turning ‘no’ into ‘yes’

·       Making waves for women and entrepreneurship within Cambridge Judge Business School

·       The birth of #AccelerateCambridge and the Entrepreneurship Centre – start, scale and grow a business

·       Making entrepreneurs relatable

·       The role and impact of being a board member, preferably an independent non-exec

·       Changing the investment ecosystem with Sana Capital for #healthtech and #climatetech

·       Targeting spinouts and ‘sneakouts’ – founders from within and outside of the University of Cambridge

·       Investment capital won’t start flowing again until 2025 – quality not quantity

·       Personal experiences with DEI – ‘whatever I did, it seemed like I was the only woman in the room’ – ‘it’s not about lowering the bar – it’s about widening the gate’

·       The role of Deputy Lieutenant in Cambridgeshire

·       Supporting those companies that ‘keep going’ with the #KingsAwards

·       Learning not to walk, but to march.

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We talk with Miha Pipan, Co-founder and CEO of Better Origin about:

·       The size of the problem – food waste generates 4 Gigatons (Gt) of CO2 equivalent (CO2-eq) each year

·       The efficiency of using the #Black Soldier Fly, they produce a high quality source of 1:1 fat:protein

·       Creating sustainable feed from grain waste for chickens, fish, pets….

·       Better Origin’s X1 birth to automate insect farming on farms in the UK, and the growth to X2 the huge potential of the OriginX

·       Using #AI and #deeptech to make the X1 fully automated for farmers - it takes care of seeding, feeding, growth, and harvest

·       A partnership with Morrisons to create a carbon-neutral egg – the cost of which is an increase of pence, not pounds

·       A sustainable feed proposition that brings together performance, health and welfare

·       Changing minds and attitudes to alternative food sources

·       The start-up journey over the last 8-9 years, and how the bumps in the road make you more resilient.

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Alumni includes life science and biotech - Storm Biotherapeutics, CMR Surgical, Owlstone Medical, Bit.bio, and technology companies – Pragmatic, Featurespace, C2-Ai.

With 16 categories there is something for everyone, but for this episode, we’re focusing on the more #technology categories, where often multiple technologies are pitted against each other – no easy decision for the judges.

Tune in to hear a full roster of innovative science and technology companies and individuals and hold until the end where we’ll also share details of the winners of the tech categories. 

Information on all categories can be found on the Cambridge Independent website and social channels.

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Created to bring the broadest possible community together -CWOD is a chance to experience a mix of tours, talks, workshops, clinics, product demos, and pitches from leading individuals, companies, and parks across Cambridge.

It was great to hear about Aline’s experience of connecting with the entire community at Melbourn Science Park. And what a great demonstration of Cambridge at its best with a decentralised and collaborative approach!

Open to everyone, whether you work within or outside of Cambridge, or are a local resident curious to see the science and tech scene - there's something for you. Come and #BeCurious – see, learn and invest, and enjoy the ‘vim’. For more details and to book a general pass to ‘design your own day’, head over to the LinkedIn page or the website www.cambridgewideopenday.com.

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To date the programme has worked with over 500 businesses over four years and has reached investors from all over the world.

During the INVEST IN INNOVATION Spring 2024 pitching event, eight businesses from all sectors presented, and in this episode we talk to the three winners:

Best Pitch Peter Schwabach – Industrial Robotic Solutions Ltd – who assemble meals with robots and vision software.

Best Idea – Mark Thomas APPNALYSIS LIMITED – a SaaS product for mobile app developers to help them build better apps and better roadmaps.

Audience Choice – James Dunce Bravely Cultured – a novel marine bacteria to produce green chemicals.

Tune in to hear about the experiences of pitching, being serial entrepreneurs, engaging with a coach/mentor, and what is happening next for the winners.

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We asked its Founder, Stuart Clarke MBE, to talk to us about the inspiration behind creating an umbrella platform to showcase tech communities across the UK.

With events throughout the year in most regions from Glasgow to Basildon, Humberside to Bristol it was great to hear about how different tech weeks differentiate themselves based on local expertise. We talk about capital, partnerships, and why something like UK Tech Week can expand the reach of tech to a much broader audience through collaboration.

Do head over to the UK Tech Week website and social channels to find out more.

We also had some updates from Chris Bruce on Cambridge Tech Week too, including:

•                 The Innovation Alley exhibition call has been announced - Innovation Alley takes place on Tuesday 10th September at the Corn Exchange and will showcase 50 innovative startups, 10 scaleups and a small number of corporates to showcase the exciting diversity of tech innovation. Nominations close by 30th May. 

•                 The call for contributors closes 13th May, so if you are interested in a speaking slot or being part of a panel or fireside chats they there is still time to apply (conditions are on the website). 

•                 The registrations for delegate tickets went live this week, with super early bird rates for the first 50 registrations. Will we see you at #CamTechWeek?

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Most people will know Peter Cowley through his hugely successful career as one of Europe’s best known angel investors.

#CamTechPod was at the launch of Peter’s latest book Public Success, Private Grief in which he details for the first time the succession of tragic events which have shaped his life and fuelled his relentless drive and ambition.

In a fireside chat with Louisa Preston who spent over fifteen years as a news reporter on the BBC, ITN, Channel 4 and ITV, Peter discusses:

-                 His inspiration as an entrepreneur and investor

-                 Treating his cancer like another project

-                 Experiencing bereavement from a young age and losing two sons

-                 The advice he would give his younger self

-                 What he hopes the book will achieve

-                 Working on his bucket list: running two half marathons this year, sleeping on Antarctica

-                 Helping charity and encouraging others to do so. He is donating £2 from the sale of each Public Success, Private Grief book to the charity PAPYRUS Prevention of Young Suicide.

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Did you know that 800 million people are affected by kidney disease around the world, costing $2 billion to manage kidney disease in US alone?

Tom talks to us about:

·       His background as an engineer, to helping startups, to building a company

·       Founding the company with three amazing women – Fiona Karet, Tanya Hutter, Liz Norgett,

·       His tips to ‘just do it, life is too short to watch for the side lines’ and bringing others along on the journey

·       Following Andy Richards well-known narrative that “Cambridge is a low-risk place to do high risk things”

·       Manufacturing in Cambridge at prototype scale to get the product into the hands of clinics and clinical services, launching initially in the US

·       Initial funding from Cambridge investors – Cambridge Angels, Martlet Capital – any timely opportunities for new professional investors during 2024

·       We talk about medical insight and scientific innovation from an original idea to clinical trials.

Tune in to hear all of this, and much more.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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QI’s Head Researcher, James Harkin; scientist entrepreneur and CEO of Start Codon, Jason Mellad; Youtube sensation, Holly Gabrielle; Sliced Bread host and science journalist, Greg Foot; Director of Science and Entrepreneurship at the Babraham Research Campus, Kathryn Chapman; and renowned physicist, Isaac Newton face off against an array of science, research and other items that host Andrew Farrer directs at them.

After an intro from #CamTechPod hosts Faye and James, we go straight into the event. There’s upset about the buzzers then we’re straight into primary school science – did you guess the answers?

‘Would I Iie to you?’ puts Kathryn and Holly under pressure; the Missing Words round included suggestions from Biden to babies, and so much more. So, sit back and enjoy a selection of clips from the event and see Cambridge #SciTech in a very different way!

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We talk about the entrepreneurial relationship growing out of Cambridge University academics that took the team from the UK to Saudi Arabia, with a firm foothold now in Malaysia and the UK.

Paul talks about the different stages of research and company development, including the creation of a floating lab to identify the right organisms to create their unique HBx algal biofuel. This biofuel is set to transform heavy transport and provide a green alternative to the over a billion tons of oil used each year.

HutanBio recently raised their first Seed investment of £2.25m and are now set to grow, but notably in a super ethical way. They intend to desert land that is currently unutilised around the globe, and that can also provide employment for local communities. This is a great story of being intellectually based in Cambridge but spreading economic value elsewhere.

Not only was it a high-impact chat, but you’ll learn a huge amount about heavy transportation and the impact a transformative biofuel could have on the global environment.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With such a huge amount of thought-provoking content in the book, we highlight four of the essays written by:

·       Blaise Aguera yArcas, Google Research, Cerebra - Good technology is cooperative

·       Margaret Mitchell, Hugging Face - Good technology is inclusive

·       Ranjit Singh, Data & Society - Good Technology is Slow (to Scale)

·       Kanta Dihal, Leverhulme Centre for the Future of Intelligence - Good technology needs good stories.

We talk about ideas and compromises of good tech and the tensions between if it is even possible to have good tech in the environments we live in, and the need to have technology ‘community-driven’.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Boutros Bear delivers comprehensive rehabilitation programs, empowering individuals facing cancer, chronic pain, and mental health challenges.

This is a very personal and insightful conversation with someone who has taken an issue that affects many, understood it, and created something to improve health and wellness.

·       From civil engineering to a healthcare entrepreneur

·       An initial 12-week programme to an integrated #employeewellness platform

·       From blind naivety to raising initial capital and the move to Series A

·       Scoping what ‘tech’ meant in such a people centric programme (and how tech for healthcare / passive apps don’t necessarily have the benefit for the user)

·       18-months of persistence to sign up the perfect partner

·       How to engage with corporates on #CorporateWellness #WorkplaceHealth

·       Scoping out the US market and being ‘in-pursuit- of sales

·       A pursuit of asking questions and flowing honesty!

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Running since 2019, now in its 6th year, the programme has seen 1,736 applications and 126 winners. It is recognised as the most independent listing of the who’s who of startups in the region covering every conceivable type of science and technology.

Some of the programmes alumni includes Unitary, VividQ, Paragraf, Riverlane, Broken Strong BioSciences, Xampla, Sano Genetics, SATAVIA, Colorifix, Flusso, Porotech, Cambridge Gan Devices, and in this episode we will find out who the 2024 winners are.

This episode features alumni and the staggering £415m (not including undisclosed amounts, private acquisitions, and the behemoth of CMR Surgical) raised between 2019-2023; interviews with Dr Alicia Showering CEO of BugBiome (People); Mohammad Saghafifar, Co-founder and CEO, Remedium Energy (Company) and Dmitry Khazhdan, CTO, Tenyks (‘Thing’); and much more.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The Cambridge event really highlighted the desire to bring the outside in – to create a #SXSW for Cambridge and the tech space, where the objective is to bring the outside in. The panellists (Carmen Palacios-Berraquero, CEO, Nu Quantum, David Moore, CEO, Pragmatic, Pam Garside, Chair, Cambridge Angels, and Harriet Fear MBE) had an open discussion about innovation, funding, and challenges of growth, as well as sharing feedback on last year’s event and their wishes for 2024.

As one of the events ‘ambassadors’, Russ Shaw, Founder of Tech London Advocates, talked about Cambridge’s global reputation for Science and Innovation – “Cambridge punches enormously above its weight in terms of its size and scale”.

And we also caught up with Douglas MacDonald, Partner who heads up the national tech sector at Mills & Reeve who are also one of the event sponsors (others include Rathbones, Cambridge Management Consulting, UK Telecoms Innovation Network UKTIN, HSBC and Cambridge Consultants).

And of course, we caught up with the man himself, chair of the organising committee Chris Bruce, to find out which three words are on the top of his mind for 2024. 

Produced by Cambridge TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

We discuss the more challenging market of 2023, but with a deal level that remained almost the same as previous years, it’s looking rosy for 2024.

From Pre-seed through to Series D, Private Equity (PE) and Mergers and Acquisition (M&A), we talk about the dynamics of deals locally in Cambridge and throughout the UK. And Chris gives some useful guidance on when to engage with a lawyer, and note, the advice is to bring it further forward than you may think.

We also find out that many advisors are providing line of sight of investment potential from the Cambridge ecosystem to investors outside of the region – so that’s great news for our homegrown tech and innovation.

Produced by Carl Homer, Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Owen Thompson, CEO and co-founder talks about Cambridge Future Tech’s ethos and how they support technical founders to grow from the pre-ideation phase, commercialise and support the business set-up.

Produced by Carl Homer, Cambridge TV.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.