Co-Founder and CEO, INSPHERE

INSPHERE develops new measurement technologies for use in advanced manufacturing. Its solutions enable precision measurement and control so that companies can optimise and improve manufacturing performance. This leads to improvements in quality and consistency, greater efficiency and increased profitability.

INSPHERE technologies can be used in environments such as car production lines where failures can lead to costs of up to £10,000 per minute while issues are resolved. The company aims to become a global leader for advanced monitoring and control technologies and already has high-profile customers including Rolls-Royce and the Mercedes Formula 1 team.

Ben Adeline, CEO, is developing a strategy to increase sales of existing products and services while developing new solutions and services. This includes a new product due for launch in late 2020 that will enable continuous monitoring and control of industrial automation systems.

With support and training through the SME Leaders Programme, Ben aims to strengthen his leadership skills in areas such as corporate finance and strategy. This will also help with managing a growing team as the company extends its product range and scales rapidly. 

Visit INSPHERE's website here.

Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, Sixfold Bioscience

Sixfold Bioscience has developed a patented technology for the safe and effective drug delivery of cell and gene therapeutics. Its programmable oligonucleotide delivery system (PODS) provides a cost-effective way to deliver a diverse range of therapeutic cargo with high targeting specificity.

There is currently a lack of safe, efficient in vivo delivery systems for cell and gene therapeutics. Many cell and gene therapies show great potential for achieving this, but their wide implementation has been limited by both complex and expensive manufacturing processes, and an inefficiency in reaching their targets. PODS is an efficient, non-viral, RNA-based drug delivery technology that has shown promising early in vitro and in vivo results.

Based at the Translation and Innovation Hub at Imperial College London, Sixfold Bioscience has  been awarded funding by Innovate UK to support two projects that will help in accelerating the pre-clinical development of the PODS platform.

Anna Perdix Rosell, Co-founder and Chief Scientific Officer, leads Sixfold Bioscience’s R&D team and is helping to devise its long and short-term strategy for preclinical research. Supported by the SME Leaders Programme, she aims to strengthen skills in strategic product development to support Sixfold’s goal of revenue generation through pharmaceutical collaboration. This will help the company make an impact on the global drug delivery systems market which is currently valued at £/$3.2 billion and is projected to rapidly grow.

Visit Sixfold Bioscience's website here.

CEO, Kalium Health

Kalium Health aims to make it quicker and easier for patients to monitor and manage unstable blood electrolyte levels that can become life-threatening, especially for those with kidney disease. Its first product is a handheld test device for monitoring blood potassium level with clinical accuracy.

The University of Cambridge spin-out is developing the device in response to patients’ request for an alternative to current methods,  which involve hospital-based tests requiring a venous blood sample. These are often considered inconvenient, expensive and can lead to delays with treatment. In contrast, Kalium’s device will provide users with real-time results in any setting.

Tom Collings, CEO, is responsible for setting the company’s overall strategy and overseeing operational activities. Supported by the SME Leaders Programme, Tom aims to gain skills in areas such as recruitment, effective leadership and financial management to build a motivated team and drive efficiency as Kalium’s operations rapidly expand.

Networking with peers and support from a mentor will help Tom as he seeks to raise the company’s profile and develop the right commercial partnerships to help Kalium towards its goal to launch its first device in Europe and the US in the next five years.

Visit Kalium Health's website here.

CEO, AssetCool

AssetCool aims to improve the efficiency of power networks, and reduce power losses by up to 30%, with a photonic coating for power lines that helps them to manage temperature more effectively.

As electricity lines operate, their heat increases because of incoming solar radiation and the current running through them. This increased heat makes power lines less efficient. AssetCool’s solution is an easy-to-use durable coating for overhead power lines that improves their ability to reflect solar radiation while also allowing infrared heat to escape more easily. This creates extra network capacity by improving conductive efficiency resulting in up to 40% more power down the line and reduced carbon emissions.

Niall Coogan, SME Leader and CEO, is responsible for overseeing developments with the technology, while also focusing on industrial scale up, IP portfolio development and gaining commercial traction in key markets. He aims to use support from the SME Leaders Programme to develop leadership skills that will help with setting a clear strategic vision for a global business.

Training and support in effective management and communication skills will also help Niall to grow his team while directing technological and operational developments as AssetCool scales up to meet service market demand.

Visit AssetCool's website here.

CEO, Spotta

Spotta’s technology tracks and monitors insect pest populations for industries where they can be an issue. Insect pests are estimated to cause up to £320 billion of damage globally every year, impacting industries such as agriculture, forestry and the domestic and residential sectors.

As insect populations grow exponentially in the right conditions, early warning is essential to minimise damage. Using ultra-low power imaging and image processing, Spotta’s solutions allow their customers to detect insect pests at the earliest stage so that they can efficiently intervene to reduce treatment costs and the impact of lost revenue.

Spotta’s first product, the Bed Pod is currently being used in hotels, hospitals and rented accommodation to detect bed bugs. It has been on the market since 2018 and has a 95% success rate for customers. Further products are in the pipeline to support other industries in tackling insect pest issues.

Robert Fryers, CEO, was awarded a place on the SME Leaders Programme as Spotta aims to increase its commercial focus. This will involve strengthening its existing customer base while also expanding into new markets with new products. Support from the programme will help Robert meet the challenge of leading a team of mixed commercial and technical talent that is expected to rapidly increase in size as Spotta moves into European and North American markets.

Visit Spotta's website here.

The problem

Open surgery is the current standard for preparing patients for dialysis and bypassing blocked peripheral arteries. High failure rates (approximately 50%) in both cases present a serious danger to life and require repeat procedures, for US dialysis patients alone this adds up to $4.6 billion per year.

The solution

Sorin Popa, founder of Pathfinder Medical, developed an electronic catheter guidance system that enables clinicians to connect blood vessels in a minimally invasive way, eliminating the need for open surgery and improving outcomes for vascular procedures. This technology has the potential to reduce the cost and trauma associated with procedures to treat those with renal failure and peripheral arterial disease.

Worldwide 3.4 million patients have end stage kidney disease and require their blood to be routinely filtered externally through haemodialysis.

This requires surgery to open up the arm and prepare patients’ blood vessels by forming a connection between an artery and a vein (known as a fistula or vascular access site). Pathfinder Medical’s catheter system can be used to connect blood vessels using a small covered tube known as a ‘stent graft’.  

This technology enables patients to receive kidney dialysis without surgery. It can also be used to bypass blocked vessels for those with peripheral arterial disease which affects over 200 million patients globally.

The technology improves outcomes for patients by reducing stress, discomfort and the risk of vascular access problems. It brings cost saving to healthcare providers by improving the efficiency of procedures and reducing the likelihood of costly repeat procedures. 

The global market for the technology is worth over £3.8 billion annually. In the UK, the solution could save the NHS an estimated £45 million per annum on kidney dialysis alone.

Traction

• 2018: Pathfinder Medical receives ISO 13485 accreditation and starts developing devices for a first in man clinical trial
• 2017: UK patent GB2536362 (B) is granted to Pathfinder Medical for the catheter guidance system
  
• 2016: Sorin's technology awarded the James Dyson Award International Top 20
• 2015: awarded a £166,000 'Smart Award’ from Innovate UK and a £1 million grant to develop the technology in partnership with Imperial College London

A 2016 Enterprise Fellowship was awarded to Sorin to support the growth of his start-up as it trials its technology in preparation for commercialisation.

Co-founder, Head of Innovation and Director, OXSIGHT

OXSIGHT develops smart glasses that enhances the residual vision of people with visual impairments. Visual impairments can be caused by a range of degenerative eye diseases including macular degeneration, glaucoma and diabetic retinopathy. The glasses enable people to see their surroundings in more detail.

Over 50 million people worldwide are registered as having a visual impairment. OXSIGHT’s patented technology aims to promote independence, inclusion and opportunity by drawing on advances in machine learning and augmented reality. Its smart glasses combine style and functionality and make use of embedded cameras that can operate in a wide range of lighting conditions. These cameras collect video data that is processed using machine learning algorithms to detect faces, text and other objects.

The technology builds on research by Dr Stephen Hicks, Co-founder and Head of Innovation. Supported by the SME Leaders Programme, Dr Hicks aims to expand the company’s technical base and expertise in areas such as user-interfaces, mobile computer vision, personalised machine learning and wearable technology. He will use training and mentoring in systems such as change management to support him as he leads the company in exploring new ventures and product development at a time of rapid growth.

Visit OXSIGHT's website here.

The problem

Trade workers are at risk of long-term knee damage caused by kneeling. Existing knee pads lack flexibility, durability and sufficient support, further increasing this risk .

The solution

Victoria Hamiliton created Recoil knee pads following conversations with her father, a carpenter, about the need for trade workers to have access to better knee support. Victoria’s patented design sandwiches springs between two layers of support so that pressure is better absorbed and spread more evenly.

Developed by a team of biomechanical engineers, Recoil knee pads provide a 76% pressure reduction on the knee – a 20% improvement over existing competitors. The advanced cushioning provides trade workers with greater comfort while helping to prevent knee damage.

By incorporating a 360° pivot mechanism, Victoria has created a knee pad that moves more naturally with the knee. User-tests and feedback have helped the company to improve its design and achieve greater levels of protection and durability.

Recoil officially launched to market in 2016 and has since grown into an international business with sales in over 20 countries worldwide.

Traction

• 2016: Recoil officially launches online
• 2016: Victoria is awarded Business Women Scotland New Entrepreneur of the Year
• 2015: Scottish EDGE Fund Winner

Victoria was awarded a 2017 RAEng 1851 Royal Commission Enterprise Fellowship to further develop the business by recruiting to her team and expanding capacity for manufacturing Recoil Knee pads in Scotland, UK. 

CEO and Founder, Biorelate Ltd

Over 80% of data is unstructured, which can make it harder to access and to develop insights from. With global scientific output doubling every nine years, biomedical innovation is limited by a company’s ability to make use of the large volumes of data at its disposal. Biorelate’s solutions overcome this challenge by creating a high-performance platform for curating biomedical knowledge that can be used to accelerate innovation.

Biorelate’s platform, Galactic AI, improves access to data and information. This enables drug discovery companies to gain better insights to develop new innovations. The cloud-based computing platform they have developed can organise, analyse and connect large volumes of data to save time and resources when solving complex research problems. Its high-level processing power provides real-time insights and ensures that companies keep pace with the latest research outputs and developments.

Daniel Jamieson, CEO and Founder, has set a vision for Biorelate’s growth that includes expanding product sales in existing markets and gaining traction in the US. Support from SME Leaders Programme comes at a pivotal time as he focuses on business development, product innovation and sales. He will be able to use training through the programme to further develop leadership skills, in areas such as negotiation, as the company enters a significant phase of growth.

Visit Biorelate's website here.

Former Inaugural Chair of the Enterprise Committee and a long-standing Academy Fellow, Ian Shott CBE FREng has played a prominent role in establishing the Enterprise Hub. His track record of helping businesses in the engineering and life science sectors transform their approach and improve their vision, ambition, business models and enterprise value is an invaluable resource.

Ian is the Founder and former Executive Chair of contract pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company ARCINOVA, which he sold to Quotient Sciences in February 2021 and continues as Senior Advisor to the board. Ian is also the Managing Director at investment and advisory firm Shott Trinova. Prior to his specialist investment work at Shott Trinova, Ian was the founder and CEO of Excelsyn, which was sold to an American multinational in 2010. Earlier in his career he held numerous senior executive positions at multinational life science companies across the globe.

Ian has a wealth of experience with major industry bodies. He is formerly the Chair of the UK government’s Leadership Forum for Industrial Biotechnology and a Governing Board Member of Innovate UK. Ian is also Visiting Professor at Oxford, Nottingham and Newcastle universities.

Read Ian's blog about the Hub's new home.

Andy’s career in industry has involved co-founding over a dozen spin-outs and start-ups, three of which floated on stock markets. Virata floated on NASDAQ and at its peak had a market capitalisation of $5 billion.

His most prominent successes have come through RealVNC, which won the prestigious MacRobert Award in 2013, and Ubisense plc. Collectively, these two organisations have received five Queen’s Awards for Enterprise.

In academia, Andy heads the University of Cambridge’s Computer Laboratory and is an Honorary Fellow of Trinity Hall and Corpus Christi College. Elsewhere, he served as President of the IET between 2012 and 2013, and in 2007 received a CBE for services to the computer industry.

Andy is co-founder and Chairman of pioneering remote access software developers RealVNC and is also Professor of Computer Technology at the University of Cambridge. He was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering in 1996.

Naeem Alvi is an award-winning brand strategist and the founder of Notepad. After years of helping fast-growth SMEs and big brands such as Nike, Adidas and RBS Natwest to better leverage their brand, Naeem founded Notepad to connect big brand experience with ambitious tech companies that want to define and scale up their brands effectively and affordably.

 Recent achievements include:

• Helping a smart tech product company to grow from zero to £20,000 in monthly sales (and growing) within four months of trading.
  
• Repositioning and rebranding a global machine parts supplier to boost its growth from £10 million to £41 million within two years.
  
• Rebranding a smart food tech company, leading to them tripling their headcount and turnover (while remaining profitable) in just six months, and successfully being acquired by Samsung.
  

John is Professor of Optoelectronic Systems and Dean of transnational Education at the University of Glasgow.

He moved to Glasgow in 1986, where he established an internationally leading research group addressing linear and nonlinear integrated optoelectronic systems. He developed new integration technologies for photonic integrated circuits based on quantum well devices and quantum well intermixing, which ultimately led to the formation of the spin-out company Intense Ltd in 2000.

Intense developed the world’s most advanced integrated laser systems, bringing monolithic laser arrays together with electronic ASICs and optics for precise energy delivery in a range of applications from printing to material processing. The monolithic laser arrays pushed reliability and manufacturing yields to new levels.

John has extensive experience of operating in both academic and high-technology industrial environments, and as a result has an excellent understanding of spinning out IP and creating commercial value from an academic base.

He has been involved with several start-up companies including Kelvin Nanotechnology Ltd (1997-2000); Compound Semiconductor Technologies Ltd (1999-2000) and Intense Ltd (now Intense Inc) (2000-2009).

John was elected a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) in 2007; Fellow of the Royal Society of Edinburgh (FRSE) in 2000; Fellow of IEEE (FIEEE) in 2000 ‘for contributions to development of integrated optics based on semiconductor quantum well devices’; and Fellow of the Optical Society (FOSA) in 2016 for ‘for contributions to quantum and photonics technologies and systems in III-V compound semiconductors’.

Alastair is Head of Analytics and Machine Learning at MDRxTECH, Mishcon de Reya's digital transformation consultancy.

Alastair is a UCL Computer Science PhD with a background in computer vision, analytics, machine learning, blockchain, strategy, and technology innovation. He is an experienced manager and entrepreneur who has built teams in both large and small organisations. He is regularly called upon to audit, evaluate and provide guidance to large scale technology programmes for MDRxTECH clients. An entrepreneurial and dynamic problem solver, Alastair co-founded Satalia, which builds and applies AI technology to solve efficiency problems for organisations such as Tesco and PwC. He also co-founded the venture backed WeArePopUp.com, and helped establish the IDEALondon innovation centre with Cisco Systems.

Alastair continues to maintain an active teaching role in the UCL School of Management (MSc Business Analytics) and Peking University, Beijing (MBA Technology Strategy). His research interests include technology strategy, blockchain, smart contracting and computational law.

Brewster Barclay has been selling, marketing and product managing for more than 40 years in a wide variety of high technology industries including printed circuit boards, both manufacturing processes and capital equipment, 3D circuit boards, online advertising, optical sensors, military chip packaging, radar tubes and software engineering services. Brewster has worked at Zuhlke Engineering, e2v technologies, Clicktream Technologies, Orbotech and PCK Technology Kollmorgen.

The experience of launching new products and almost six years running an internet advertising startup led to Brewster giving back in the form of mentoring early stage and growth startups.  He identified a massive gap in business development, sales support and strategy that angels, accelerators and VCs give to startups. He has focused solely on sharing his experiences in business development sales, sales techniques and the practicalities of day to day sales and lead generation.

He has mentored at the Royal Academy of Engineering for the past seven years as well as for Accelerate Cambridge, Seraphim Space Capital and many other groups.

Vida is a behavioural change coach with over seven years’ experience helping people think differently and positively change lives. She helps people to build connection and balance in order to create a sustainable future for themselves, others and the world. Vida does this as a speaker, trainer and coach, focusing on wellbeing, self-care, belief change, and motivation.

Having worked in prisons and schools as well as the public sector with non-clinical NHS staff and private sector for companies such Telefónica and Wavin, she has a unique insight to share. 

Professor Alison Noble is the Technikos Professor of Biomedical Engineering, in the Department of Engineering Science at the University of Oxford, and Associate Head of MPLS Division. She is a Fellow of the Royal Society (2017), the Royal Academy of Engineering (2008) and the President of the Medical Image Computing and Computer Assisted Interventions (MICCAI) Society, the international society in biomedical image analysis.

Alison’s research interests are in computer analysis of clinical and biological images and the development and translation into clinical practice of novel methodologies that provide new diagnostic and therapeutic image based biomarkers and software tools for image-based quantification and decision-making. Her research group works in close collaboration with clinicians and industry players. She is also a Founder and the Chief Technology Officer of a university spin-out company that is commercialising research from her laboratory (Intelligent Ultrasound Ltd).

She returned to Oxford as a University Lecturer in 1995 to set up a biomedical image analysis group. Biomedical image analysis has since grown to be the largest biomedical engineering activity in Oxford.

Alison has played a leading role in setting up the biomedical engineering undergraduate and postgraduate biomedical engineering teaching and training (MSc and CDT) programmes at Oxford over the last decade. She is a member of both the Oxford University’s Research and Education Committees (from Oct 2013), and has served or currently serves on a number of  committees of the Royal Academy of Engineering and other national organisations as well as numerous research funding agency panels.

Bill is a leading scientist worldwide in the field of Medical Materials. His major research contributions have been recognised by numerous international awards, medals and memberships.

He has been the Professor of Medical Materials at the University of Cambridge; served as Director of Cambridge Pfizer Institute for Pharmaceutical Materials Science; Cambridge Director of CMI Interdisciplinary Research Cluster in Biomaterials and Tissue Engineering and Director of University of London Interdisciplinary Research Centre (IRC) in Biomedical Materials. He has been Head of Department, Dean, and Governor at Queen Mary University of London. 

He has been the editor of the Journal of The Royal Society: Interface, the Journal of Materials Science: Materials in Medicine, the Journal of Materials Science, and of the Journal of Materials Science Letters.

Bill is Emeritus Professor of Medical Materials in the University of Cambridge. He is internationally recognised for his pioneering research contributions to biomaterials for medical devices, with awards including the Royal Academy of Engineering Prince Philip Gold Medal; the Royal Society Armourers and Brasiers Company Medal; the Kelvin Medal; the European Society for Biomaterials George Winter Award; the Japanese Society for Biomaterials Medal; the Institute of Materials Griffiths Medal and Chapman Medal; the UK Society for Biomaterials President's Prize; the Acta Metallurgica H.H. Holloman Award and the International Union for Physical Sciences and Engineering in Medicine Award of Merit. 

Professor Bonfield's exceptional interdisciplinary contribution has been recognised by his election to all three UK National Academies as a Fellow of the Royal Society (FRS), a Fellow of the Royal Academy of Engineering (FREng) and a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences (FMedSci).