UKTN | The Podcast

Katie Gallagher OBE, managing director of Manchester Digital discusses why the city is being seen as a blueprint not just for tech start-ups but for wider economic growth too. Gallagher chats about Manchester’s rich heritage in digital technology from cyber-security to e-commerce and how it is building on that to be one of the UK’s key AI hubs.

Amelia Armour, Partner at Amadeus Capital talks to Jane Wakefield about the impact of having a female co-founder in the male dominated world of VC, what tech she is excited about for the future and how AI might help democratise entrepreneurship.

Dr Farzana Rahman, chief executive officer of Hexarad, discusses her journey from medical doctor to startup founder, how companies like hers are tackling the high demand for medical treatments not being met by the NHS and how AI is being used in the health tech ecosystem. Hexarad is an end-to-end radiology platform wherein users can get diagnoses from scans such as CTEs and MRIs.

Beckie Taylor, co-founder of Tech Returners, discusses her long career in HR and how the buzzword of diversity has changed to questions about the impact of AI, how she found the journey from becoming a mum back into the workplace, and why CVs might not be the best way for women looking for a pathway back into the tech industry. Taylor also spoke on her hometown of Manchester and whether it holds the secret sauce to building long-lasting and thriving tech communities.

Sue Black OBE, a legendary British computer scientist, discusses her inspirational journey into computing, why too little has changed when it comes to sexism in the tech industry and her hopes and fears for the global workforce in the age of AI. Black was the founding chair of the British Computing Society’s BCSWomen group, championed the preservation of the WW2 codebreaking HQ Bletchley Park and is a professor of computer science at Durham.

Finn Stevenson, co-founder and chief executive officer of Flok Health, discusses the slow pace of change and the strategic shortfalls of public health organisations, the real-world health impact of these challenges and why tech is one part of the solution needed. Flok Health is an AI-powered physiotherapy clinic that provides patients with virtual appointments to treat back pain. The platform fuses AI and human physiotherapists for personalised care without long waiting lists.

Efua Akumanyi, chief technology officer at Coding Black Females, discusses her own entry into the world of software development as one of the few women on an AI degree, why so many women feel discouraged from entering the sector and how she re-dedicated her career to supporting black women entering tech. Coding Black Females is the largest community of black women in the UK tech industry. The group aims to grow, educate and inspire one of the most underrepresented groups in the industry.

Emma Hagan, chief executive officer of ClearBank UK, discusses the rich history of the British fintech and why the UK needn’t lose its crown in the sector and the rise of AI in fraud and what fintechs can do to help. ClearBank was founded a decade ago as the UK’s first new clearing back in over two centuries. The firm provides financial institutions with access to payments and clearing services as well as offers embedded banking services in partnership with fintechs.

Justin Basini, co-founder and chief executive of ClearScore, discusses how companies like his helped the UK come to grips with the concept of a credit score, why the UK is the rational choice for floatation for the bulk of British fintechs and why he is confident in the growth of the UK markets. ClearScore is a London-based fintech best known for providing free credit score checks and offering tailored support to consumers looking to improve their financial wellbeing.

Steve Young, managing director of Dell UK, discusses Dell’s expansion into the data centre and artificial intelligence industry, what is needed to accelerate the growth and efficacy of AI integration and why he has remained at the same company for so long. Dell is among the most well-known electronics brands, most famous for its computers and laptops. The company has more recently taken a leading role in the AI industry.

Catherine Lenson, chief operating officer of Phoenix Court, discusses why well-defined corporate and investment culture supports a cohesive strategy, how different stages of investment come with drastically different needs and why sticking with a founder long-term is both rewarding and satisfying. Phoenix Court is a venture capital firm that backs businesses from the seed stage all the way through to IPO. Lenson has worked across the investment industry, having held roles at firms including UBS and SoftBank.

Abu Bakkar, chief innovation officer at HLB International, discusses how artificial intelligence is transforming the priorities of the professional services sector, the challenges this presents to the next generation of consultancy recruits and why upskilling has become mandatory. HLB International is a global network of advisory and accounting firms. In the worldwide top ten of advisory organisations, HLB spans across more than 150 countries encompasses the work of around 60,000 individuals.

Amanda Brock, chief executive officer of OpenUK, discusses how the term open source is so often used incorrectly, why true open source is fundamental to the success of innovation and why AI and its data has created complicated conversations around what it means to be open. OpenUK is the UK’s industry body for open source technology. Brock became the organisation's CEO in 2019, with a background of more than 30 years in the global technology sector.

Will Hutton, political journalist, author and academic, discusses the potential implications of the upcoming Autumn Budget on the British tech industry, why working with the EU is vital for achieving the growth ambitions championed by the government and how the UK can maintain its place on the global tech stage. Hutton is a columnist for the Observer, president of the Academy of Social Sciences and the author of numerous major works covering politics and economics.

Dame Ottoline Leyser, former chief executive of UKRI and chair of the advisory board of Innovate Cambridge, discusses the research and business success from the University of Cambridge and how that can be applied throughout the country, government plans to support a global Oxford-Cambridge tech hub and the power of local pride in growing new tech clusters. Leyser was appointed as the head of UK Research and Innovation, the public body which directs government funding to science and technological enterprises, in 2020.

David Hogan, vice president for enterprise at NVIDIA, discusses the UK’s efforts in scaling its digital infrastructure to meet its ambitious goals in artificial intelligence and just how fundamental the recent shifts in AI technology have been to the shaping the future of the world. NVIDIA is one of the largest companies in the world, known for its top-of-the-line chips, it has been and continues to be instrumental in the rapidly developing AI sector.

Laura Modiano, head of startups at OpenAI, discusses just how far artificial intelligence has advanced since the launch of ChatGPT, how AI is drastically accelerating the growth rates of businesses and how far the company’s flagship product can go. OpenAI is the creator of ChatGPT and is among the largest AI companies globally. Valued this year at $500bn, it is the most valuable private company in the world and has worked extensively with the British government on its AI ambitions.

Fi Sellick, head of UK strategy at Square, discusses how macroeconomic challenges impact small businesses as well as their payment providers, how Square is implementing AI across different markets and cryptocurrency’s role in democratising finance. Square is a contactless payment system for businesses co-founded by Twitter creator Jack Dorsey. The company partners with firms offering support in payments and point-of-sale.

Karen McCormick, chief investment officer at Beringea, discusses the relationship between the business, technology and investment communities of the UK and the US, why the entrepreneurial spirit of the UK is catching up to Silicon Valley and why almost every business has become an AI business. Beringea is a transatlantic venture capital investment group jointly based in London and Michigan. McCormick discusses the challenges tech companies in Europe face when trying to emulate the success of US tech giants and what firms like Beringea look for in a portfolio company.

Christoph Lippuner, co-founder and chief executive of Semble, discusses why healthcare professionals are far too often victims of extreme burnout, why that is a problem for everyone and the challenges he faced raising money for his business. Semble provides management software for healthcare providers. The platform helps clinicians and clinics manage everything from scheduling, billing, and prescribing to patient data and administrative workflows, aiming to reduce manual work and amplify time spent on patient care.

Richard Jeffery, co-founder and chief executive officer of ActiveOps, discusses the challenges of managing work productivity in large organisations and the impact of AI on decision intelligence and operational efficiency. ActiveOps is a workflow management software provider founded in 2005, now operating in 40 countries around the world.

Calum Chase, co-founder of Conscium, discusses why fears of an AI winter have been greatly exaggerated, why the industry has surpassed the hype phase and will continue to grow and the transformational impacts already happening and those yet to come. Conscium is a research organisation focused on applied AI consciousness. The group was founded to explore the questions of the nature of consciousness and how that can apply to AI technology.

Lisa Haycox, chief executive of Explore Learning, discusses the technologies that should and should not be used in children’s education, how perceptions of digital learning changed after the pandemic and how AI represents the future of edtech. Explore Learning is a tuition provider for young students via its digital platform. Haycox discusses the shortfalls of traditional schooling structures and the pros and cons of supplementing education with technology.

Jo Cox, chief executive officer of ImServ, discusses how smart tracking of energy use works for businesses, how AI can help collect and manage energy data and the myths around smart meters. IMServ is a data collection and energy metering firm. Cox, who was appointed as the group’s CEO in 2024, discusses the importance of understanding baseline energy usage to improve efficiency and reduce carbon footprints.

Caroline Seton, co-founder of Forest, discusses the cultural shift in perceptions of cycling brought in by bike hire services, the infrastructural barriers to encourage mass cycling and navigating the venture capital landscape. Forest, founded as Human Forest, is a London-based bicycle hiring service competing with the likes of Lime. The company was founded in 2020 and has become one of the UK capital's most used bike rental firms.

Rob Whitehead, chief executive of MSquared and co-founder of Improbable discusses why despite a drop in the initial hype, companies in the space are still making exciting innovations in metaverse technology. Whitehead explains why different iterations of virtual space technology have struggled to take off and why focusing on the correct use cases that properly utilise the technology is the key for consumers to enjoy metaverse experiences.

Dr Jane Jin, founder and chief operating officer of OXCCU, discusses the complexity of developing sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), the history of how it has been deployed in the past and just how impactful viable could be for the environment and the aviation industry. OXCCU is a spinout from the University of Oxford developing technology to turn waste carbon into sustainable aviation fuel as well as climate friendly chemical products and biodegradable plastics.

Robin Saxby, former chief executive officer and chairman of Arm, discusses the history of his old company, the ever-changing complexities of how geopolitics impacts business and the urgent need for common sense among the world’s politicians to take a global approach to our largest problems. Saxby became Arm’s first CEO in 1991 and oversaw its rise to prominence that would ultimately lead it to being one of the most important technology companies in the world. Saxby has also held roles at Motorola, Pye and European Silicon Structures.

Robin Heap, founder and CEO of Zest, discusses how the cultural perception of electric vehicles has radically changed over the years, the massive growth in the UK electric car market and why the road to full electrification requires a great deal more effort from automotive firms, policymakers and consumers. Zest is company specialising in electric vehicle charging infrastructure. The firm installs, manages and maintains EV charge points on behalf of public and commercial landowners.

Michelle Robson, founding partner at Odyssey Ventures, discusses her journey from chemical engineering grad to launching a venture capital firm, the qualities she looks for in a founder seeking investment and Europe’s place in a tech landscape dominated by Silicon Valley. Odyssey Ventures is a venture capital group based in London and San Francisco with a particular focus on early-stage European founders. Among the VC’s primary targets are startups developing solutions in climate tech, sustainability and decarbonisation.

Tim Peake, British astronaut, discusses his experience on his mission on the International Space Station, how modern space exploration is changing with the advent of private companies like SpaceX and why humanity is only scratching the surface of the scientific value that can come from in-orbit experimentation. A British European Space Agency astronaut and ambassador at the Festival of Speed Future Lab, Peake flew to the International Space Station in 2015 and has spent almost 200 days in space. Peake discusses the political nature of space travel and the exciting future of the burgeoning space tech industry.

Peter Kyle, Secretary of State for the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology, discusses the enormous challenge of transforming government services for the automated digital age, how the government plans to create millions of skilled AI workers and Labour’s hands on approach to the tech sector. Kyle was given the reins of the Tech Department when Labour came to power in July 2024. The MP for Hove and Portslade has been tasked with overseeing one of the government's most ambitious missions, turbocharging the tech sector to meet the growth demands of the nation.

Air Vice Marshal Gary Waterfall, a retired senior officer of the Royal Air Force, discusses the desperate need to ensure domestic defence is able to keep up with the advancements of technology, the surprising parallels of a career in the military and a career as an entrepreneur and the historical links between the military and the development of technology. Waterfall discusses the recent focus of the government on investing in advanced defence technology in the context of global threats across the world.

Ahti Heinla, CEO of Starship Technologies and one of the original creators of Skype discusses the surprising truth behind Estonia’s digital transformation over the past three decades, the massive and enduring impact of Skype and why whether its video calls or delivery robots, his businesses have always been the target of sceptics. Heinla helped create the iconic video conferencing software back in 2003. Today, the Estonian is focusing his efforts on Starship Technologies, which develops autonomous last mile delivery robots.

Elena Pantazi, a partner at Northzone, discusses the challenges founders have managing startups in a fluctuating industry, why the UK might not need to compare itself to Silicon Valley and how VCs can unfortunately treat male founders very differently to women. Northzone is a multi-stage venture capital fund based in London. It has backed some of Europe’s largest tech companies, including Spotify, Klarna and Kahoot. Pantazi talks the importance of mentorship and competing against tech giants in the war for talent.

Jessica Lennard, chief strategy officer at the CMA, discusses how the regulator has to balance its work with the world’s largest tech companies with the vast startup market, how the CMA’s competition regulation is evolving to suit innovation and why the wider regulatory regime as a whole is changing in the era of the modern industrial strategy. The Competition and Markets Authority is the UK’s regulator for corporate competition. Overseeing areas such as mergers and acquisitions, ensuring companies meet pro-competition requirements and consumer protection.

Tanya Suarez, chief executive of IoT Tribe and head of the JANUS consortium, discusses why UK defence underinvestment has left the country vulnerable, the rising danger from international actors and the surprisingly thriving startup ecosystem in the defence tech sector. IoT Tribe is an accelerator group that was appointed by the government’s Defence and Security Accelerator to run programmes for startups in the space. IoT Tribe leads the group of specialist organisations called JANUS, the UK participant in NATO’s Defence Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic.

Ed Bussey, CEO of Oxford Science Enterprises, discusses why time is running out to solve British tech’s scaleup funding gap, why the potential for the UK tech industry is so much greater than its current performance and an out-there idea to improve the competitiveness of the London public markets. Oxford Science Enterprises is a venture capital firm managing assets worth more than £800m. The group operates in partnership with the University of Oxford and is a prominent backer of spinouts from the university.

Virraj Jatania, co-founder and chief executive of Pockit, discusses how the culture of financial services has changed since the 2008 crisis, why mergers and acquisitions have become an attractive option for fintechs and the trouble with push payment fraud regulations. Pockit is a London-based fintech that acts as a digital banking alternative targeting those whose needs are not met by traditional banks. Jatania explains the importance of providing financial services to those left behind by major institutions and the reality of running a British fintech in 2025.

Sam Nasrolahi, principal at InMotion Ventures, discusses the difference between corporate investment arms and standard venture capital, why UK companies often don’t scale up in Britain and the impact of the turbulent tariff policies in the United States. InMotion Ventures is the investment arm of British automotive group Jaguar Land Rover. Nasrolahi has been leading the group’s enterprise and industrial tech investments since 2022.

Sharon Vosmek, chief executive and managing partner of Astia, discusses why backing female founders isn't just morally right, but also financial prudent, why not all definitions of women-led startups are equal and the danger of 'fomo' in investing.Astia is an inclusive venture capital group that seeks to address the vast and stagnant gap in funding for women-led businesses.

Steve Peralta, co-founder of Unmind, discusses the problem with the majority of corporate mental health programmes, why the world of work so often leads to deteriorating mental health, and how psychology-backed tech platforms can help. Unmind is workplace wellbeing platform that partners with brands to offer employee mental health support. Peralta co-founded Unmind in 2016 having previously from a corporate wellbeing background alongside former NHS clinical psychologist Dr Nick Taylor. Peralta explains how so many workplace wellbeing policies are reactive, waiting from problems to occur before they even begin to try to help.

David Keene, CEO of Aurrigo, discusses how autonomous driving will progress in the UK, how a chance encounter pivoted his company’s entire market and the journey of turning grant funding into an initial public offering. Aurrigo is an autonomous driving company that specialises in vehicles for the aviation industry, including self-driving baggage carriers. The Coventry-based company was founded in 1993, initially focused on autonomous passenger vehicles. A call from the head of innovation at International Airlines Group, convinced Keene that the future of Aurrigo’s technology was in supporting aviation. The group listed publicly on London’s AIM market in 2022.

Jing Ouyang, co-founder and chief growth officer of Patchwork Health discusses the political pressure on health services to streamline operations, the difficulty in digitising NHS clinics and leaving a career as a medical doctor to launch a tech startup. Patchwork Health is a digital platform for clinics to manage day-to-day operations, organise workflows and reduce agency spending. Ouyang spent years as a resident doctor where he saw first hand the manual processes and bureaucracy needlessly complicating matters. He co-founded Patchwork with another former NHS doctor to directly address the problems the founders had faced in their health careers.

Jonathan Berry, Viscount Camrose and former Conservative AI minister, discusses how artificial intelligence policy has changed with the Labour government, why the work it must do is difficult but necessary and why clarity on AI regulation is vital for businesses. Berry is a hereditary peer in the House of Lords and served as the minister responsible for AI and intellectual property under former prime minister Rishi Sunak. During his time at the tech department, Berry was key in organising the UK's AI Safety Summit in Bletchley Park in 2023.