UKTN | The Podcast

Lord Tim Clement-Jones, Liberal Democrat peer, explains why a lack of consistency from the government hasn’t helped startups, weighs in on the debate around using copyrighted material to train AI systems, and unpacks why regulation isn’t the enemy of innovation. Lord Clement-Jones was chair of the Liberal Party from 1986-1988. He was made CBE for political services in 1988 and a life peer in 1998. He is the Liberal Democrat House of Lords spokesperson for science, innovation and technology. He is the former chair of the House of Lords Select Committee on Artificial Intelligence. He co-founded and has co-chaired the All-Party Parliamentary Group on Artificial Intelligence since 2016. In addition to his political work, Lord Clement-Jones is a Consultant on AI policy and regulation with global law firm, DLA Piper.

Louise Harris, co-founder and CEO of Tramshed Tech, discusses the challenges and opportunities for the Welsh tech sector, unpacks the country’s sub-sector strengths from semiconductors to creative, and mulls what a changing political landscape might mean for businesses. Harris co-founded Tramshed with Mark John in 2015. It now has six co-working sites across Wales and provides startup support through programmes on topics such as investor readiness and exports. Tramshed is supported by strategic partners in the UK and Europe, including Google for Startups, Microsoft, Barclays Eagle Labs and SQY. Harris is also a member of the Welsh Government International Strategy Board and UK Tech Cluster Group.

Oxa CEO Gavin Jackson explains why the UK is well-positioned to be a leader in autonomous vehicles, breaks down Oxa’s strategy for commercialisation, and unpacks who is liable in the event of an autonomous vehicle crashing. Oxa, formerly known as Oxbotica, is developing software for autonomous vehicles. Founded in 2014, it is focusing on passenger transportation and industrial autonomy. It has raised more than £150m in funding, including from Google parent company Alphabet. The Oxford-headquartered company recently announced a commercial partnership with a passenger shuttle service in Florida, US. Oxa has been sharing industry input into the UK’s Automated Vehicles Bill, which is currently progressing through parliament. Jackson, who previously held senior leadership positions at Microsoft and Amazon Web Services, was appointed CEO of Oxa in December 2021.

Allan Nixon, head of science of technology at Onward, shares his assessment of the Spring Budget, outlines steps he thinks Whitehall could take to improve tech sector growth, and compares the Labour and Conservative parties' approach to tech policy. Nixon joined Onward, a centre-right think tank, in April 2023. In this episode, he unpacks Spring Budget announcements – from pension fund reform to PISCES. He explains why DSIT and the Treasury need to revamp their spending processes to ensure investments keep pace with the tech sector, particularly in areas like compute infrastructure. Elsewhere, Nixon shares suggestions for Whitehall to cut "bureaucratic red tape" that could support the UK's science and tech sector. Prior to joining Onward, Nixon served in various special advisor roles for the UK government – including to the prime minister, security minister and health secretary. He has also worked in Parliament.

Janine Hirt, CEO of Innovate Finance, unpacks what the UK must do to maintain its historical strength in financial technology, why clarity in regulation for crypto, BNPL and open banking is vital, and what needs to be done to tackle rising financial scams. Hirt has been with Innovate Finance, the UK fintech industry body, for the past nine years after joining as a community lead in 2015. Hirt then became the group’s ecosystem director, then COO before rising to the rank of chief executive in 2021. The independent group is responsible for championing the efforts of British fintech and advising government policy to support its growth. Before joining Innovate Finance, Hirt held roles at the think tank Chatham House and the Brazilian-American Chamber of Commerce. Elsewhere in this episode, Hirt looks at where fintech clusters are in the UK, why Big Tech must take some responsibility for financial crime, and what she’s hoping to see for the fintech sector in the Spring Statement.

Jess Jackson, investment manager at Praetura Ventures, discusses the challenges startups in the north face, the stark gender divide in the tech and investment industries and how the government should be supporting small businesses and underrepresented entrepreneurs. Jackson joined the Manchester-based venture capital firm in 2022 after years of managing investments in the city at GC Angels. Praetura Ventures prides itself on its commitment to backing companies in the north of England, which traditionally have less access to funding than their counterparts in the south. Jackson is also a founding member of Fund Her North, a collective of northern women investors that campaigns for better treatment and opportunities for northern women in tech.

Suki Fuller, founder of Miribure, discusses the power of advocacy to improve gender and ethnic diversity in tech, unpacks the importance of storytelling in data, and explains why we should dispel the myth that tech is a “highfalutin career path”. In this episode, Fuller shares her experience as a woman and person of colour working in tech and why it’s important to raise awareness “every single day with everything you do”. She explains how she “struggles” with the dichotomy of needing labels like ‘women in tech’ to highlight that change is needed, despite male entrepreneurs not being described in the same way. Fuller founded Miribure in 2015. It provides advice to businesses from startups to multinationals on how to mitigate risks. In addition to founding Miribure, Fuller is the co-lead of the Tech London Advocates Women in Tech and the co-chair of the Global Tech Advocates Black Women in Tech. She is also a fellow at the Council of Competitive Intelligence Fellows and was voted Computer Weekly’s ‘2023 Most Influential Woman in UK Tech’.

Dr Angie Ma, co-founder of Faculty, explains how AI poses both a threat and an opportunity during an election year, explains why the company stopped doing political work post-Brexit referendum, and shares her top productivity tips for entrepreneurs. Ma founded Faculty with Dr Marc Warner and Andy Brookes in 2014. The London-based firm began as a fellowship to help academics become commercial data scientists. It now provides software and consulting services to businesses, with clients including HSBC, Tide and John Lewis. Faculty was controversially paid by Vote Leave to provide services during the 2016 Brexit referendum, but said it stopped doing political work in 2019. Ma, who holds a PhD in physics and applied optics from UCL, previously served as Faculty’s chief operating officer and chief people officer.

Euan Blair, CEO of Multiverse, discusses the role that apprenticeships can play in the future of work, the impact of AI on skills, and the challenges of breaking into the US market. Blair founded Multiverse in 2016. The edtech company’s focus is on matching diverse talent from a range of backgrounds with upskilling opportunities. It has trained over 10,000 apprentices in partnership with more than 1,000 global employers. While the company reached a unicorn valuation in 2022, it is yet to achieve profitability. In 2021, the London-headquartered launched in the US. Multiverse recently scaled back its US workforce after the business missed revenue targets. Blair, who is the eldest son of former British prime minister Tony Blair, was awarded an MBE for services to education in 2022.

Sunderland Software City CEO David Dunn explains how the North East can grow its tech sector, gives his assessment of the government’s tech department, and explains how increasing the number of regional startups can help the UK become a “tech powerhouse”. From Newcastle to Middlesbrough, the North East of England is bursting with clusters of tech innovation. But Dunn believes that with the right support, the North East “could be adding more value to UK PLC”. In this episode, Dunn explains how focusing on talent pipelines rather than job creation can stimulate tech sector growth. He also explains steps to overcome funding challenges for North East businesses and how to promote the region internationally. And ahead of an almost certain general election this year, Dunn looks at how the two main political parties have been faring when it comes to tech policy. Dunn has held leadership roles at Sunderland Software City since 2008. The not-for-profit provides support services to tech businesses in the region. Dunn also holds the CEO role at support organisation Dynamo North East and is a founding member of the UK Tech Cluster Group, an organisation representing regional tech businesses.

Michelle Donelan, the tech secretary, discusses the government’s plan to make the UK a “scaleup powerhouse” and provides more detail on some of the policy support measures. The secretary of state answers questions about her goal to make the UK home to half of all European tech unicorns by 2030 and whether immigration policy is harming UK tech growth. Elsewhere, Donelan responds to concerns that scrapping parts of HS2 is a blow to regional tech growth, and is asked whether Fujitsu is still a trusted partner in the wake of the Post Office scandal. Donelan is the UK’s first secretary of state for science, innovation and technology. She was appointed to lead the department in February 2023 after Prime Minister Rishi Sunak spun it out of the Department for Digital, Culture Media and Sport, which Donelan led from September 2022. Her responsibilities include all things UK tech, from skills to regulation to R&D. Her department brought the Online Safety Bill into law and negotiated the UK’s post-Brexit re-entry into the Horizon Europe research programme. Donelan and her department organised the first global summit on AI safety, which brought international leaders and experts to Bletchley Park last November.

Simon Bumfrey, head of technology and life sciences at HSBC Innovation Banking, shares how the lender rebranded from Silicon Valley Bank UK, what happened immediately after that "seismic” rescue weekend in March, and a look ahead to the big themes defining the tech ecosystem in 2024. HSBC Innovation Banking offers flexible banking solutions for startups, scaleups, growth businesses, investors and those working towards IPO. It officially launched at London Tech Week in June, coming just months after HSBC stepped in at the eleventh hour to rescue Silicon Valley Bank UK. Bumfrey goes behind the scenes of the 100-day rebrand and migration, which would typically take more than 15 months. He delves into the "herculean effort" required to achieve this and the challenges that arose during the transition. Elsewhere, Bumfrey – whose career in banking spans three decades – shares his predictions for the innovation economy in 2024, HSBC Innovation Banking’s growth plans and explains why he’s optimistic about a turnaround in the funding environment.

Rory Cellan-Jones, former BBC technology correspondent, revisits career highlights interviewing the biggest names in tech, from Elon Musk to Bill Gates. The writer and author recalls the frenzy of the dot-com bubble in the UK – and explains the similarities and differences between the plummeting valuations of startups today. Cellan-Jones left the BBC in 2021 after four decades at the broadcaster, spending the last 14 of those years as technology correspondent. During his career, he witnessed landmark tech moments, including the launch of the iPhone. Elsewhere on the show, Cellan-Jones explains why cryptocurrency is "infested with snake oil merchants", shares his thoughts on the metaverse and explains why there are "question marks" over how well large language models will be integrated into businesses. In 2019, Cellan-Jones announced via Twitter that he had been diagnosed with early Parkinson's disease. He has since written and spoken about living with the disease and engaged with health tech startups developing tools to alleviate symptoms. He has written several books, including ‘Dot.Bomb’, which tracked the rise and fall of startups in the dot-com crash, and more recently a memoir. Since leaving the BBC, Cellan-Jones has turned his attention to writing, podcasting and adopting a nervous rescue dog from Romania with his wife – the economist Diane Coyle.

Baroness Martha Lane Fox reflects on a challenging year for tech businesses, explains why we should be more concerned about a “profound shift in information flows” than destruction by robots, and unpacks why we shouldn’t be too pessimistic about startup funding. Elsewhere on the show, she looks ahead to a year of political uncertainty and explains why the first trillionaire in the world will “probably” come from the green transition. Lane Fox is a British businesswoman, philanthropist and public servant. She co-founded Last Minute during the dotcom boom in 1998 with Brent Hoberman, taking it to a public listing two years later. She entered the House of Lords as a crossbencher in 2013, becoming Baroness Martha Lane-Fox of Soho and the youngest female life peer. That same year, Lane Fox was appointed CBE for "services to the digital economy and charity". And in 2014 she was appointed chancellor of the Open University, a role that she continues to hold. Since October 2022 the entrepreneur has been president of the British Chambers of Commerce, a business network spanning companies of different sizes across all sectors.

Dr Nicky Dee, founder and CEO of Carbon13, explains why climate tech innovation is cause for optimism despite a lack of progress from initiatives like COP, unpacks why carbon offsetting is still the “Wild West” and reveals which climate solutions provide the “best bang for buck”. Carbon13 is a venture builder for the climate emergency. The Cambridge-based firm selects, supports and invests in startups focused on building scalable climate ventures that will reduce and remove emissions on a global scale. It has made 65 investments since 2021. Dee has previously worked with UNEP, Nesta and the UK government on climate projects, among others. Dee, who has also been an entrepreneur, is a fellow at CISL, the Cambridge Institute for Sustainability Leadership.

Dr Anne-Marie Imafidon, CEO and co-founder of the Stemettes, discusses the power of role models for women in tech, how AI for good shouldn’t just focus on boosting productivity, and why a fixation on ‘wokeism’ is a roadblock to the government's science and tech superpower goals. Imafidon is a British-Nigerian social entrepreneur and computer scientist. She founded Stemettes, a social enterprise promoting women in STEM, in 2013. Imafidon launched the Stemettes after becoming aware of the lack of diversity in degrees like science and maths. The University of Oxford alumna says that while there has been progress in improving diversity in tech, the root cause is yet to be addressed. Elsewhere on the show, Imafidon recalls the backlash she received as a Black woman appearing on Countdown, and why more work is needed on skills to hit the government’s tech superpower goals. Imafidon has previously served as a trustee for the Future of Work and held a board role for the government’s Department for Digital up until 2022. She was awarded an MBE for services to young women and the STEM sector in 2017.

Dom Hallas, executive director of the Startup Coalition, reveals his top policy wishes for UK tech in the upcoming Autumn Statement and shares his assessment of the tech legislation agenda for 2024, including the Automated Vehicles Bill. Elsewhere in this episode, Hallas explains why he thinks the UK’s AI Safety Summit was a success, why he’s optimistic about either a Labour or Conservative government and what regions need to do to build a strong tech ecosystem. Hallas leads the Startup Coalition, a lobby group that was formerly known as Coadec that acts as a conduit between Westminster and the UK’s startup ecosystem. Hallas, a former civil servant in the Brexit department, has been executive director of the Startup Coalition since 2018. He is also a member of the Digital Economy Council, a government advisory committee, and a member of Seedcamp’s advisory council. Hallas was a key figure in lobbying the government to save Silicon Valley Bank UK earlier this year, which resulted in HSBC acquiring the specialist lender in an eleventh-hour deal.

Amman Ahmed, founder of Music For Pets, discusses building a successful brand from nothing, how music can become an integral part of an animal's life, and the importance of being genuinely human in business. Ahmed explains how trusting yourself, your team and your product is essential and urges founders to consider their priorities when seeking lofty valuations. Ahmed launched Music For Pets as a side project with business partner Ricardo Henriquez in 2017. The pair researched how music can have a therapeutic effect on anxious and overly excited animals. After Music For Pets' online content grew rapidly in popularity, Ahmed scaled the company to serve more than 20 million pets around the world, who listen to over 12 million hours of music each month. That growth – all without raising external funding and minimal marketing spend – saw Music For Pets acquired by Create Music Group for a life-changing sum earlier this year.

Priya Guha, venture partner at Merian Ventures, discusses the skills gap and the shortage of women in STEM roles, why tech companies shouldn’t overlook the arts, and how the early-stage gender funding gap is holding back UK growth. Elsewhere on the show, the investor and former diplomat discusses the UK’s “untapped capital pool” and reveals what she wants to see from the next British government. Guha has been at Merian Ventures since 2019, where she invests in women-led innovation. She was previously a career diplomat, most recently as British Consul General to San Francisco where she was embedded in Silicon Valley. In addition to her current role at Merian, Guha holds non-executive director roles at UKRI and Digital Capital, along with advisory roles at Kheiron Medical Technologies and Gallos Technologies. In addition to these roles, she is a member of the investment governance board at Future Planet Capital, council member at Innovate UK and a NED at Reach PLC. In 2021, she was awarded an MBE for services to international trade and women in innovation.

Nigel Toon, co-founder and CEO of Graphcore, discusses the goals of the AI Safety Summit, the danger of letting commercial interests and Big Tech shape regulations, and the shortcomings of government when it comes to reining in AI risks. Bristol-based Graphcore designs hardware and software for intelligent processing unit (IPU) systems. Its technology is used to power AI and machine learning applications. As Toon puts it, Graphcore is the “seller of the picks and shovels” powering the AI revolution. It became one of the UK’s most valuable private tech companies in 2020 after a $222m funding round gave it a valuation of $2.8bn. Toon answers questions about the company’s plan to seek new investment after losses widened last year. Toon was previously CEO at two VC-backed processor companies and co-founder and board director at Icera, a 3G cellular modem chip company, which was sold to Nvidia in 2011.

Bianca Cefalo, co-founder of Space DOTS, discusses how the space tech industry in the UK and beyond is rapidly growing and ready for commercialisation. The engineer and CEO explains what it's like to be a woman in an industry dominated by men and encourages women to ignore the doubters and follow their engineering dreams. Space DOTS is a British startup that offers in-space research and development and testing for the quality control of advanced materials. Cefalo co-founded the company in 2021 and it has since raised over £1m in investments and grants.

Eileen Burbidge, partner at Passion Capital, discusses the lessons she learned working in Silicon Valley before and during the dot-com crash, explains how luck plays a big role in success, examines the differences between the UK and US tech sectors, and shares how reproductive health support is the new frontier for employee benefits. Burbidge, a British-American venture capitalist, moved to London from Silicon Valley in 2004. During her early career, Burbidge held roles at Apple, Sun Microsystems and Skype. She is a founding partner of Passion Capital, an early-stage venture capital firm that has invested in 96 startup since 2011, including Monzo, Go Cardless and Tide. Burbidge is also the director of Fertifa, a reproductive healthcare startup. In 2015, Burbidge received an MBE for services to entrepreneurship.

Richard Robinson, co-founder of Robin AI, discusses how artificial intelligence has the power to massively transform the legal sector – though not without considerable risks. The CEO explains why people will always be needed despite the rise of automation, how the government can regulate AI without sacrificing innovation, and shares funding advice for startups. Robin AI is a London-based startup using generative artificial intelligence to automate time-consuming administrative work in the legal sector, such as contract drafting. Robinson co-founded the company in 2019 and it has since raised $16m from the likes of Google and Monzo’s Tom Blomfield. Robin AI’s technology is based in part on the work of Californian AI unicorn Anthropic.

Ashleigh Ainsley, co-founder of Colorintech, discusses what steps companies can take to build diverse teams, explains how Big Tech can do better on inclusion, and what he would like to see from the government's digital skills agenda to encourage more people from ethnic minority backgrounds into tech careers. Colorintech is a non-profit that focuses on increasing access, awareness and opportunities for underrepresented groups in the technology industry. Ainsley grew up in the diverse London borough of Lewisham and went to Oxford University as "the only Black Caribbean boy to go in that year". After securing an internship at Google, he realised that the tech world “felt more like Oxford than Lewisham." In 2016, following roles in the startup and consulting world, Ainsley co-founded Colorintech, which has grown to a community of over 30,000 people. He is also the founder of Black Tech Fest, a three-day event in October showcasing Black culture and innovation.

Paul Scully, Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy, addresses criticism of the UK’s semiconductor strategy and explains why the government is avoiding a “subsidy race” with the likes of the US. The MP for Sutton and Cheam outlines the goals of the Digital Markets Bill, and explains how existing regulators will create a “baseline” while building up an understanding of AI risks. Elsewhere, he discusses the Online Safety Bill, investment zones and Tech Nation. Scully was appointed Parliamentary Under Secretary of State (Minister for Tech and the Digital Economy) at the newly created Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) in February. He held the corresponding role at DSIT’s precursor, DCMS, from October 2022 and has been an elected MP since 2015. He is also Minister for London and was appointed to that role on 13 February 2020.

Claire Lewis, CEO and co-founder of Baltic Ventures, discusses Liverpool’s rapidly growing tech scene, how there's now an understanding that tech investment must be spread across the whole UK, and some of the common mistakes that founders make. Baltic Ventures is a not-for-profit accelerator located in Liverpool. Based in the city’s Baltic Triangle, the accelerator is aiming to address the funding imbalance for early-stage startups outside of London, with a focus on the North West. Lewis, who began her career as a chartered accountant, previously founded a sustainable ecommerce company. After it was acquired, she worked for an investment bank supporting tech for good startups, before launching Tech North, which went on to become part of Tech Nation.

Carolyn Dawson, CEO of Founders Forum Group, discusses rebuilding Tech Nation after acquiring the shuttered entrepreneur network, explains why the UK is well-positioned to be a leader in generative AI, and the impact that pension fund reforms will have on the UK tech sector. Launched in 2005, Founders Forum Group is an entrepreneur community that hosts networking events and provides advice to startups. As chief executive, Dawson oversees all of Founders Forum’s events and businesses. In 2022, she was awarded an OBE for her services to London Tech Week, which she has led for seven years. Prior to Founders Forum, Dawson was president at Informa Tech.

Dr Mandana Ahmadi, the founder and CEO of mental health app Alena, discusses how technology can be a tool to support mental health, her journey as an Iranian immigrant to a UK-based startup founder and how artificial intelligence has yet to replicate real human emotion. Ahmadi moved to the UK from Iran with a joint passion for technology and psychology. London-headquartered Alena is harnessing computational neuroscience to decode the mental patterns that drive social anxiety. It has raised $3.6m in funding since it was co-founded by Ahmadi in 2019. Before Alena, she co-founded and served as CTO for TAINA Technology, a regulatory technology company that helped financial institutions comply with requirements.

Richard Arundel, the co-founder of Currencycloud, talks about maintaining a good business culture whilst growing rapidly, how developments in cross-border payments have made a real impact in people’s lives, the current state of challenger banks and being acquired by Visa. Arundel helped build the payments infrastructure company Currencycloud in 2012 from a background of 15 years working in foreign exchange markets. Currencycloud is used by major fintechs including Revolut, Starling and Monese and was acquired by Visa in 2021 for £700m.

Ilyas Khan, CPO and founder of Quantinuum, explains why quantum computers have the potential to radically change everything about how computing works, how the top prize in quantum has generated a geopolitical race, and what it’s like quietly building a deep tech multi-corn. Khan is the founder of Cambridge Quantum, which in 2021 merged with US-based Honeywell to create Quantinuum, a deep tech company developing scalable quantum computers.

Dr Simon Thomas, co-founder and CEO of Paragraf, explains why the UK’s semiconductor strategy doesn’t do enough to support the country’s microchip industry, how wonder material graphene could revolutionise electronics, and how semiconductors have become less of a focus for the Silicon Fen area. Cambridge-based Paragraf specialises in graphene-based electronics, a material with highly promising capabilities that could prove to be the perfect alternative to silicon in electronic devices due to its conductivity and power efficiency. It has raised more than $85m in funding. In this episode, Thomas – who has a background in physics, engineering and material science – explains how graphene could produce chips that "operate 1,000 times faster than today's computers". Elsewhere, he delves into the “interesting process” of Paragraf acquiring US chip firm Cardea Bio, which closed in May 2023, and takes aim at the government’s lack of clarity when it comes to a long-term semiconductor vision.

Harry Keen, CEO and co-founder of Hazy, explains how synthetic could address bias issues for AI training data, why we should prioritise the near-term issues with AI instead of doomsday predictions, and shares his experience spinning out from UCL. Founded in 2017, Hazy creates artificial data that replicates the quality of real-world data without including personal information. Companies can then use this synthetic data to train AI models without the associated privacy risks. The company has raised nearly $15m and has been backed by Microsoft. Keen was previously engineering design lead at Opendesk.

Dr Ali El Kaafarani, founder and CEO of PQShield, explains how quantum computers will one day crack today’s encryption to expose our data, discusses the race to create cryptography that can fend off quantum attacks, and why “strengthening the startup position in the UK should be a top priority for the UK government to excel at quantum computing”. Oxford-headquartered PQShield is a cybersecurity spinout founded by researchers to develop post-quantum cryptography tools. The company, which has raised nearly $27m in funding, has contributed to developing the first cryptography standards designed to block cyberattacks powered by quantum machines. Its software and hardware products are already being adopted by companies such as Bosch and Collins Aerospace. Kaafarani is also a researcher at the Mathematical Institute at the University of Oxford and has previous experience at HP Labs.

Jodie Cook, founder of Coachvox AI, discusses how her company creates "artificially intelligent” versions of coaches and mentors to provide 24/7 support, how AI regulation could impact smaller businesses, and why friends and family should have a “safe word” in the age of deepfakes. London-headquartered Coachvox AI creates digital coaches of entrepreneurs, coaches and content creators, who train the AI model to communicate in their style and in “any field”. The model is fed data provided by clients, such as a back catalogue of blog posts, to ensure the AI coach is equipped with relevant knowledge. The AI coach is then fine-tuned by the human coach scoring the accuracy of answers. The startup's goal is to provide "24/7 access to your brain". Cook founded her previous venture, a digital agency called JC Social Media, straight after university and after 10 years completed a successful exit.

Antony Walker, deputy CEO of techUK, discusses some of the key policy areas affecting the UK’s tech companies, from AI to the online safety bill. He also reflects on how the economic shocks of Brexit and the pandemic have impacted UK tech, and the role the UK should play in influencing new technologies on the global stage. The trade association represents nearly 1,000 members and its goal is to “ensure the UK is the best place for technology companies to locate and thrive”. Its member includes smaller startups and SMEs, along with larger corporates such as Amazon Web Services UK. In addition to engaging with the government on behalf of its members, techUK holds events, workshops and creates reports.

Eccie Newton, co-founder and CEO of Karma Kitchen, addresses some of the misconceptions surrounding dark kitchens, explains how the sites are “closer to a co-working space” and shares ways to minimise courier traffic in local areas. Newton co-founded Karma Kitchen with her sister Gini in 2018 after struggling to find kitchen space for their corporate catering delivery company. The London-based firm buys industrial real estate in “underutilised areas” and converts them into multi-use kitchen spaces for food businesses. In 2020, the startup raised £252m from investors and today it has four operational dark kitchens – also known as ghost kitchens - with six more under construction.

Immigram CEO Anastasia Mirolyubova opens up for the first time about Slush’s controversial decision to award - then revoke - a €1m startup prize to her talent relocation company, following the outcry over Mirolyubova and her co-founder's Russian roots. Mirolyubova co-founded Immigram in 2020 to assist IT and tech professionals with relocation across the world. The company is headquartered in London, where Mirolyubova has lived since 2016. In November 2022, Immigram scooped the top prize at the Slush 100 Pitching Competition. However, Slush faced fierce backlash for awarding the prize to a company founded by two Russian passport holders amid the country’s brutal invasion of Ukraine. Mirolyubova talks about the physical and emotional toll the situation had on her, which resulted in her receiving death threats, losing 7kg in weight, and avoiding social media. Away from Slush, Mirolyubova reveals which tech roles are in-demand, the staggering gender divide in visa applications, and Immigram’s plans for 2023.

Lucy Jung, CEO and co-founder of Charco Neurotech, discusses spinning out a medical device startup from academia, the science behind treating Parkinson’s disease with vibrations, balancing regulation with innovation and how devices like Elon Musk’s Neuralink could “maximise our brain”. Jung, who has a background in design, co-founded Charco Neurotech in 2019, launching out of Imperial College London. It has secured more than $10m in investment for its non-invasive, pebble-shaped device that delivers vibrotactile stimulation to the chest to improve motor performance and alleviate gait freezing for people with Parkinson’s. It can be linked with an accompanying smartphone app to track symptoms and customise treatment. The device is currently used by 900 people, with a further 12,000 on its waiting list.

Tessa Clarke, CEO and co-founder of Olio, talks about the business model behind the food sharing app, the company’s plan to be the be the “Mailchimp of food redistribution”, organic international expansion and the plan to take on Facebook Marketplace by moving into second-hand items. Clarke launched Olio, which lets people list surplus food and second-hand goods, in 2015. It has since attracted over 6.9 million users who have given away over 95 million portions of food. Listings on the circular economy app grew fivefold during the pandemic and the company has expanded beyond the UK to 63 countries. Olio, which has raised more than $50m in funding, has entered partnerships with businesses including Tesco and Pret. It has plans to rebrand later this year.

Mikela Druckman, CEO and co-founder of Greyparrot, explains how her company uses AI to identify and sort through “mountains” of waste, why legislation is key to reducing the volume of rubbish, and discusses the crackdown on greenwashing in the packaging supply chain. London-headquartered Greyparrot was co-founded by Druckman in 2019. The company uses computer vision technology to analyse and sort rubbish into the right categories at waste facilities. It has raised more than $17m in funding and counts waste management companies such as Suez and Biffa among its customers. Druckman is a Global Future Council member at the World Economic Forum and was previously chief commercial officer at Blippar, where she worked on computer vision and augmented reality products.

Toby Mather, CEO of Lingumi, shares his first-hand account as a startup founder who scrambled to withdraw company funds from Silicon Valley Bank UK as the crisis unfolded. The edtech startup held most of its funds with SVB UK. Like thousands of other startups, Lingumi worried whether it would be able to pay staff and invoices. Mather recounts his rollercoaster experience of the weekend that rocked UK tech, and his amazement at the "Dunkirk-style effort" in government to save the country’s tech startups. Elsewhere on the show, Mather talks about the impact of ChatGPT in education and the “healthy” discipline the tech downturn is creating for startups. Lingumi is a smart tutoring platform that uses AI to create interactive courses for young learners. It has more than two million users, mostly in Asia, using the platform to learn how to read and speak languages. Prior to founding Lingumi, Mather studied modern languages at the University of Oxford, and worked as an EFL teacher, during which time he began developing the idea for Lingumi.

Iggy Bassi, founder and CEO of Cervest, talks about launching a startup to provide climate intelligence for the world’s assets, how smart industrial policy can work hand in hand with the private sector to reach net zero, the power and limits of data in combatting global warming, and why climate tech investors need to be in for the long haul. Bassi, a serial entrepreneur, founded London-based Cervest in 2016 after his sustainable farm in West Africa was flattened by strong winds, causing millions of dollars in damage. Cervest’s platform uses AI to bring together disparate climate data and provide businesses and governments with insights about the climate risk to their physical assets. It has secured more than £32m in VC funding and went to market last year. Bassi has advised Fortune 500 companies and has been a featured speaker at Harvard University, COP26, World Bank and Tech Nation.

William Sachiti, the CEO and founder of the Academy of Robotics, explains whether ChatGPT will be integrated into companion robots, why mass-market autonomous cars won’t be on the road any time soon and how his company is disrupting package delivery with AI. Sachiti is a serial entrepreneur and inventor who moved to the UK from Zimbabwe in the early 2000s. By his mid 30s he had set up and successfully exited three companies. He founded the Academy of Robotics in 2017, which has gone on to develop Europe’s first autonomous delivery vehicle for the road, Kar-go. The Academy of Robotics has also created self-driving technology used by the RAF and indoor helper robots for hospitals, currently being trialled at the NHS. Sachiti was named Disruptor of the Year by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards in 2021.

Volodymyr Levykin, the CEO and founder of Skyrora, talks about building a satellite “taxi service”, how space tech has become an asset in defending Ukraine, the potential of space tourism and the challenges surrounding commercial space travel. Levykin, a Ukrainian-born tech entrepreneur, spent time working in IT in Silicon Valley before moving to Edinburgh to found rocket company Skyrora. Levykin used private funds to launch the company in 2017, which is building launch services for small satellites. Skyrora became the first company to complete a successful integrated rocket stage test in the UK since the 1970s, and has completed four suborbital rocket launches.

Dr Giorgia Longobardi, the co-founder and CEO of Cambridge GaN Devices, shares her experience spinning out a startup from the University of Cambridge, being a woman in STEM, developing energy-efficient microchips and why the UK government urgently needs to develop a semiconductor strategy. Longobardi co-founded CGD, a fabless semiconductor company, in 2016. It is developing transistors that use gallium nitride (GaN) instead of silicon to power electronics, with the goal of making devices such as data centres more energy efficient. The Cambridge-headquartered company has raised more than $28m in funding.

Anne Boden, CEO and founder of digital bank Starling, talks about her journey taking on the big banks, being the “odd one out” in the world of finance, why VCs are overlooking female founders and why crypto is “lacking sufficient practical and moral purpose”. Boden founded Starling Bank in 2014 after decades of working for some of the world’s biggest banks. Starling, which is an online-only bank, provides both business and current accounts. The unicorn fintech company has been profitable since 2021 and has 500,000 small business accounts. In 2018, Boden was awarded an MBE for services to financial technology.

Barney Wragg, CEO and founder of robotic kitchen automation startup Karakuri, talks about his time at chip giant Arm, the danger of semiconductor trade barriers, finding product-market fit, and how AI is creating more – not less – jobs. Wragg founded Karakuri, a London-based robotics startup, in 2018. Its two main products are a robotic arm that serves personalised sushi dishes, and an automated fryer for chips. The London-based company has raised more than £13.5m in funding. Wragg spent time at Arm during the 1990s and has a background in physics and music, working at studios such as Universal and EMI.

Immersive Labs CEO and founder James Hadley discusses the dangers of generative AI like ChatGPT in cybersecurity, the lessons learned from laying off 10% of staff, and cracking the cyber skills shortage. Hadley founded Immersive Labs, a Bristol-based cybersecurity training platform, in 2017. The company’s platform creates cyberattack simulations to teach organisations practical IT security skills. The company has raised $189m in funding. Prior to founding Immersive Labs, Hadley worked as an analyst and security consultant for British intelligence agency GCHQ.

Zilch co-founder and CEO, Philip Belamant, gets candid on disrupting the fintech sector, catapulting Zilch to double unicorn status and being the fastest growing company out of Europe and the UK. He gets into their American takeover, with a preregistration of over 150,000 customers ahead of their stateside launch based out of Miami. Belamant delves on the astounding growth of their customer base, going from 20,000 to 2.2 million customers in just 18 months. He gets honest on the difficult decisions they faced when deciding between the rapid onboarding of new customers versus quality of service of existing - something they now use AI for as they have expanded. Having lost out on funding at the beginning of the pandemic, Belamant talks in depth on what impact this had on the company and how they came back from that loss to now stand at a total of $339.3M in funding and a company value of more than $2bn. Belamant is a serial entrepreneur and the CEO and Co-founder of the double unicorn fintech Zilch, recently valued at over $2bn. Before Zilch, Belamant founded, developed, and sold two other successful fintech ventures. The first provided value-added mobile payment services that grew to over 20 million users in 15 different countries across India, Africa, and Europe, which led Belamant to conceive and launch South Africa’s first cash-to-Mastercard system for Uber that became a top 40 fintech company. Belamant was named Entrepreneur of the Year for 2021 by the Great British Entrepreneur Awards for leading Zilch to the forefront of the changing payments landscape.

Brad Goodall is no stranger to the fintech industry, having worked for scale ups and start-ups for years before starting his own founder journey. He talks at length on the concept of Banked and how this is more than a new technology to combat fraud but will be a major shift in consumer behaviour. Goodall shares how they got the backing of Bank of America and what this will mean for their expansion into the American market. He talks about the importance of catering to your audience and educating your customer as a form of marketing. Goodall opens up about the price of talent in the current climate and how he’s navigated investing and growing the team on a global scale. He talks funding rounds and pitching and raising a total of £18.9m so far. Goodall has worked with some of the biggest brands and names in technology and finance across Europe, the US, Australia and Asia. His previous business was 10x Future Technologies which he cofounded with ex Barclays CEO Antony Jenkins. His latest venture Banked burst onto the scene in 2020 to build a payments network to rival Visa and MasterCard. Goodall leads the company as CEO. Goodall lives in London with his wife and two small kids spending as much time outdoors and as close to the beach as they can.