Event Three – Next Move: Scale, Sell or Something Smarter?
Not just recordings — a curated record of ambition, insight, and real industrial momentum.
Opening Keynote
Round One Pitches Presented at The Foundry
Dr Faith Howard is a research fellow with expertise in preclinical disease modeling and novel therapeutic development.
NANOncolytics overcomes the delivery hurdles of cutting-edge biotherapies (viruses, viral vectors, vaccines) using innovative nanoparticle encapsulation, enabling their safe, efficient, and targeted pplication to challenging diseases.
Nickel Blankevoort completed his PhD in computational materials science at The University of Warwick under the supervision of Prof. Hatef Sadeghi. His research focused on developing thermoelectric materials that convert waste heat into electricity, or generate a temperature gradient (cooling) using electricity. After experiencing firsthand how cumbersome R&D in materials science can be, Nickel founded Mater-AI to accelerate innovation in thermoelectric technology. He is an alumnus of two leading European accelerators, Entrepreneur First and Conception X, and has also worked at ASML.
Fireside Chat
Panel one - The Next Move – Frontline Perspectives in Manufacturing
Round Two Pitches Presented at The Foundry
Dr. Scott Dean is the founder and CEO of Graphene Trace, a medtech startup from the University of Manchester, pioneering smart fabric sensors to prevent pressure ulcers. Graphene Trace has been recognized as one of the ‘GM 125 Rising Stars of Business’ for its potential to significantly reduce healthcare costs and improve patient outcomes through accessible, data-driven health technology.
Samson Opaleye is the founder of Applatch, a mission-driven startup addressing the growing impact of excessive entertainment screen time on children’s educational performance. As a former primary school teacher, global digital marketing expert, and someone who has personally experienced the struggle of social media addiction, Samson brings both insight and empathy to the challenge of helping families build healthier digital habits, while contributing to a more knowledgeable and productive society.
Closing Keynote - Helen Oldham
Helen Oldham is Co-Founder of Lifted Ventures whose mission is to increase the flow of early stage capital to regional, female founders, and to promote the significant business benefits of backing women. The Lifted Ventures flywheel has an angel network at its core, alongside investment literacy education for women founders and investors.