Event Eight – From Research to Revenue

Since 2017, Andy has led commercialisation activities at the University of Sheffield, steadily enhancing the internal ecosystem so that founders can truly flourish. His work has been at the heart of transformative initiatives, from the creation of Northern Gritstone and the Northern Triangle Mentor Network to the launch of the University’s Commercialisation Journey and the early conversations around the Sheffield Innovation Spine. Andy’s career is rooted in industrial chemistry and biofuels, including leading a chemical synthesis spinout. Since moving to the University of Sheffield he has had the distinct privilege of leading an exceptional commercialisation team and supporting the launch of more than 45 spinout companies.

 

Ken Nettleship is the Mentor Community Manager for the Northern Triangle Mentor Network, a programme that supports the next generation of innovators from the universities of Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester and Sheffield commercialise their research by connecting them with world-class mentors. Ken has over 25 years of experience in supporting businesses on their growth journey, from early-stage start ups through to global businesses. He has previously worked as the head of Unrest – an accelerator for impact-driven businesses, business growth specialist for South Yorkshire Mayoral Combined Authority and also as a wonderfully titled ‘Super-Connector’ for the

South Yorkshire Innovation District.

 

 

 

​Ruth is a seasoned leader and innovator in the energy materials sector, with more than 14 years’ experience advancing novel battery technologies from research to commercial impact.

She leads AmpliSi, an advanced materials venture developing and scaling porous silicon anodes that significantly boost energy density and performance in lithium‑ion batteries – a transformative advancement for electric mobility and clean energy storage. AmpliSi sits at the intersection of cutting-edge materials research, sustainable energy technologies, and high-growth venture potential.

 

Dr Yufeng Lai is CEO and co-founder of Xerode, a University of Sheffield spinout developing dry electrode printing technology for next-generation battery manufacturing. With over ten years’ experience across green energy, manufacturing, thermal metrology and technology commercialisation, he combines technical expertise with hands-on leadership in venture building, fundraising and industry engagement. Yufeng has led Xerode from market discovery through incorporation, securing grants, investor interest and partnerships across the battery value chain. He is passionate about translating advanced research into scalable products that enable lower-cost, flexible and more sustainable battery production. Outside work, Yufeng enjoys hiking, camping, deep-sky astrophotography and classical guitar.

 

 Andrew Swift is Professor of Cardiothoracic Radiology at the University of Sheffield and an NHS Consultant Radiologist specialising in thoracic and cardiovascular imaging. His work focuses on turning advanced imaging and AI methods into practical clinical tools, particularly in pulmonary hypertension, lung disease and longitudinal imaging assessment. He has experience across clinical workflow design, imaging algorithm development, validation, automated measurement, reporting integration and translational healthcare innovation. As a practising radiologist and clinical academic, he brings a frontline understanding of the problems created by fragmented imaging records, repeated scans and disconnected AI outputs — the clinical insight behind GeoSoma.