In this week’s episode we dive into the exciting world of battery technology with Christoph Schnedermann, the founder and CEO of Illumion.

Christoph shares his academic journey, which spans from Jena to Oxford, Harvard, and finally Cambridge. He reflects on how these diverse environments shaped his entrepreneurial mindset.

We discuss:

• Illumion's Mission: Illumion focuses on revolutionising battery research with its charge photometry platform, which allows real-time analysis of ion movement within batteries. Christoph explains, “We wanted to provide a lens into the inner workings of a battery at the R&D stage, where there is a critical gap.”

• Market Opportunities: The R&D sector for batteries presents a significant market opportunity, especially as the demand for innovative battery materials grows.

• Challenges and Triumphs: Christoph candidly discusses the challenges of startup life, particularly in securing funding during tough market conditions. “Last year was very, very hard to raise. It is ultimately a very, very hard job and you can only do it if you're tenacious and believe in the idea that you have.”

• Future Plans: Looking ahead, Illumion aims to scale its manufacturing capabilities and expand its market reach. Christoph emphasises the importance of maintaining control over production: “It gives us the agility to respond quickly to different demands.”

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week we are joined by Josephin Holstein, founder and CTO of Evoralis an early stage spin out from Cambridge University with the mission to enable true and sustainable plastic recycling.

Josephin shares her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, detailing how Evoralis is revolutionising plastic recycling through innovative enzyme technology.

Key insights:

• Josephin and her team, originally postdocs at the University of Cambridge, recognised the potential for their research in biochemistry to impact the circular economy.
• Evoralis develops enzymes that can efficiently break down various types of plastics, particularly in the textile industry. Josephin explains, “We can screen up to 10 million enzyme candidates per day, which is 1,000 times faster than conventional methods.” This rapid screening process is crucial for identifying effective solutions to plastic waste.
• The company is currently in the R&D phase, aiming to deliver its first enzymes within a year. Josephin emphasises the importance of collaboration, stating, “We need someone to produce our enzymes... we don’t want to build our own factory to recycle plastics.”
• Josephin candidly discusses the hurdles in the biotech landscape, particularly in securing investment. “You have to be persistent and patient,” she advises, sharing her experience of navigating investor conversations and the importance of demonstrating traction in the market.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode, Andrew Williamson, Managing Partner of Cambridge Innovation Capital (CIC), shares his insights on the UK government’s spin-out review and the evolving landscape of venture capital in Cambridge.

Some standout moments include:

• The importance of proof-of-concept funding: Andrew highlights the critical need for proof-of-concept funding to bridge the gap between fundamental research and commercialisation. He states, “Proof of concept funding is essential for advancing technology far enough to attract both large corporations and investors.”

• Evolving equity terms: The conversation touches on the need for universities to adopt more founder-friendly equity terms. Andrew notes, “The sentiment in the sector has improved, and we’re starting to see equity allocations fall, which is encouraging for founders and investors alike.”

• Celebrating entrepreneurship: Andrew emphasises the importance of promoting entrepreneurship as an aspirational career path. He reflects, “We need to do a better job of celebrating our entrepreneurs and the breakthroughs they achieve.”

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.