THE IMPACT INTERVIEW

Welcome to Episode 17 of Series 4! We talked a bit about Energy Storage in frontier markets in the last episode, and that’s also a major part of the theme here. While there is huge potential for solar power in hot countries, the key is to ensure that the power is available where and when you need it.  At the same time, there is growing global dependency on Lithium-ion batteries, despite being a less than perfect solution, not least because of the lack of sustainable lithium supply. My guest this week is Will Tope, Chief Commercial Officer of LiNa Energy, who have developed and patented an alternative based on sodium. The business was set up within Lancaster University, and Will Tope joined a couple of years ago to drive the commercialisation of the product. He talks about the origins of lithium-ion as an energy source, the huge uptick in demand, particularly from electric vehicles and the limitations of reliance on lithium. He explains the need for constant focus on the problem and not the solutions, and ensuring product/market fit. I also ask him about his transition to a startup from the ‘comfy couch’ of the oil & gas industry, and the appetite for renewables in India, one of LiNa’s core markets. Will Tope is passionate about the mission and is a very engaging podcast guest. I really enjoyed the chat and I’m sure you will too.   LEARN MORE ABOUT LINA ENERGY Website: https://www.lina.energy/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/lina-energy/    CONNECT WITH WIL TOPE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/williamtope/    CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com   Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 16 of Series 4! Plenty of startup business challenges can be daunting, not least in the Clean Energy space. If anything, the urgent global need to transition to renewable energy, and the consequences of not doing so, add another level of pressure. Even if more people now understand what is at stake and what is required.  The challenge of replacing fossil fuels with renewable supply is pretty serious in any market. But I’ll bet that it’s tougher in emerging markets like Sub Saharan Africa. But at the same time, the potential for solar power in Africa is vast. For anyone with the drive and acumen to overcome the complexities of these emerging markets, it’s a huge opportunity for impact. My guest this week is Mike Rosenberg, Co-Founder and CEO of Circadian, an IoT and SaaS platform that catayzes renewable energy adoption in frontier markets. Their technology empowers solar developers in West, East and Southern Africa so that they can drive the mass adoption of decentralised energy - moving from ubiquitous diesel generators to efficient solar & storage installations. This is such an interesting business, with an enormous opportunity to facilitate energy transition where it is desperately needed.  Mike’s own journey is remarkable and  his clarity of purpose and motivation are impressively evident in this conversation. I urge you to keep listening and be inspired by Circadian’s ambitious mission. LEARN MORE ABOUT CIRCADIAN Website: https://circadian.io/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/circadiantech/  CONNECT WITH MIKE ROSENBERG  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikerosenberg/?originalSubdomain=uk CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 15 of Series 4! One of the things I find most interesting about developments in the climate tech space is that they usually depend on serious, fundamental behaviour change. To make real progress towards net zero and genuine sustainability, every aspect of our way of lives has to change.  On a corporate level, a lot of the transformation has to be pretty comprehensive, and is inevitably being driven by employees. My guest this week is Tim Riedel, a successful Human Resources Business Leader and Entrepreneur based in Berlin. Having sold his business a few years ago, he was looking for his next challenge and decided he wanted to be part of the solution in fighting climate change. So, he began building a business that could leverage his skills in HR and organisational change. Tim is Founder and CEO of planetgroups, an HR consulting firm whose goal is to bring about change in companies by enhancing and supporting climate and planet action from their employees. He believes this will create more successful companies, more fulfilled employees, and of course a sustainable economy. Tim believes that HR leaders have to play a more important role in directing this corporate change, and focusing on the customer and their journey to sustainability is also key to success. Keep listening to learn about how they work with their clients, about how they begin with the climate solution game, the impact of green teams and much more. Tim articulates the mission extremely well and it’s great to hear about the impact they are having.   LEARN MORE ABOUT PLANETGROUPS Website: https://planetgroups.net/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/planetgroups/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_planetgroups_/  Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC2iHWVFqJf2PLEAPG2gswyw  CONNECT WITH TIM RIEDEL LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/planetgroupstimriedel/  CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 14 of Series 4!   After last episode's Foray into Hydrogen Technologies, I’m back in my comfort zone this week, or at least closer to it. The World of Recruitment.  Recruitment in terms of the urgent need to train and place people for the millions of green jobs that are required if we are going to come close to meeting our net zero goals. Cars, homes and commercial buildings have to become more energy efficient but the UK market is woefully short of the skills required to help people and companies make the transition.   My guest is Mat Ilic, Co-Founder and CEO of Greenworkx, an EdTech Startup with a Sustainability Mission. Mat Ilic is a Public Policy Expert and Former Special Advisor to the Prime Minister who describes their mission with far more eloquence - so I’ll leave that to him. But essentially they are building an app and talent portal that will match people from all backgrounds to appropriate green jobs and guide them through the whole training and placement process.    What I particularly like is their ability to target groups who are typically under-represented in technical industries, and those who might find the traditional job market hard to access and navigate, as well as those whose job in the fossil fuel industry may soon disappear.   Greenworkx is barely 12 months old but they’ve achieved great momentum already, including funding from leading VCs/growth and impact investors and support from an array of successful and high profile business leaders.   Mat Ilic and Co-Founder Richard Ng are also another example of one of these serendipitous Co-Founding Partnerships, where skills and values seem to be perfectly aligned - which has to be a solid foundation for success.   The challenge is huge and incredibly important. And Mat Ilic articulates the vision superbly so keep listening to find out more - and of course subscribe to the podcast if you like it.   LEARN MORE ABOUT GREENWORKX Website: https://www.greenworkx.org/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/joingreenworkx/    CONNECT WITH MAT ILIC LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mat-ilic/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/IlicMat    CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 13 of Series 4!   This episode is all about fuel cell innovation and the UK hydrogen economy. It’s a subject about which I knew next to nothing before my conversation with Dr. Michaela Kendall, Co-Founder and CEO of Adelan, one of the pioneers in the sector who are based in the manufacturing heartlands of Birmingham.   Adelan develops low carbon products for the clean energy market and are on a mission to develop the hydrogen economy and deliver clean air.   Michaela is passionate about the development of a sovereign capability in hydrogen technology in the UK, and believes that our innovation ecosystem and manufacturing capability make us well-equipped to be a global leader.   Adelan was founded by Michaela and her father Professor Kevin Kendall after they invented the core microtubular solid oxide fuel cell (mSOFC) technology back in 1992.   For the unacquainted, Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are a highly efficient, stable and flexible technology that generates electricity from eco-friendly fuel sources via an electrochemical reaction. They have huge potential for success in clean energy generation.    So keep listening for a great introduction to this extremely important and growing industry.   LEARN MORE ABOUT ADELAN: Website: https://adelan.co.uk/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/adelan/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/AdelanLtd    CONNECT WITH DR. MICHAELA KENDALL  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-michaela-kendall-58b35a3/?originalSubdomain=uk  Twitter: https://twitter.com/MichaelaKenda17    CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com   Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com  

Welcome to Episode 12 of Series 4! This episode is all about Natural Capital, which I confess was a slightly unfamiliar concept to me. So I thought I’d kick off by defining what it is - with thanks to Wikipedia. Natural capital is a way of thinking about nature as a stock that provides a flow of benefits to people and the economy. It consists of natural capital assets – such as water, forests and clean air, many of which provide us with free goods and services, which underpin our economy and society, and so make human life possible My guest is Sebastien Leape, CEO of NatCap, a nature intelligence company that helps companies to measure and monitor their nature-related impact, risks and dependencies. He joined the business as CEO last year, 4 years after it was founded at Oxford University, and they are building real momentum after a recent successful fundraise.  It’s very much a data-driven mission to allow companies and organisations to fully understand their interaction with nature and develop more sustainable practices.  It’s an extremely topical and important space, and a really enlightening conversation. Please keep listening, let me know what you think and, of course, subscribe to the podcast! LEARN MORE ABOUT NATCAP Website:https://natcapresearch.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/natcapresearch/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/natcapresearch?lang=en  CONNECT WITH SEB LEAPE LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-leape-5a342264/  CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 11 of Series 4!   My guest is Dan Yates, Co-founder and CEO of Greener, who has built a technology platform for match-making sustainable businesses in the Agrifood Sector. They want to make it as simple as possible for small businesses (and some larger ones) to succeed and grow, by supporting their sustainability journey.   It’s a young business but they are already getting great traction. Dan tells me their story so far, he talks about his job as a startup CEO, and the balance of strengths in the co-founding team.. He talks about their progress so far, and the challenge of having to pause and pivot midway through their recent seed funding round.   Greener has fantastic potential and I’m sure they’ll go far. Check them out on www.greener.io, including some really interesting sustainability articles on their “knowledge hub”.   Please keep listening, get in touch and, of course,  subscribe to the podcast!   LEARN MORE ABOUT GREENER Website: https://www.greener.io/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/greenerio/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/Greener_io  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/greener_io/  CONNECT WITH DAN YATES  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dan-m-yates/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dan.m.yates/?hl=en  CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com  

Welcome to Episode 10 of Series 4!   I learned so much in this conversation. Starting with the massive reliance that modern humankind has on ammonia, and the huge amount of fossil fuel energy that is currently required to manufacture it. The potential for Green Ammonia, with a much more sustainable manufacturing process, is enormous - and there’s probably no other industrial innovation that alone could lead to a reduction in global carbon emissions of over 4%.   My guest is Lewis Jenkins, CEO and Co-Founder (with Dr Yubiao Niu and Phil Hunter) of Nium, a startup manufacturing Green Ammonia on Demand.  He’s spent the last year understanding the problem of ammonia production and together they’re now building a business to solve it. In this episode, he takes the time to educate me in chemistry, physics, history and geography as well as a spot of geopolitics and psychology.    Nium has come a long way already and, with its first funding round in the pipeline, they are set to scale up and transform an outdated industrial process. It’s going to be exciting to see what impact they can have.   Thanks to Lewis for a very interesting chat - make sure you keep listening to hear the full story.   LEARN MORE ABOUT NIUM Website: www.wearenium.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/we-are-nium/  CONNECT WITH LEWIS JENKINS LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/lewisjenkins Secret Diary of a Cleantech CEO: https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/planet-work-6890218292355637248/ CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@hrinvent.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to Episode 9 of Series 4!   My guest is Ofer Becker, Co-Founder and CTO of Solight Energy, an Israeli Startup that I was very kindly introduced to by Climate KIC, Europe’s largest public private initiative focused on climate change innovation. Solight has designed and developed a highly efficient solar collector that delivers healthy, energy saving sunlight indoors; with unparalleled flexibility and performance.   Ofer and I talk about the myriad health benefits of exposure to natural light and he goes on to describe the product and its success across Israel so far. He talks about their origins and early funding, and plans to expand into Europe, where there should be a very receptive market.   Given the massive amount of tech-based entrepreneurs coming out of Israel, I’m delighted to finally welcome one onto the podcast. I hope you find the conversation really interesting, about a solution to another modern world problem that affects our wellbeing and our environment.    LEARN MORE ABOUT SOLIGHT ENERGY Website: https://www.solight-energy.com LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/solight-ltd/    CONNECT WITH OFER BECKER LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/ofer-becker-0481407   CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com   Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com  

Welcome to Episode 8 of Series 4!   My guest  has been at the forefront of Sustainability and Clean energy solutions for over 25 years, accelerating the impact of a vast number of cleantech businesses since she co-founded Shell Technology Ventures in the late 1990s and went on to found Carbon Limiting Technologies in 2006.   Beverley Gower-Jones is the Founder, Managing Partner and driving force behind Clean Growth Fund, which in just a couple of years has become one of the leading dedicated UK funds in the sector.   She talks me through everything from her passion for the environment as a geologist and avid scuba diver, to her long held objective to launch an early stage cleantech fund, and the enthusiasm she still feels for helping a startup sort out its sales strategy. She talks about the fund's many successes to date and plans for the future.   Beverley’s leadership in helping to fight climate change was deservedly recognised with the award of an OBE in the 2023 King’s New Year’s honours list. Which underlines what a privilege it is to speak to her on the podcast. I hope you’ll listen in and be inspired!   LEARN MORE ABOUT CLEAN GROWTH FUND Website: https://www.cleangrowthfund.com/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clean-growth-fund/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/cleangrowthfund/    CONNECT WITH BEVERLEY GOWER-JONES  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/beverley-gower-jones-obe-fei-a800032/    CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com   Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com  

Welcome to Episode 7 of Series 4!   This is another inspiring conversation with a sustainability entrepreneur based in Germany who is having an impact far beyond his country’s immediate borders. His ambitions also go well beyond environmental impact, with the aim of contributing to every one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.    My guest is Chris Kaiser, Founder & CEO of Click A Tree, a company focused on “holistic sustainability” through their impact on the environment, on wildlife and on local communities in developing countries starting with reforestation.   In their words: By planting trees, we actively fight climate change, build habitat for endangered animal species, and create jobs with full-time income for local communities.   It’s a classic example of a local passion project that unexpectedly took off into something with true global potential. Chris talks about how it all started among the wild elephants of Thailand and the boost he got from an early appearance on Germany’s version of Dragon’s Den.   Whether you’re a company or an individual looking to improve your impact, make a positive contribution to the planet or just reduce your carbon footprint, you should definitely listen in and go to www.clickatree.com to find out more. LEARN MORE ABOUT CLICK A TREE Website: https://clickatree.com/en  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clickatreedotcom/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/clickatree/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/clickatree/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCVsTYwIF8h1mfX5Wn9GB6iA  CONNECT WITH CHRIS KAISER  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chriskaisergermany/  Email: chris@clickatree.com CONNECT WITH MATT VENNING  Website: https://www.theimpactinterview.com/  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheImpactInterview/  Twitter: https://twitter.com/theimpactinter1  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/matt-venning/  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@theimpactinterview1346  Email: matt@impactexecs.com Check out all other episodes of The Impact Interview at www.theimpactinterview.com

This week, my guest is Tracy Barba, who is at the forefront of ESG in the venture capital industry – hence the name of her business, ESG 4VC.  She is one of the leading experts in the field, with nearly 20 years’ experience in impact investing and ESG globally, particularly in Europe and the US. Her career really follows the evolution of ESG in the startup landscape since her first move into impact investment in the early 2000s. As the former head of ESG at early stage investor 500 Global, few people have a better insight into the state of ESG in the start up sector. She talks about the successes and challenges in getting wider adoption, the gap between Europe and the US and how progress in VC compares to Private Equity.  Such an interesting topic and a key part of the drive towards positive impact. Tracy can be contacted at tracybarba@ecg4vc.com or via Linkedin. Check out further episodes at www.theimpactinterview.com

Welcome to a new series of the Impact Interview, hosted by Matt Venning. I chat to impact entrepreneurs and business leaders about their mission and ambitions to help create a better future. In this series, I want to build a bigger picture of the whole impact ecosystem, including both impact entrepreneurs and the investors who support and influence impact businesses throughout every stage of their life cycle. Responsible Investing is a really key part of this. Funds are having an impact by encouraging their portfolio companies to meet higher standards of ESG and, increasingly, putting purpose over profit. But they’re also showing that profit and positive impact can go hand in hand. Which is why this conversation with Johan at Bintang Capital Partners is so enlightening. Having moved back to Asia from London a few years ago, he set out to establish a fund with responsible investing and sustainability at its core. He talks in detail about their extended due diligence process and using the B Corp scoring system as a fundamental framework and benchmark for investment. Bintang is pioneering the approach not just in Malaysia, but across the South East Asia region. It’s great to see the traction and success they’ve achieved in a relatively short space of time, because of – not despite – their very principled approach. Thanks for listening – and don’t forget to like and subscribe! Episode website: Useful links Www.theimpactinterview.com linkedin.com/in/johanrw www.bintangcapitalpartners.com https://www.bcorporation.net/

This is the last of my conversations with the 2021 cohort of the AI for Social Impact Program run by Microsoft for Startups and the Social Tech Trust. I’ve been looking forward to speaking to these guys for quite a few weeks, but we’ve held off until now to coincide with their official launch – which just happens to be taking place at 10 Downing Street shortly before the interview gets aired. That recognition from the Government is a hint at the importance of what they are doing. We are talking about a game-changing, science and data-driven approach to Safety in Sport, which is going to have a major impact on our long term enjoyment of all types of sports from childhood to old age and across the spectrum from schools to elite level clubs. So there’s a very obvious positive impact on our physical and mental health and wellbeing, but the social and economic implications go far beyond that. It’s a real privilege for me to be meeting these guys at this exciting early stage – it seems like I’m in the right place at the right time. They’ve already put a super-strong, highly experienced team together, including big names from the sporting world, and have very significant momentum. My guests are Andy Hunt and Damian Smith, respectively CEO and CTO of Podium Analytics, an NGO that seeks to significantly reduce the incidence and long-term impact of injury in sport. Their very straightforward objective is to help ensure that more people can participate in sport for a lifetime. So this is social impact on a potentially massive scale. The organisation was founded by Ron Dennis, founder and former CEO and Chairman of McLaren, who has been at ther forefront of safety in sport for many years. He is still very much involved as Chairman. Andy came on board as CEO 18 months ago, from his previous role as CEO of World Sailing. Prior to that, he has CEO of the British Olympic Association for 5 years, including leadership of TeamGB at the London 2012 Olympics. He’s also a non-exec on the boards of both England hockey and Gloucester rugby. Damian joined Podium last year, having previously been head of Information Technology at the England & Wales Cricket Board for a number of years.

This is the last conversation in Series 2, the latest chat with a business in the 2021 cohort of the AI for Social Impact Programme, a partnership between Social Tech Trust and Microsoft for Startups, who are supporting purpose-driven ventures are using technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. This week the focus is on AI in healthcare, and specifically the use of AI in the management of chronic disease. 15 million people in the UK suffer from chronic illness. Chronic diseases are the world’s biggest killers, with 7 out of 10 premature deaths globally resulting from preventable chronic illnesses. Chronic care is complex, time-intensive and expensive, with healthcare for long term conditions accounting for almost 70% of NHS England’s budget. Globally, trillions of pounds are spent every year on chronic health. My guest is Janu Shan, co-founder and CEO of CareIQ, an AI-driven health analytics platform that dramatically enhances chronic disease management. He graduated from the University of Southampton last year with a degree in computer science and already has a track record in tech startups, having been very heavily involved in software engineering, design and entrepreneurship for several years. Janu is passionate about improving people's lives through technology, and has an ambitious vision for the future of healthcare and the impact of AI. He’s also driven by his own personal experience with chronic illness, which we talk about early in the chat.

This is conversation number 9 with a business in the 2021 cohort of the ‘AI for Social Impact Programme’ – a partnership between Social Tech Trust and Microsoft for Startups. who are supporting purpose driven ventures using technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. This week, the focus is on Personalised Medicine – recognizing that all human beings are different, and that we respond in very different ways to complex diseases, which themselves are also extremely diverse in their nature. So a one-size-fits-all approach to treatment is very inefficient, and of course this also applies to the drug development process. By accurately stratifying patients taking part in clinical trials,  the trials can be run far more quickly and cheaply, with more precise results.. My guest business this week is ILoF, which stands for Intelligent Lab on Fiber, who are accelerating a new era of personalized therapies by building an intelligent platform for precise, patient-centric drug development. iLoF is using AI and photonics to build a cloud-based library of disease biomarkers and biological profiles, and provide screening and stratification tools in an affordable, fast, portable way. The company has already won numerous industry awards, and is considered one of the most disruptive companies in Europe using Photonics and AI to solve the biggest healthcare challenges of our time My guest is Mehek Mumtaz, co-founder and COO of ILoF, who met her co-founders on an EIT accelerator program in 2019 while she was working in life sciences strategy with EY-Parthenon. Building on her background in Biochemistry, her PhD in Pathology & Oncology and previous experience with an Oxford university spin-out, she joined Portuguese entrepreneurs Luis and Joana to launch the business just a few months before the pandemic took hold.

Data-driven and AI technology solutions are at the forefront of social and environmental impact. But ideating and implementing them is often complex and takes time. So T-DAB has evolved a "pre-packed solution" model where they can offer customers 'off the shelf AI' which cuts a lot of pain out of the development process. The potential to fast track technological advancement is huge, and T-DAB is especially successful withinh the healthcare environment. This is conversation number 8 with a business in the 2021 cohort of the ‘AI for Social Impact Programme’ – which is a partnership between Social Tech Trust and Microsoft for Startups. who are supporting purpose driven ventures using technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. This week the theme is Data, and how data science and machine learning are being harnessed by innovators to make a massive positive impact. The effective collection and use of data is at the heart of so much technology-driven enterprise that is transforming our lives for the better in numerous sectors. None more so than in healthcare and life sciences, and in sustainability and cleantech. My guest is Eric Topham, CEO of The Data Analysis Bureau (T-DAB?), which was launched in 2017 to help maximise the impact of data science by making it far more accessible to disruptive, forward-looking businesses that recognise the potential value of data and AI-driven solutions. Eric and his co-founders have built a team of data specialists who will fast track the delivery of data and AI solutions for customers – with a particular emphasis on manufacturing & sustainability and social & health care. And they are also developing and supporting a growing community and network of data scientists to further advance the field and maximise the collective impact. Eric studied at Cambridge and Imperial College before gaining a phD in Zoology from Oxford University and starting out his career as a data scientist in public health in 2015.

This is conversation number 7 with a business in the 2021 cohort of the ‘AI for Social Impact Programme’ – which is a partnership between Social Tech Trust and Microsoft for Startups. who are supporting purpose driven ventures using technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives. A major theme of the programme is helping the healthcare industry bounce back faster and stronger post Covid, and my guest business this week will be playing a key part in that. We hear a lot about the huge backlog of patients whose treatments have been postponed by the pandemic, but there are also likely to be large numbers of patients with undiagnosed conditions because they haven’t been able to see the necessary specialists. And the consequences for those at risk of cancer are potentially the most serious. CanSense is an early stage healthtech business that is developing a non-invasive, blood diagnostic for the early detection of Cancer using Spectroscopy and AI-based technologies. The focus is on bowel cancer, which is the second most common cancer globally and the leading cause of cancer-related death in the Western world. It’s a single blood test that is fast, accurate and inexpensive, and uses data analytics and machine learning to maximise results. I’m delighted to be speaking to CEO Adam Bryant, who teamed up with scientists Peter Dunstan and Dean Harris back in 2018 after a twenty year career in investment banking with Credit Suisse and UBS. Adam has a phD in Theoretical Physics, which he studied for alongside Peter before he was drawn into the finance world.

Sometimes a technology takes time to commercialise, because the industry and the broader climate aren't ready for it. So with SateftyNet Technologies and their innovative solutions to improve fishing practices both for the benefit of people and the oceans. Having nurtured trust with fishing companies, and demonstrated their impact on efficiency and sustainability of fishing practices, they are now leading the way in bringing tech and data solutions together for massive potential impact. I’m back in the Sustainability zone this week, with my guest business impacting no less than 5 of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. The focus is on Precision Fishing, which uses technology and data to target the right fish and encourage a far more sustainable commercial fishing ecosystem. Catching too many fish and the wrong fish, as well as other marine life, has massively depleted fish stocks and ultimately given the global fishing industry something of a bad name. But given that 20% of the world population relies on fish as its primary protein source, the lack of sustainability is a problem that really needs to be fixed. My guest today is Nadia Laabs, co-founder and COO of SafetyNet Technologies, a London-based impact venture which designs and builds devices to increase the selectivity of commercial fishing practices, making the industry more sustainable. Their solutions are trusted and valued within the fishing industry and play a key role in enabling Precision Fishing. They are using a data-driven approach to help the fishing industry fish responsibly whilst reducing waste across the supply chain. Nadia is a mechanical engineer by background, who has been involved in social impact initiatives throughout her career. She started out with Proctor & Gamble in the US before coming to Europe to study for an MBA at Insead in 2013. She joined SafetyNet in their very early days five years ago, and has been COO for the last two years alongside CEO Dan and CTO Aran.

This is my latest conversation with a business in the 2021 cohort of the ‘AI for Social Impact Programme’ – which is a partnership between Social Tech Trust and Microsoft for Startups. who are supporting purpose driven ventures using technology to make a positive impact on people’s lives – hence why they are ideal partners for this podcast series. This week the focus is on efficient service delivery in hospitals and the practical logistics behind it. How to ensure that the myriad of moving parts that allow hospitals and clinicians to function effectively are maintained and optimized without causing delay and distraction to patient care. Now I’ve never worked in a hospital, but I know that they are busy often chaotic environments, and it’s very easy to imagine how issues likebroken IT, faulty equipment, and facilities issues can cause major problems – from delays and cancellations, to inadequate service and, inevitably, wasted money. Personal experience and frustration led to the founding of Medishout, the first app in healthcare to combine all operational departments into a one-stop shop; it’s used in NHS hospitals to connect staff, equipment suppliers and service maintenance teams. So frontline staff are now able to report and resolve operational issues directly and easily using the app. By using data and AI, Medishout predicts and prioritises issues in the hospital’s facilities and equipment to ensure that patients can receive the best possible care. My guests this week are Ash Kalraiya, CEO and founder of Medishout and Ali Nemmy Bahsoun, Chief Product Officer and late co-founder, having come on board early last year. Ash is an orthopaedic surgeon by trade, having qualified with Imperial College, and founded Medishout back in 2013. Ali is also a doctor-turned-entrepreneur who trained with Kings College and previously led product at Touch Surgery, a VC-backed healthtech business acquired by Medtronic last year.