Reflecting on Tech Nation’s legacy & supporting high-risk spinouts – Gerard Grech, MD, Founders at the University of Cambridge

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5 • 6 Ratings

🗓️ 17 June 2024

⏱️ 31 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Gerard Grech, managing director of Founders at the University of Cambridge, reflects on the legacy of Tech Nation, explains how universities can support impact startups, and assesses the attractiveness of UK markets.

Grech was the founding CEO of Tech Nation, leading the startup support organisation for over a decade until it was acquired by Founders Forum Group last year. The deal came after Tech Nation lost a bid for government funding to Barclays Eagle Labs, forcing it to cease operations. In this episode, Grech looks back on what he sees as a “puzzling decision” and reflects on the impact Tech Nation had on the UK’s startup ecosystem.

In October 2023, Grech was appointed MD of Founders at the University of Cambridge, an initiative to connect academics, entrepreneurs, alumni and peer role models to help spinouts scale. Grech discusses the role that universities have to play in supporting “high-risk” ventures born out of academia. In addition to his role at the University of Cambridge, Grech is a member of the UK government’s Digital Economy Council and the World Economic Forum’s Digital Board.

Transcript

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0:00.0	Venture Capital alone cannot bridge that gap due to the high-risk nature,
0:10.0	because this is super high risk, because it's so early in the life cycle of the technology.
0:19.0	And I think the Barclays Eagle Labs have done some work with many players across the UK.
0:26.6	So I think it's good to sort of see evolution, right?
0:29.8	I mean, it's a mark of a dynamic ecosystem.
0:36.3	It's always a healthy balance.
0:38.1	I think we can't have unfettered growth of AI to do whatever we want to do,
0:44.1	because that's not going to work in the long run.
0:51.1	From the first time founders to the funds that back them, innovation needs different.
0:56.7	Our episode partner, HSBC Innovation Banking, is proud to accelerate growth for tech and life science
1:03.1	businesses, creating meaningful connections and opening up a world of opportunity for entrepreneurs
1:08.6	and investors alike. Discover more at www.h.
1:13.1	H.SBC InnovationBanking.com slash EN-GB.
1:22.9	Hello and welcome to the UKTN podcast, a weekly chat with the movers and shakers of the UK tech industry
1:30.1	and the destination for all things UK tech related. I'm your host, Jane Wakefield, and joining me
1:36.2	this week is Gerard Gretsch, the managing director of founders at the University of Cambridge,
1:41.3	an initiative focused on accelerating the formation and scaling of tech companies.
1:46.2	Welcome, Gerard.
1:47.5	Nice to be here. Thank you so much for the invitation, Jane.
1:49.7	Now, first of all, let's talk about what you're doing at the University of Cambridge and the
1:55.1	practicalities of getting these startups off the ground. Is it a case of somebody doing a very
2:00.2	interesting PhD in AI coming to you
	...

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