In this week’s episode we hear from Russell Haggar, CEO and co-founder of VyperCore. Russell shares his fascinating journey in the "hard tech" space, revealing the challenges and triumphs of creating breakthrough technology in a highly competitive market. With over 35 years of experience, Russell explains how VyperCore is reinventing general purpose computing.

We delve into:

• VyperCore’s innovative technology, which aims to enhance general-purpose computing performance up to five times without altering existing code, specifically targeting the data center market with efficient accelerator cards. 

• The launch of VyperLab as a confidential cloud-based environment for performance testing, showcasing significant improvements on benchmarks

• The challenges of securing funding for silicon startups, particularly the need for effective collaboration with European and US investors. 

Additionally, Russell discusses VyperCore's strategic presence in Cambridge and Bristol to leverage local talent while promoting a hybrid work model and fostering connections within the silicon community.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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

Last week, we attended the launch of Cambridge Tech Week. This week, we’re sharing key highlights from the panel discussions, covering AI innovation, policy challenges, and collaboration.

Some standout moments included:

·       Dr. Nik Johnson highlighted Cambridge’s role as a global tech hub, stressing that AI should enhance, not replace, human creativity.

·       Michaela Eschbach reinforced how the city enables high-risk innovation in a low-risk environment.

·       Jessica Montgomery called for AI to prioritise real-world impact over hype, raising concerns about its influence on creative industries and accountability.

·       Professor Neil Lawrence warned that professionals are losing control over AI systems and urged businesses to reinvest AI-driven time savings into skills development.

The event wrapped up with a panel discussion featuring leaders from Innovate Cambridge, Faculty AI, and Cambridge City Council. The key takeaway? AI development needs to be practical, ethical, and inclusive.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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Special guest Michaela Eschbach, Deputy Chair of the Cambridge Tech Week Steering Committee, joins us to give the inside scoop on Cambridge Tech Week 2025 (15th – 19th September 2025).

We discuss what will be taking place during the week including:

• Seizing the AI Advantage - this year’s overarching theme focuses on how Cambridge’s deep-tech ecosystem is leading AI innovation.

• Industry Deep Dives - expect discussions on MedTech, CleanTech, AgriTech, Quantum, and Semiconductors.

• Fringe Events - running throughout the week, these independently organized sessions allow for even more engagement and networking.

• Innovation Alley - a dedicated space for the most cutting-edge startups to showcase their technology, now extended to two days due to popular demand.

Cambridge Tech Week is a must-attend event for startup founders and scaleups seeking investor connections, VCs and investors scouting the next big breakthrough in AI and deep tech, corporate leaders and policymakers shaping the industry, and academics and researchers driving innovation.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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

Last week marked the 7th annual #21toWatch awards, a key event in the Cambridge startup scene that recognises rising talent across People, Companies, and Things. This year's list is dominated by ground-breaking innovations in neuroscience, medtech, and AI-driven diagnostics.

Today’s episode features:

·       Details of the winners across all three categories.

·       Podcast interviews with winners Lucy Jung from LYEONS Neurotech (People) and Monica Saavedra from Lambda agri (Thing).

·       Insights from independent judge, Christine Martin (Cambridge Enterprise), who shared her experience of the judging process.

·       Recognition of the independent judges: Christine Martin, Chris Ellis (Innovate UK Business Growth), Jo Słota-Newson (Almanac Ventures), and Tom Hughes (Trinity College Cambridge).

·       Up to £20,000 prize for each winner from the event sponsors

·       And, James caught up with Emily Stoner, Careers Consultant at the University of Cambridge Careers Office, to discuss the growing interest in entrepreneurship among students and researchers.

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This week’s special guest, Andi Hektor, takes us on a deep dive into his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, how GScan is tackling critical infrastructure challenges, and why he chose Cambridge as the company’s UK base.

GScan is pioneering Muon tomography, an advanced scanning technology originally used for border security but now revolutionising non-destructive testing (NDT) in construction. The technology helps detect corrosion and structural weaknesses in bridges and buildings, preventing costly and environmentally harmful demolitions. “Bridges are often demolished as a precaution because engineers can’t see inside them. We provide that visibility, potentially doubling their lifespan.”

Initially setting up in London, Andi quickly realised Cambridge’s startup ecosystem was the ideal home for GScan: “London’s tech scene is great, but for deep tech, it’s easy to get lost. In Cambridge, you can build a network fast. The Bradfield Centre has been amazing.”

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This week we meet the co-founders of Cambridge Female Founders Network, created in response to the lack of genuine support for women entrepreneurs.

Key initiatives include:

• Founder Dinners & Fireside Chats – Creating spaces for female founders to connect.
• Funding Programmes – Helping women navigate the notoriously tough fundraising landscape.
• Investor & Conference Connections – Placing female founders on panels, in accelerators, and directly in front of investors.

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This week’s episode features an insightful discussion with Roz Bird (Anglia Innovation Partnership) and Dr. Nicola Hancock (University of East Anglia) on the cutting-edge research, entrepreneurship, and ecosystem at Norwich Research Park.

“We have more microbiologists here than anywhere else in the UK—possibly the world. That’s a testament to the depth of expertise we’re building.” – Roz Bird

Key takeaways:

• A Hub for Science & Startups – The park hosts top-tier institutions, including the John Innes Centre, Quadram Institute, and the Earlham Institute, alongside the University of East Anglia and a thriving community of startups.
• From Lab to Market – Norwich Research Park fosters commercialisation through the ICURE programme, which helps scientists explore market applications for their research, and a £200,000 pre-seed fund supporting early-stage spinouts.
• Bridging the Talent Gap – The university and research institutes play a critical role in supplying skilled graduates and researchers to the growing tech and biotech companies in the region.
• A Future Accelerator – Plans are underway to launch a venture builder programme in 2025, offering targeted support to high-growth startups in biotech, #agritech, and #medtech.

We were also joined by two standout startups who shared their journeys: Sophie Vaud, Head of Microbial Engineering at Colorifix and Rory Hornby, Cofounder of Alora.

This episode is a must-listen for tech founders, investors, and anyone interested in #deeptech and #biotech innovation.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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

This week, we caught up with Farbod Shakouri of Phantom Technology, a returning guest who’s undergone a significant pivot in his startup’s journey. Originally focused on building an operating system for smart glasses, Farbod and his team made a bold decision: to build the entire hardware and software stack themselves. Their mission? To help people combat smartphone addiction and improve cognitive health.

If you’re a founder, investor, or tech enthusiast, this episode is packed with insights on:

·       The evolving AI debate & public perception

·       How Cambridge startups are tackling energy-efficient computing

·       The hard truths of startup pivots & funding strategies

·       Why attention-tracking wearables might be the next big thing

Produced by Cambridge TV

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This week, we sat down with Nick New, CEO of Optalysys, to explore the groundbreaking technology transforming data security, AI, and cloud services. From optical processing to fully homomorphic encryption (FHE), this episode dives into the cutting-edge innovations driving the next era of secure computing.

Nick shares:

·       His journey from his PhD in optical pattern recognition to founding Optalysys.

·       How Optalysys leverages optical processing and FHE to process encrypted data without ever decrypting it—ushering in a new standard for secure AI and cloud computing.

·       Optalysys’s big win at the Cambridge Tech Week Scale Up Awards and their plans for product launches, blockchain applications, and setting up a U.S office.

·       Their mission to establish global hardware standards for FHE as part of the FETCH consortium.

·       And, Optalysys's vision to become the “Nvidia of FHE.”

Produced by Cambridge TV

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In this episode we hear from the winners of The Trinity Bradfield Prize:

·       Demetria who aims to reduce the time it takes for an endometriosis diagnosis from nine years to nine minutes using AI-assisted ultrasound.

·       PowerMatrix who provide the most efficient and compact next-generation high-performance power supplies.

·       Healthspan Biotics who develop and distribute safe, affordable and effective probiotic bacteria that enhances brain resilience to Alzheimer’s disease.

This year’s awards also saw the introduction of the Angel Prize which recognises the most commercial progress over the previous 12 months from winning the competition. The prize was split between BioTryp Therapeutics and Cambridge Nucleomics.

The winners also discuss their experiences during the competition, highlight the importance of networking and skill development for founders, and share their funding needs and expertise requirements.

Produced by Cambridge TV

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