TechToTransform

Welcome to the latest episode of TechToTransform, the Mantis podcast.

This episode is going to sound a little different because it’s a recap of the event the Mantis team held in Bristol on the 10th October.

Mantis PR took part in this year’s Bristol Technology Festival, where we gathered a fantastic panel to discuss ‘Government innovation in science and technology, where next?’

Chaired by Eleanor Willock, Head of Mantis, the panel discussion and networking event gave the science and tech community access to the Government's own perspective on the topic, VC input on the industry investment landscape, and discussion opportunity with growth and collaboration specialists

A world-leading programme of innovation in science and tech is a huge Government priority. How does it manage its ecosystem and partnerships to achieve this? How can firms wanting to work with public sector innovators become suppliers and grow their business? Where are investors focused right now? How will the NHS and health tech industry collaborate? These were just some of the questions the panellists tackled during the discussion.

The full, uninterrupted panel session is already on website, but we’ve included some highlights here too, particularly some advice and insight from panellist Dr Chen Mao Davies, CEO and Founder, LatchAid, a parenting and breastfeeding support app. Chen was also a 2021 Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award Winner.

Chen then discussed the types of funding her business has received to help it grow, which led the conversation on the do’s and don’ts for innovators looking for investment.

Other panellist included: Matt Newman, Deputy Director of Accelerated Access Collaboration for Innovation, Research and Life Sciences, NHS England; Alex Leach, Acting Director of Innovation at the West of England AHSN, and Hugo Villanueva, Biotech and Health Specialist VC, Octopus Ventures.

Take a listen.

On the 10thOctober, Mantis PR took part in this year’s Bristol Technology Festival.

We gathered a fantastic panel to discuss ‘Government innovation in science and technology, where next?’

Chaired by Eleanor Willock, Head of Mantis, the panel discussion and networking event gave the science and tech community access to the Government's own perspective on the topic, VC input on the industry investment landscape, and discussion opportunity with growth and collaboration specialists.

A world-leading programme of innovation in science and tech is a huge Government priority. How does it manage its ecosystem and partnerships to achieve this? How can firms wanting to work with Public Sector innovators become suppliers and grow their business? Where are investors focused right now? How will the NHS and health tech industry collaborate? These were just some of the questions the panellists tackled during the discussion.

Panellists included:

· Matt Newman, Deputy Director of Accelerated Access Collaboration for Innovation, Research and Life Sciences, NHS England.

· Alex Leach, acting director of innovation at the West of England AHSN.

· Hugo Villanueva, biotech and health specialist VC, Octopus Ventures.

· Dr Chen Mao Davies, CEO and Founder, LatchAid, Innovate UK Women in Innovation Award Winner 2021

If you missed the event, you can listen to the full panel discussion and questions from the audience here.

Welcome to the latest episode of TechToTransform, the Mantis podcast.

In this episode, Head of Mantis, Eleanor Willock chats to Darren Caveney, from comms2point0, a shared learning space for creative communications professionals.

After 12 years as an award-winning director and head of communications, Darren launched a specialist communications consultancy which has since supported over 150 organisations across the UK.

Darren discusses his career challenges and achievements, and the unique pressures on public sector comms professionals today, and how we can address them.

Take a listen.

In latest episode of Tech To Transform, the Mantis podcast – we delve into a topic we’ve not visited before, homelessness.

Mantis Account Director Rebecca Paddick chatted to Seb Barker, COO and co-founder of Beam, the world's first crowdfunding platform for homeless people.

Seb was joined by Cllr Elly Cutkelvin from Leicester City Council. They all discussed Beam's tech-driven approach to solving homelessness, as well as its partnership with Leicester, and the city’s strong innovation ethos.

Both also gave some inspiring examples of what happens when people, charities, government and companies work together, and how millions of homeless people can benefit.

Take a listen.

In this episode, we focus on the UK's Global leadership in scientific research and innovation, as Eleanor meets one of the UK's most accomplished scientific business leaders, Paul Vernon.

Paul is the Executive Director, Business and Innovation, at the Government's Science and Technology Facilities Council, and is Head of Daresbury Laboratory, the UK's Internationally recognised centre for nuclear physics, high performance computing, and accelerator science.

Paul takes Eleanor on a listening tour of Daresbury and discusses its mind-blowing innovation, space tech, the coolest thing in the car park, big energy bills, and Eleanor admitting her deep affection for supercomputers.

The latest episode of  Tech To Transform is going to sound a little different, as Account Director Rebecca Paddick heads to Bett, Europe’s largest edtech trade show.

Rebecca chatted to Peter Claxton, Senior Director of EdTech Solutions at ViewSonic, Lauren Jeffery, Area Sales Manager at OrCam and Sophie Bailey, Founder of The Edtech Podcast, to find out the latest edtech trends.

Take a listen.

In the latest episode of Tech To Transform, Account Director Rebecca Paddick discusses all things events in the public sector.

In conversation with tech strategist Jessica Figueras, and Co-Founder of Think Digital Partners, Matt Stanley, they talk about how and why the public sector consumes tech and digital conferences and events the way they do.

They also discuss data for Government . Data is now the number one asset for public sector organisations wishing to transform outcomes for citizens, and there is huge excitement about the possibilities. The trio discuss what to expect in 2022.

Take a listen.

In the latest episode of Tech To Transform, Account Director Rebecca Paddick discusses all things innovation in the National Health Service, with NHS England’s Lindsey Hughes.

Lindsey, the Director of Policy and Strategy, Innovation, Research and Life Sciences Group at NHS England, discusses how the dynamic and ever-evolving NHS is an institution that has famously always innovated. She also listed the areas where innovation is being prioritised.

She reflected on how the pandemic has spotlighted the critical role of research and innovation. And we asked, is innovation the way forward when many Trusts remain in Covid crisis mode?

Take a listen.

In the latest episode of Tech To Transform, Mantis PR Managing Director Eleanor Willock delves into the subject of chemistry.

She asks, what is it? Why is it important? Does it mean different things to an agency than it does to a client? Whose job is it to build it?

Eleanor and her guest, Alison O'Leary from Live True, examine some of their past chemistry experiences and get deeply into a discussion on the impact of shared values on chemistry.

Alison also gives her experience on the personality types of a typical PR person.

If you're building any sort of team, looking to engage with a PR agency or wondering what you need to prepare for if you do, this is the podcast for you.

Take a listen.

In the first Tech To Transform podcast of 2022, Mantis MD Eleanor Willock delves into the use of data and the ethics of AI in the NHS.

Eleanor spoke to Sam Gilbert, author of Good Data: An Optimist's Guide to Our Digital Future, and Daniel Bamford, Deputy Director AI Award, Accelerated Access Collaborative at NHS England, on what NHSE is doing to fund AI innovation.

They discussed how machine learning is already transforming 80,000 clinical pathways, and looked at reasons to be optimistic about how good data can make a positive difference. They also questioned whether the NHS has that good data, and whether public sector tech companies should focus on other markets to attract investors.

And, they explained why switching the radio to Heart FM is the first thing they'll all be doing on their imaginary taxi ride with Sajid Javid.

Take a listen.