From the devastation of the 1995 Kobe earthquake to revolutionising space sustainability and safety, Nobu Okada’s journey is nothing short of extraordinary. Witnessing the tragic impact of the disaster—where over 6,000 lives were lost and his own family was displaced - ignited Nobu’s drive to make a difference. After a diverse career in government finance, IT consulting and start-ups, he founded Astroscale to address the critical issue of space debris orbiting Earth. In this episode, we dive into Nobu’s inspiring entrepreneurial path, exploring how he transformed his childhood dream into a groundbreaking venture, raised hundreds of millions in funding, and took Astroscale public this year.

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(02:19) - Growing up in Japan and developing a love for science
(03:34) - Space Camp
(05:34) - Life at University and a devastating earthquake
(07:31) - Entrepreneurial culture in the US
(10:46) - Reigniting a passion for space – the birth of Astroscale
(12:44) - Space junk – why we should care
(15:41) - First mover advantage – a help or a hindrance
(19:32) - Self funding and raising capital
(23:21) - All eyes on Astroscale’s first launch
(25:27) - When failure leads to progress
(28:23) - The UK a centre of excellence for space
(31:02) - Recruiting a global diverse team – the challenges and benefits.
(37:03) - Quick fire questions – From proudest moment to aspirational advice

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Imagine being able to play a small part in bringing life-changing treatments to patients, giving people hope, and allowing them to spend a little more time with loved ones. Making a positive difference in people's lives is more than just a mission statement for founder and CEO Kuntal Fisher - it's a way of life. Together with her husband Mark, Kuntal has built a hugely successful business, FIECON, that makes life-changing treatments and healthcare more accessible to all. Their work is saving lives every day.  In this episode, we dive into the story behind FIECON and how Kuntal's own battle with illness reignited her passion for science, fuelling her determination to make a difference in the healthcare industry, but her impact doesn't stop there. She’s also on a personal mission to invest in, mentor, and share knowledge with other female founders, helping to level the playing field.

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(01:56) - Growing up in Mumbai
(04:19) - Inspired by stories of entrepreneurship
(12:40) - First career – management consultancy culture.
(18:13) - Falling ill and reigniting a love for science
(22:56) - Starting a business, a family and purchasing your first house
(27:06) - Building a business - two years ahead
(29:29) - Building a culture is a simple concept -of working with other human beings 
(33:08) - The philanthropic vision
(34:35) - Supporting female entrepreneurs
(38:39) - Quick fire questions: From podcasts and books to finding out the truth about your leadership style

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From selling goldfish to his classmates in Trinidad, to becoming one of the most successful media leaders in the UK, Rob Pierre learnt the art of entrepreneurship from a young age. From growing Jellyfish into a multimillion-pound digital marketing powerhouse with clients including Netflix and Google, to exiting the company to impart his learnings and help guide other businesses to sustainable growth. This episode offers a true masterclass in maintaining a small business mindset whilst achieving commercial success without compromising on your values and personal beliefs. 

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(02:02) - Being brought up and impact on life
(03:20) - Growing up in Trinidad – The hustle is real
(07:47) - Family tragedy and adjusting to life in the UK
(10:31) - Education system in UK vs Trinidad
(13:07) - Failing physics to Intrapreneurial success
(22:34) - Underestimating accountability
(23:55) - The confidence to take the plunge – Jellyfish was born
(27:24) - The technological revolution - Ask Jeeves to the growth of Google
(31:44) - Creating a genuine joined up global proposition
(35:58) - Creating a meritocracy based on value exchange
(41:18) - Investor advice
(44:18) - From CEO, to Chair, to Exit
(52:25) - Quick fire questions, from role models to proudest moment and treasured advice

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Escaping the revolution in Iran, engineering entrepreneur Shirin Dehghan moved to the UK at the age of 14. Despite the challenges, she learned the language and pursued a degree in engineering and electronics. Shirin's perseverance paid off when she founded her first company, eventually selling it for £85 million. 
Now the CEO of Oxford Algorithms, Shirin shares her inspiring journey of hope, from a childhood passion for science through the challenges of losing a multi-million euro deal to becoming one of the UK's most successful women in tech.

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(02:04) - Growing up in Tehran, life before and after the revolution
(07:05) - Moving to the UK – the culture shock, integrating into UK society
(11:10) - Making connections From STEM subjects to a career in mobile communications
(13:44) - Forming the future – delivering 3G and 4G at Vodafone
(15:10) - It started with a kernel of an idea – The birth of Arieso
(17:13) - From a back of an envelope calculation to saving £100 million
(22:48) - Jumping off a cliff - The uncertainty of starting a new business
(24:27) - The 10 year journey from incorporation to sale, the highs and the lows
(29:37) - Putting on a brave face – it pays to persevere
(35:33) - The relief after sale  - work hard – play hard
(38:20) - A virtuous circle , female role models
(40:41) - Investing, mentoring and imparting wisdom
(43:10) -The buzz for building companies never leaves – welcome Oxford Algorithms a true family affair
(49:15) -Quick fire questions, books, podcasts or films and switching off.

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After witnessing the transformative impact of science and treatments on patients' lives, Dr Ben Maruthappu's path led him to become an unexpected innovator in healthcare, ultimately founding and becoming the CEO of Cera, Europe’s largest and fastest-growing digital-first home healthcare company. In this episode we hear how Ben discovered a passion for helping others, by making a difference to their lives through powerful, and often personal, experiences. 

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(02:12) - Mischievousness and family tragedy – life growing up
(04:05) - Work experience in the NHS – Inspired future career in science
(10:12) - USA – The entrepreneurial culture
(12:05) - Scaling in the NHS – the challenge and solution
(20:31) - Easing pressure on the NHS – taking health and care from hospital to home
(23:29) - Building a company from scratch – isn’t 9-5
(29:57) - How Cera raised investment
(34:02) - It’s a two-way street, carrying out due diligence
(37:32) - Building a track record – it’s a chicken and egg scenario
(40:20) - Entering and surviving hypergrowth
(42:33) - Learnings from the NHS – building successful teams
(44:46) - Scaling your skillset and your team
(47:53) - The impact of AI on business growth
(52:39) - Quick fire questions, from role models to best piece of advice received.

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If you're interested in technology, innovation and the history of Silicon Valley, join Megan Smith, former U.S. Chief Technology Officer, and Sarah Kerruish, Emmy-nominated filmmaker and CSO at Kheiron Medical, as they share their inspiring stories. Learn how the collapse of General Magic laid the foundation for today's tech landscape and transformed the lives of billions. Discover how former employees turned setbacks into ground breaking successes, developing innovations like the iPod and launching companies such as eBay and Android. Take a captivating journey through the highs and lows of tech history with these two remarkable founders.

GO TO Highlights from this episode (Scroll-to points)
(03:03) - Growing up in a world between storytelling and technology
(09:40) - Elite female leadership and imposter syndrome 
(15:06) - The story of where it all began for General Magic
(18:03) - Bringing big ideas to life and persistence after failure
(23:39) - Learning to execute vs born executors
(26:06) - The Power of failure
(29:57) - Life after general magic, Google, the White House, and AI enabled cancer diagnostics
(47:13) - Quick fire questions, from favourite books to dinner party guests

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Behind every business success there’s a story to be told. From the creation of the iPhone to revolutionising cancer diagnostics with AI, we dive into the journeys of trailblazing founders of some of the world’s most successful and well-known science and technology companies. Join Hannah Prevett, a business journalist with The Times, as she brings you inspiring conversations with seven visionary entrepreneurs as they speak openly about their personal lives, their unique business journeys and share some invaluable advice along the way.

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In our final episode of this series, hear from Oxford University's very first spin-out, Oxford Instruments, and find out what success really feels like when you solve the business of science.

It's time to talk about establishing yourself as a global leader. What are the challenges as your business gains momentum, and what defines success in the eyes of the world?

In just over six decades, Oxford Instruments has stamped its mark on the worldwide scientific community, having created and developed one of the greatest medical advances of modern times the MRI scanner. 

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From idea, to funding your business and maintaining the flow of capital as your business grows. Hear from venture partner and innovation expert, Sam Gyimah and Sherry Coutu, serial entrepreneur and investor, as they discuss what sort of funding is best for you, who you can turn to for investment, and what some of the pitfalls to avoid are, when growing your science business.

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As a scaling business, how do you recruit at pace, find and employ the right people that fit with your business now and in the future? In this episode join Animal Dynamics, based in Oxford, and hear why having a diverse team leads to discovery.

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