What's Next

From pioneering AutoML research to building Prior Labs, Frank Hutter is pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with models on tabular data — the kind that still powers most of the real world. We sat down with Frank to talk about Prior’s world-leading performance on structured datasets, the fast-growing tech and AI scene in Freiburg, and how the role of data scientists will evolve as automation and foundation models reshape the field.

From accidentally creating Viagra to pioneering AI-first drug discovery at Healx, David Brown has spent his career pushing the boundaries of pharmaceutical science. We sat down with David to explore how drug discovery has evolved, how AI and omics are reshaping the field, and why overcoming scientific bias may be the industry’s biggest challenge.

https://healx.ai/
https://www.balderton.com/

From supplying autonomous drones to Ukraine’s frontline to redefining how Europe thinks about defence, Florian Seibel, founder and CEO of Quantum Systems, is building some of the most consequential technology of our time. We sat down with Florian to explore how drone innovation is shifting the balance on modern battlefields, why defence tech has become one of this year’s most hyped VC sectors, and what it really takes to work with governments, defence ministries, and primes to build technology that protects both people and democracy.

https://quantum-systems.com/

https://www.balderton.com/

From scaling Revolut to now reinventing the energy system with Fuse, Alan Chang is tackling one of the toughest challenges in climate and infrastructure. We sat down with Alan to talk about why the UK energy grid is fundamentally broken, how AI will supercharge energy demand, and why rebuilding the sector from the ground up—with both software and hardware—is the only way to create a low-cost, customer-first future.

From optimising AI inference at Double Word to helping organisations deploy models securely and at scale, Meryem Arik is building the infrastructure powering the next era of artificial intelligence. We sat down with Meryem to discuss the rise of sovereign AI, the future of open-source innovation, and how Europe can lead the next wave of deeptech breakthroughs.

From building next-generation AI agents at Convergence to joining Salesforce in one of Europe’s fastest deeptech acquisitions, Marvin Purtorab represents the new wave of founders shaping the global AI frontier. We sat down with Marvin to explore the rise of AI agents, why London is becoming a global deeptech hub, and how autonomous systems could redefine how humans and machines work together.

From adtech to healthtech, Jonathon Wolf has built ZOE into one of the world’s leading nutrition science companies, translating cutting-edge microbiome research into tools that help millions improve their health. We sat down with Jonathon to explore how ZOE turns complex science into daily action, what it takes to build trust at the intersection of research and consumers, and why personalised nutrition could redefine preventative healthcare.

From Airbus executive to space entrepreneur, Hélène Huby is leading Europe’s bid to build its own SpaceX with The Exploration Company. We sat down with Hélène to talk about reusable spacecraft, Europe’s growing space ambitions, and how international cooperation could define the next era of exploration.

From state-school beginnings in Sheffield to building one of Europe’s leading consumer AI companies, Cleo’s Barney Hussey-Yeo has spent the last decade redefining how people interact with money. We sat down with Barney to discuss his journey from data scientist to founder, the evolution of AI assistants, and what it takes to build a profitable, mission-driven fintech with personality.

The raw potential of generative AI has been made clear in recent years, but how can enterprises draw on the technology's full potential? And do so in a secure and compliant manner? Suranga Chandratillake sat down with Writer CEO and co-founder May Habib to discuss how the company's full-stack platform is making it faster and easier for organisations to build and deploy highly-customised AI apps.

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