The Research Adventure Podcast

In this episode, we meet Matt Freeman, Centre Director at FutureSpace, the University of the West of England's innovation centre, where he works to bring academia and industry together to drive innovation and business growth. Matt's perspective is shaped by having lived on both sides of the divide, a decade as an academic, a university spinout founder, and now leading an innovation centre...

In this episode, we meet Professor Rob Young, quantum physicist and CSO and co‑founder of Quantum Base, a university spinout on a mission to tackle counterfeiting at a global scale.  Rob’s journey starts with a childhood dream of being an inventor in a shed, leading to a degree in physics at Oxford, a PhD  at Cambridge, and then a Royal Society fellowship at Lancaster University, which gave him th...

In this episode, we meet Maggie Raykova, founder and venture lead at Rapisense, a pre‑spinout from the University of Strathclyde that’s developing biosensors to help the dairy industry test raw milk for contaminants. Maggie’s journey with Rapisense started as a collaborative PhD project with industry partners. Following the successful completion of the PhD, there was clear commercial potential and...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we meet Dr Matias Acosta, CEO and founder of CosySense, a high-growth impact-focused startup, transforming commercial buildings into smarter, cleaner, more comfortable spaces. Matias’ journey is anything but ordinary. He grew up in Argentina, completed his PhD in Germany, did research stints in Japan and Cambridge, and wrote highly cited scientific...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we meet Dr Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford, where she leads the work to make Oxford and Oxfordshire a globally leading innovation ecosystem. Olga shares her journey from founding a biotech startup through a Royal Society of Edinburgh enterprise fellowship, building and running Converge, Scotland's...

In this end-of-season episode, Zach and Rachel reflect on the biggest insights from Season 3 of The Research Adventure Podcast. They explore what it really takes to step into an entrepreneurial identity as a researcher — from talking to investors early and broadening networks, to knowing when to step aside from a venture and why that takes just as much courage as starting one. The conversation cov...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we speak with Ash Stott, CEO and Co-founder of Rhizo PTX, a deep-tech startup developing scalable systems for producing green ammonia. Ash shares his journey from physics PhD to founder, via industry experience in hydrogen technologies, and reflects on the moment he chose to leave a secure role to build something of his own. He describes how a £50...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we speak with Dermot Tierney, Co-Founder and COO of Amply Discovery , an AI-driven drug discovery company spun out from Queen’s University Belfast. Dermot shares his unusual journey into deep tech entrepreneurship — from growing up on a farm in Northern Ireland and studying English, to working across media, business development, university accelera...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we speak with Connor, a researcher and first-time founder currently spinning out Dysruptx Ltd from the University of Glasgow. Connor shares how his academic journey led him into biotech entrepreneurship and the development of a peptide drug discovery platform designed to create more precise cancer therapies with fewer side effects. He reflects on t...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast we speak with Professor Gail McConnell, a biophotonics researcher at the University of Strathclyde who approaches commercialisation from a different angle - not as a spinout founder, but as an academic who creates impact through deep industry partnerships. Gail shares how her career shifted from laser physics into bioimaging, and how collaborations...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast, Francesco reflects on the moment when instinct won out over logic and he left his role in tech transfer to join the founding team of a university spin-out he believed in. He shares what it’s really like to step inside a startup, how his views on risk and de-risking evolved, and why he has no regrets even though the venture didn’t work out as plann...

In this episode of The Research Adventure Podcast, Josh shares his journey from his childhood aspiration of being a scientist to leading his highly successful, commercially-focussed research group working in audio engineering. He discusses the challenges and successes of transitioning from academia to entrepreneurship, the importance of investor engagement, and the strategic decisions involved in...

In this episode, Brian Quinn, founder and former CEO of Wellfish Tech, shares how a conversation with a fish farmer led to a University of the West of Scotland spinout now delivering fish health diagnostics across the UK, Norway, and Canada. Brian discusses co-creating with industry from day one, translating lab research into tools that work in real-world conditions, and using an industry advisory...

In this end-of-season episode, Zach and Rachel reflect on the biggest insights from Season 2 of The Research Adventure Podcast . They explore what it really takes to turn research into impact, from breaking commercialisation into manageable projects, to reframing risk between academia and entrepreneurship. The conversation covers the power of early industry partnerships, focus and protected time,...

In this episode, Affar Karimullah, co-founder and CTO of Pinpoint Medical, shares his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, focusing on the commercialisation of biosensors for prostate cancer diagnosis. He discusses the challenges of balancing academic responsibilities with entrepreneurial ambitions, navigating university politics, and the importance of building a strong team. Affar emphasise...

In this conversation, Raj discusses his journey from academia to entrepreneurship, focusing on the founding of Re-Vana Therapeutics, a company dedicated to innovative ocular drug delivery systems. He shares insights on the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration, commercialisation, and maintaining urgency in startup environments. Raj emphasises the significance of focus in research and the i...

In this episode of the Research Adventure podcast, Andy shares his journey as a biotech entrepreneur, detailing his transition from academia to the startup world. He discusses the challenges and lessons learned while building successful ventures, including Gemini Therapeutics, Invizius and his current stealth project. Key themes include risk management, the importance of clear objectives in drug d...

In this episode of the Research Adventure podcast, Maya shares her journey as the CEO of Apeikon, a company focused on developing activatable nanoparticles for targeted cancer treatment. She discusses the challenges and triumphs of spinning out from King's College London, the importance of stakeholder engagement, and the current status of their clinical trials. Maya also highlights the signifi...

In this episode, we meet Dr. Philip Orr, Founder and CEO of Synaptec, a University of Strathclyde spinout focused on monitoring and control technologies for the power industry amidst the energy transition. He shares insights on the journey from academic research to commercialisation, the importance of the Enterprise Fellowship, funding strategies and the significance of building credibility in a c...

In this episode of the Research Adventure podcast, we meet Prof Aline Miller, Chief Scientific Officer of Unit M and former CEO of Manchester BioGel, a biotech spinout from the University of Manchester. Aline reflects on her journey from academia to entrepreneurship, sharing the six biggest mistakes she made as CEO, including giving away too much equity, hiring the wrong people, and starting to se...

In this episode, we meet Dr. Madusha Peiris, CEO and Co-Founder of Elcella, a Queen Mary University spinout transforming appetite regulation and gut health. Madusha shares her journey from early exposure to commercialisation during her PhD, to the patient stories that inspired her mission, and the pivotal moments that shaped her path as an entrepreneur. She reflects on the highs and lows of spinou...

In this reflective episode of the Research Adventure Podcast, host Zach Sorrells and producer Rachel Clark share the top insights from Season 1. Rather than a checklist, they share the themes that kept surfacing across conversations with researchers and founders.  They explore how researchers view commercialisation as a route to impact — shaping decisions, team-building, and the way relationships...

In this episode of the Research Adventure podcast, co-founders Aran Eales and Damien Frame of Equal Access Energy share their journey in establishing a social enterprise focused on providing renewable energy access in Malawi. They discuss their backgrounds, experiences in Malawi, the importance of community engagement, and the challenges of balancing financial viability with social impact. The con...

In this conversation, Mark Zwinderman shares his experiences and insights from his journey spinning out a company from Napier University, discussing the challenges faced, lessons learned, and the evolution of support for startups over the past 25 years. He emphasises the importance of empathy, curiosity, and resilience in entrepreneurship, while also addressing common mistakes made by founders. Ma...

In this conversation, Mariana Fazenda shares her academic journey from biotechnology to her current role as a Programme Manager at EIT Food. She discusses her experience with the University of Strathclyde spin-out ENOUGH (formerly 3FBio), which originated from a bag of expired wheat, and the challenges and successes in commercialisation. Mariana emphasises the importance of supportive environments...