Oxford+

What would healthcare look like if genetics were built into drug discovery and disease prevention? In this Oxford+ in Brief episode, Susannah de Jager puts five quick-fire questions to Sir Peter Donnelly, CEO and co-founder of Genomics. Peter describes a future in which genetic evidence helps researchers develop medicines and select patients, while healthcare systems direct screening and prevention to the people who need them at the right time. He hopes this could lead to more effective medicines and longer, healthier lives. Peter also offers advice to founders entering Oxford: understand the demands, stay close to the mission and choose good colleagues. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital. Connect with Susannah on LinkedIn and Subscribe to the Oxford+ Newsletter for Exclusive Content…

Could the same genetic data help us develop better medicines and identify disease risk years before symptoms appear? In this episode of Oxford+ in Partnership with Mishcon de Reya, Susannah de Jager speaks with Sir Peter Donnelly, CEO and co-founder of Genomics, about turning Oxford research into tools for drug discovery and preventative healthcare. Peter explains why assembling public data takes years of careful work, and how human genetics can help scientists choose drug targets and the patients most likely to benefit. The conversation also examines agentic AI, which lets scientists ask questions of genetic data without waiting for specialist analysis. On the healthcare side, Peter describes how polygenic risk scores could guide screening and prevention according to individual risk rather than age alone. Research reported by Exeter on 22 October 2026, drawing on nearly one million genomes, stresses that genetic risk needs clinical and environmental context. That distinction matters as Peter discusses…

What would success look like if Oxford turned more of its scientific discoveries into lasting businesses? In this Oxford+ in Brief episode, Susannah de Jager puts a series of quick-fire questions to Oxford Nanopore co-founder Gordon Sanghera. His answer starts with homegrown companies that remain independent and create jobs and wealth in the UK. He distinguishes independence from ownership, leaving room for overseas investors without abandoning that ambition. Gordon describes an Oxford innovation ecosystem with growing energy, pointing newcomers towards OX Tech Week and the Lamb & Flag. But he also argues that Oxford recognises promising technologies too slowly and should commit investment more quickly when a breakthrough appears credible. Looking towards 2050, Gordon imagines stronger late-stage development support in Oxford, drawing on the Fraunhofer model. His final proposal is more focused collaboration across fragmented research and spin-outs, organised around selected areas where Oxford could build…

What does it take to build a global deep tech company without leaving the UK? Oxford Nanopore co-founder Gordon Sanghera joins Susannah de Jager on Oxford+ in partnership with Mishcon de Reya to explain how an Oxford spinout became an international sequencing business. From his earlier work at MediSense to Nanopore’s London listing, Gordon describes the decisions that shaped the company and the gaps that still hold UK founders back. His account challenges cautious fundraising and the habit of proving a technology before planning its manufacture. He explains how honest budgets attracted patient capital, why building production capacity helped speed up development, and how employee share sales supported continuity through years of growth. The conversation comes as British Business Bank research published on 29 September reports UK venture funds matching US pooled total-value returns for 2002–2021 vintages. Fund performance and access to growth funding remain different questions, a distinction that runs through…

What would it take for Britain's best ideas to grow into global companies that stay here? In this Oxford+ in Brief episode, host Susannah de Jager puts a set of quick-fire questions to Eva Barboni, Executive Director of Enterprise Britain. Eva describes success as more scale-ups choosing to stay in Britain, creating jobs and reinvesting in their communities, with more Britons investing directly in the country's most exciting businesses. She argues that the UK is strong on innovation, with world-leading universities producing spin-outs in frontier technologies, but weak at backing those companies to commercialise and grow here. The gaps she identifies are capital to scale, a culture that champions success and access to talent. Eva Barboni: Eva Barboni is Executive Director of Enterprise Britain, where she campaigns for policies that help British companies grow and share the gains more widely. She has spent 20 years working across policy, communications and stakeholder engagement. Eva began her career on…

What would it take for Britain to turn promising start-ups into global companies that stay and grow here? In this episode of Oxford+ in partnership with Mishcon de Reya, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Eva Barboni, Executive Director of Enterprise Britain, about the ambition, capital and talent needed to close the UK scale-up gap. Eva explains why public attitudes towards success matter, how decades of policy have steered households and pension funds towards safer assets, and why British capital behind British businesses can keep jobs, investment and decision-making in the country. The conversation covers retail investing, pension fiduciary duty, Series B funding, non-compete clauses, AI and entry-level work. It also asks how universities and regional clusters can spread the gains from new businesses more widely. The timing is apt. A September analysis from the UK Business Angels Association notes that UK-managed venture capital funds returned 13.3% a year over ten years, as pension providers explore a…

What will it take for Britain to turn its research strengths into companies that stay, scale and list at home? Gordon Sanghera takes listeners through Oxford Nanopore's rise and its decision to list in London. Eva Barboni of Enterprise Britain argues for shorter non-competes to free up talent, and Acorn co-founder Hermann Hauser asks how Europe can fund its next generation of global companies. Conversations with the Weatherall Institute of Molecular Medicine, Immunocore and Genomics follow. The timing matters. UK university spinouts raised £1.3bn of venture capital in 2025, down from £2.2bn in 2024, according to Dealroom's Spotlight on Spinouts report. The ideas are here. Season Five asks what it will take to build on them, starting 29 September. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital. Connect…

What are we unwilling to automate away? In this wrap episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager returns to the ten conversations that made up the Ethics and Innovation miniseries and draws out the thread running through all of them. Philosophers, technologists, lawyers, policymakers and social innovators discuss democracy, language and intelligence, care, healthcare, access to justice, and who benefits when innovation succeeds. The timing matters. Bill Gates has argued that AI will be either the greatest equaliser ever invented or the worst source of injustice, and that the choices made now will decide which, in a 6,000-word essay published in 2026. Public confidence remains thin: around 1 in 3 adults in Great Britain say they would not trust AI to carry out any task, according to the Office for National Statistics. This is a short guide to the debate for people who will not build AI systems but will live with the results, at work, in hospitals, in classrooms and in court. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a…

What happens when you point some of the world's strongest analytical tools at problems money alone has never fixed? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Juan M Lavista Ferres, Corporate Vice President and Chief Data Scientist at Microsoft and director of its AI for Good Lab. Juan explains how a study of 20 million births changed what researchers knew about smoking and Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, why a satellite image and a CT scan are the same problem to a machine learning team, and how roughly 100 incoming requests get filtered down to two or three funded projects. The timing is pointed. The World Economic Forum reported in August 2026 that the world faces a shortage of health workers by 2030, according to the World Economic Forum, which is the exact supply gap behind Juan's work on preventable blindness in premature babies. He is equally clear about the limits: no data, no access, no expert partner, no project. Every tool his…

How can one of the UK's most prosperous counties also hold some of its widest gaps in life expectancy and school results? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Jeremy Long, co-chair of the Oxfordshire Inclusive Economy Partnership, about what an inclusive economy looks like in practice and why averages hide as much as they reveal. Jeremy sets out the OIEP's three working groups, early years, youth engagement and inclusive employers, and the charter that lets organisations pick the pledges they can act on now. He describes taking employers into HMP Bullingdon to see how ex-offenders can return to work, the early years summit that put school readiness back on the county agenda, and plans to revive work experience through the Opportunity For All event. The timing matters. Figures published on 27 August 2026 show 981,000 young people across the UK were not in education, employment or training between April and June, according to the…

What should AI actually do for us, rather than simply what can it do? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Caroline Green, Director of Research at Oxford's Institute for Ethics in AI, about care as one of the defining ethical questions of the AI age. Caroline explains what care means inside a regulated social care system, why OpenAI and Anthropic have started borrowing the language of caregiving, and where she thinks that borrowing should worry us. The conversation moves between the very specific and the very broad: carebots collecting data while they chat to residents, the Oxford framework that helps providers question technology suppliers properly, a week in Dharamsala learning how Tibetan communities use AI to preserve their language, and the civic AI work she is developing with Ambassador Audrey Tang. New Stanford research published this month found that people with smaller social networks who turn to AI companions for…

What do you do when the technology arrives faster than the plan you wrote for it? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Professor Anne Trefethen, Professor of Scientific Computing at the University of Oxford and Trustee of the Alan Turing Institute, about leading a university through the arrival of generative AI. Oxford published its digital strategy in 2022, weeks before ChatGPT appeared, and Anne explains why it then took courage to stop, rethink planned investments and add the governance she had hoped to avoid. The conversation moves from student adoption and equal access to what national resilience now means: sovereign capability, models we can trust because we know what they were trained on, and enough trained people to use them well. It lands in the middle of a live policy push, with the UK government expanding free AI training to reach 10 million workers by 2030. Anne also makes the case for optimism, and for changing how we…

Who really benefits when an innovation ecosystem succeeds? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager talks to Dr Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford, about Equinox, Equitable Innovation Oxford, the regional partnership she has helped drive since its launch. Olga explains why Oxford wants to avoid repeating San Francisco's mistakes, where economic success sat alongside rising poverty and crime, and how Equinox is instead building a skills agenda, an inward investment unit and a founders' pledge to spread the benefits of growth more widely. The conversation lands as the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor gains fresh momentum, with government plans to double funding and unlock up to £78 billion for the UK economy by 2035. Olga argues that Britain needs more national pride in its innovation strengths, and a clearer story about why Oxfordshire's growth should matter to everyone who lives there, not just those…

What if the biggest barrier to justice is not the law itself, but who can reach it? In this episode of Oxford+, part of the Ethics and Innovation miniseries sponsored by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Professor Philippa Webb, co-founder of the Oxford Institute of Technology and Justice, about whether artificial intelligence can close the global justice gap rather than widen it. Philippa explains why only a small fraction of people who need a lawyer can access one, how her team is building legal tools for women and girls in Malawi, and why judges in Brazil and Argentina are already teaching themselves to code and building their own agents. The conversation also confronts the risks. Deepfakes are now trivially easy to produce, digital evidence is piling up unused in atrocity prosecutions, and 130 states have suffered cyber attacks. With the World Economic Forum reporting that 87% of organisations see AI-related vulnerabilities as the fastest-growing cyber risk, Philippa makes the case for legal…

What do our conversations with machines reveal about what it means to be human? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Professor Edward Harcourt, Director of Oxford's Institute for Ethics in AI, about the parts of human life that no algorithm can reproduce. Edward argues that the real risk of chatbots is not that they reshape social life, but that people mistake them for something real. Recorded as the UK government confirmed a ban on social media for under-16s from spring 2027, the conversation moves from embodiment and mortality to attachment theory, pluralism and the limits of machine minds. Edward warns of two quieter dangers: cognitive atrophy, as we outsource our thinking, and social atrophy, as we trade human contact for efficiency. Edward Harcourt: Edward Harcourt is Director of the Institute for Ethics in AI at the University of Oxford, where he is also Professor of Philosophy and a Fellow of Keble College. His work sits at…

What if AI could strengthen democracy instead of concentrating power? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Audrey Tang, Taiwan’s Cyber Ambassador and former Digital Minister, about civic AI, digital democracy and the practical alternatives to extractive big tech models. Audrey explains why data should be treated as soil, not oil, and how smaller, community-shaped models can serve families, cities and nations without forcing everyone into a single technological dependency. The conversation moves from Taiwan’s pandemic response to deepfake fraud, social media portability, local Kami models and the 6-Pack of Care, offering a hopeful but grounded vision for AI governance. Recent reporting on Taiwan’s anti-fraud work shows why this matters now: Audrey has said Taiwan’s civic AI approach helped reduce deepfake scams by more than 94%, as reported by MIT Solve. For policymakers, founders and citizens, this episode asks a practical question:…

What does it really mean to say that an AI system understands, reasons or thinks? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Raphaël Millière, Associate Professor in Philosophy at the University of Oxford, about the deep conceptual questions behind today’s AI systems. Raphaël explains why strong performance on a benchmark does not always prove real competence, why language models learn in a profoundly different way from humans, and why common sense remains such a revealing fault line in AI research. The conversation moves from consciousness and anthropomorphism to the geopolitical stakes of sovereign AI. Recent research from Anthropic on global workspace-like structures in language models shows why questions about internal representations are becoming more urgent, while the European Commission’s 2026 technological sovereignty package underlines how AI capability is now tied to economic resilience, national security and democratic…

Can democracies capture the economic benefits of AI while protecting citizens from the unintended consequences? In this episode of Ethics and Innovation by Oxford+ brought to you by Equinox, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Lord Lionel Tarassenko, founding President of Reuben College and a pioneer of machine learning in safety-critical systems, about why the race to build ever more powerful models increasingly resembles an arms race. They explore whether the UK's long focus on ethical AI has become a competitive advantage, how Britain should position itself between the United States, Europe and China, and why sovereign AI and sovereign data assets matter for defending national values. The conversation lands at a pivotal moment. Days after the UK government announced a ban on social media use by under-16s modelled on Australia's, Lionel explains why he changed his mind and now sees a ban as the only real leverage over platforms that have resisted safety by design for a decade. From AI literacy in schools to…

How do we ensure technology serves society rather than society becoming subject to technology? And perhaps most importantly, what does progress actually mean? In this special Oxford+ Miniseries, we're going to speak to leading academics, policymakers, entrepreneurs, and practitioners working at the intersection of ethics, technology, and society. Together, we're going to explore questions including how should we govern powerful new technologies? What does human flourishing look like in the age of AI? How is technology shaping childhood, relationships, and mental health? And how can innovation ecosystems ensure that prosperity is shared more broadly? The aim of this miniseries is not to provide definitive answers, rather to help all of us ask better questions. Because the future is not something that simply happens to us, it's something we can choose to build. Ethics and Innovation is proudly sponsored by Equinox, Equitable Innovation Oxford. Equinox brings together leaders from across business, academia,…

What changes when an innovation ecosystem stops talking about problems and starts talking about solutions? In this wrap of Season Four, Oxford+ host Susannah de Jager reflects on a clear shift in rhetoric across the series, from missing pieces of the puzzle to a real sense of momentum in Oxford and the wider UK. She points to initiatives like Equinox, Equitable Innovation Oxford, and the inaugural Oxford Tech Week as signs of an ecosystem finally galvanising itself and becoming easier to engage with. The timing fits a buoyant national picture: UK startup funding reached $7.8 billion in the first quarter of 2026, up 60 per cent year on year, the strongest start to a year since 2022, according to HSBC Innovation Banking and Dealroom. Susannah also looks ahead, previewing a summer Ethics and Innovation miniseries on how AI should be shaped for societies, children and workforces, and a Season Five from September featuring names including Gordon Sanghera and Hermann Hauser. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a…

How should we measure success in the place trying to scale Britain's best science? In this Oxford+ in Brief, Dr Ceri Morgan takes on the same four quick-fire questions every guest faces. She reflects on what success would mean after two decades spent at arm's length in investment banking, the advice she would give anyone entering the Oxford ecosystem, and what the city does brilliantly yet struggles with: it brings you face to face with astonishing, modest people, but connects them far too rarely. Looking ahead to 2050, Ceri wants Oxford closer to the Boston benchmark, with more companies scaling outside the university and acquirers reinvesting locally rather than draining talent abroad. Her timing is apt: UK university spin-outs have nearly tripled in value to £49 billion since 2020, with activity now spreading beyond the golden triangle. From mentorship and the Lamb and Flag to a magic-wand investor database, this is a short, candid window into how a natural connector thinks. Ceri Morgan: Dr Ceri Morgan is…

How should we value a healthcare system that frustrates the very innovators trying to improve it? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Ceri Morgan, a doctor turned healthcare investment banker turned patient, about her three careers and what they reveal about UK life sciences. Ceri explains why, for years, companies pitching an NHS-first strategy were handed close to a zero valuation, and why the UK's thin life sciences public market has pushed founders towards private capital and trade sales. Her move to Dalloway Partners marks a third act focused on the non-scientific side of scaling: mentoring founders, opening up investor networks and building Oxford's ecosystem. The timing matters. After UK biotech raised just £1.8 billion in 2025, early 2026 figures show venture funding rebounding, with £516 million raised in the first quarter. From recycling capital and talent to being your own patient advocate, this is a candid conversation about fixing the structures around brilliant…

What does success really look like when we get hiring right? In this Oxford+ in Brief, Susannah de Jager puts forward four questions to Riham Satti, co-founder and CEO of MeVitae. Riham describes success as a workplace where people feel they belong, feel empowered, and stay because their work feels like a career worth building. She offers candid advice for anyone entering the Oxford ecosystem, reflects on what the city does brilliantly and where it could connect its specialised pockets more effectively, and imagines what Oxford might look like by 2050. With a recent large-scale study finding that AI hiring tools can systematically reject qualified candidates (Stanford HAI, May 2026), her closing wish, a magic wand for fairness at work, could not feel more timely. Riham Satti: Riham Satti is the co-founder and CEO of MeVitae, an award-winning people intelligence platform that combines neuroscience, behavioural economics, and responsible AI to help organisations make fairer, faster, and fully explainable…

What if the key to fairer hiring lies not in better policies, but in understanding how our brains actually make decisions? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Riham Satti, co-founder and CEO of MeVitae, about her journey from studying neuroscience at Oxford to building an AI-driven platform that transforms workforce decision-making. They explore how cognitive biases shape recruitment, why ten seconds of CV screening can derail a hiring process, and how organisations can use data and responsible AI to make fairer, faster, and smarter people decisions. With recent research showing that recruiters using biased AI tools mirror those inequitable choices up to 90% of the time, the conversation could not be more timely. Riham explains how MeVitae integrates neuroscience, anonymised recruiting, and transparent algorithms to help organisations identify hidden risks, improve candidate experience, and build genuinely inclusive workplaces. From bootstrapping with grant funding to working with…

What would it take for Oxford to truly unlock its potential as a global innovation hub and what keeps getting in the way? In this Oxford+ In Brief mini episode, host Susannah de Jager puts four quick-fire questions to Dr Holly Reeve, co-founder and CEO of HydRegen. Holly shares what success looks like if Hydregen reaches commercial scale manufacturing, why Oxford's chemistry department has become a breeding ground for spin-outs, and why she wishes the barriers between universities and startups were far lower than they are today. With a new super cluster board forming across the Oxford–Cambridge arc and initiatives like Equinox and OX Tech Week working to connect the ecosystem, Holly argues the direction of travel is encouraging. But she is clear that the real bottleneck is not facilities or funding structures: it is the failure to invest strategically in the people behind the science. Dr Holly Reeve: Holly Reeve is the co-founder and CEO of HydRegen, an Oxford University spin-out developing bio-based…

What does it really take to turn a breakthrough in a university lab into a company that could transform how the world makes chemicals? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Holly Reeve, co-founder and CEO of HydRegen, an Oxford spin-out replacing precious metals in chemical manufacturing with bio-based enzyme catalysts. Holly shares her journey from a farm in rural England to leading a 15-person deep tech company now preparing for manufacturing and raising a Series A. With the global biocatalysis market projected to more than double to USD 10.2 billion by 2033, Hydregen is positioned at the forefront of a sector gaining serious momentum. Holly discusses how she developed leadership skills during her PhD, why the shift from academic to commercial mindset is so difficult, and how she balances curiosity with execution. She also speaks candidly about the challenges of fundraising as a female founder in a sector where women-led deep tech startups still receive only 15% of seed funding.…

What does success really look like for Oxford's innovation ecosystem, and how do you build something that lasts? In this Oxford+ in Brief bonus episode, host Susannah de Jager puts the same four questions to Dr Christiaan de Koning and Michael Collyer, co-founders of Founders and Funders and the team behind the inaugural OX Tech Week. With UK startups raising $7.8 billion in Q1 2026 alone, the stakes for getting Oxford's commercialisation engine right have never been higher. Looking ahead to 2050, Christiaan and Michael imagine a less fragmented, more collaborative Oxford that is not just a research hub but a global commercial centre for science and innovation. Dr Christiaan de Koning: Christiaan de Koning is an Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, and Chair of the Founders and Funders Foundation. He teaches at Said Business School and is a strategic adviser to CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre. He holds a DPhil from Oxford in management research,…

What would it take for Oxford to rival Silicon Valley or Boston as a global destination for deep tech? In this episode of Oxford Plus, host Susannah de Jager sits down with Dr Christiaan de Koning and Michael Collyer, co-founders of the Founders and Funders community, to explore how Oxford is organising itself for a new chapter in innovation. What started as a small gathering during COVID has grown into a 4,000-strong network and a registered foundation connecting researchers, founders, investors, and institutions across the city. Now, with UK startup funding reaching $7.8 billion in Q1 2026 alone – a 60% increase year on year, Oxford is well placed to capture a growing share of that momentum. Christiaan and Michael discuss why the city's problem is not a lack of capital or talent but a lack of connection, and how their upcoming OX Tech Week aims to change that by creating a visible, city-wide platform for the ecosystem. From the Oxford Innovation Map to the vision of making Oxford the global home of deep…

What would it take for Oxford to become the place where the companies that define global healthcare are actually built? In this Oxford+ in Brief, host Susannah de Jager puts four quick-fire questions to Benny Axt, Entrepreneur in Residence at Oxford Science Enterprises. Benny shares his vision of success for the ecosystem, his advice for newcomers, and a candid assessment of where Oxford excels and where it falls short. He argues that world-class science alone is not enough, speed of translation, commercial talent, growth capital and a cultural shift towards risk-taking are all essential if Oxford is to fulfil its potential. With Deloitte's 2026 Global Health Care Outlook reporting that over 70 per cent of non-US health system executives expect margins to improve this year, and IQVIA highlighting structural shifts across the NHS that are reshaping the landscape for health tech companies, Benny's call for Oxford to optimise for execution over perfection feels especially timely. From express licensing of…

How does world-class science fail to become a scalable business and what can founders do about it? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Benny Axt, Entrepreneur in Residence at Oxford Science Enterprises, about the complex relationship between healthcare technology and the systems it must operate within. They explore why healthcare's apparent inefficiency is often intentional constraint, how reimbursement models and regulatory pathways can make or break a company, and what UK health tech founders consistently underestimate about the US market. Drawing on a recent BCG report highlighting a £20 billion annual opportunity if the UK strengthens its ability to translate research into real-world solutions, the conversation underscores why system fluency is not optional but essential. From the cultural transformation Benny led at DaVita across a dozen countries to the structural realities of NHS adoption and the perverse incentives within US oncology, this episode offers a candid and…

What would success actually look like if Oxfordshire’s innovation ecosystem got the next phase right? In this Oxford+ in Brief bonus episode, Susannah de Jager puts four rapid-fire questions to Olga Kozlova, one of the leaders behind Equinox (Equitable Innovation Oxford). Olga shares what she believes the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor could unlock for the UK economy and what it would mean in everyday terms for Oxfordshire as a place to live, from connectivity to housing and opportunity. She also offers practical advice for anyone entering the ecosystem: expect to spend time building relationships, one coffee at a time. Finally, she reflects on Oxford’s strengths, from global brand power to extraordinary science, and why the next step depends on becoming more joined up. Olga Kozlova: Olga Kozlova is Director of Innovation and Engagement at the University of Oxford and a leader in innovation ecosystems, technology commercialisation, entrepreneurship, and inclusive growth. She previously established and led…

How do you turn a brilliant but messy innovation ecosystem into something easier to navigate, stronger on the world stage, and fairer for local communities? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Olga Kozlova, one of the driving forces behind Equinox (Equitable Innovation Oxford), a new partnership convened by the University of Oxford to align universities, investors, corporates, developers and communities behind a shared ambition for Oxfordshire. Olga explains why Equinox formed, why a united voice matters if Oxford wants to compete with global clusters, and how the initiative aims to make the ecosystem more accessible for founders, investors and companies looking to locate in the region. The conversation also explores why equitable growth cannot be an afterthought in a county with stark inequalities, and how skills, narratives and practical delivery can help more people feel the benefits of innovation. Equinox launched in November 2025 with over 40 regional partners and a new…

What would success for UK innovation actually look like in practice? In this short Oxford+ in Brief bonus episode, host Susannah de Jager asks Lord William Hague four fast questions that cut straight to the future of Oxford, the Oxford ecosystem, and Britain’s ability to translate world-class ideas into lasting prosperity. Hague argues that the UK should aim to make the Oxford–Cambridge–London triangle the place in the world to build a career, invest, and create globally significant companies. The Oxford–Cambridge Growth Corridor has become a central plank of the UK’s growth agenda, with the Chancellor previously pointing to an ambition to add £78bn to the economy by 2035, as reported by BBC News. Against that backdrop, Hague’s answers highlight two recurring themes: Oxford’s extraordinary breadth across disciplines, and the structural challenge of moving quickly inside a decentralised institution. Lord William Hague: Lord William Hague of Richmond is the Chancellor of the University of Oxford and a former…

How does the UK turn world-class ideas into world-class companies, without selling the best outcomes abroad? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Lord William Hague, Chancellor of the University of Oxford and former UK Foreign Secretary, about the UK’s scale-up gap and what it will take to build an innovation economy that keeps more value at home. They discuss why universities sit at the centre of growth, how pension capital and other long-term investors can help close the funding gap, and why procurement and slow decision-making can quietly kill promising companies before they reach commercial scale. The conversation lands in the reality of the Oxford-Cambridge Growth Corridor, which government has positioned as a long-term national growth project. Recent reporting on the corridor highlights the scale of the ambition and the industries driving it, alongside the claim it could add £78bn to the economy by 2035. From foreign takeovers of UK spinouts to the need for faster…

What would success look like if Oxfordshire got climate innovation truly right, not just in ideas, but in deployment at scale? In this Oxford+ bonus episode, Susannah de Jager speaks with Hannah Scott, CEO of Oxfordshire Greentech, about the practical barriers that stop climate tech startups moving from promise to global impact. Hannah unpacks why scaling hardware and deep tech takes longer, costs more, and often hits the Valley of Death between Series A and Series B, where funding needs can jump dramatically. She argues the UK needs more patient capital, including family offices, and reflects on whether pension reform will genuinely shift investment towards British IP and industrial capability. That question has new urgency, with the government saying the Mansion House Accord could unlock up to £50bn for UK businesses and major infrastructure. The conversation also looks forward: what Oxford might become by 2050, and how to weigh heritage, housing, equity, and innovation. Finally, Hannah frames AI as both…

How do you turn a county into a world-leading climate tech ecosystem, and why does collaboration matter more than competition when tackling the climate crisis? In this episode of Oxford Plus, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Hannah Scott, CEO of Oxfordshire Greentech and Co-Founder of the Climate Tech SuperCluster, about building networks that connect climate innovators with the funding, expertise and corporate partnerships they need to scale. They explore how Oxfordshire has quietly become one of the UK's most important regions for climate innovation, with emerging specialisms in energy tech at Harwell, fusion at Culham and sustainable chemistry at Begbroke. With the UK climate tech sector now valued at $75.3 billion but investment falling 67% since 2023, Hannah explains how business networks like Oxfordshire Greentech help startups leapfrog challenges, access visibility and navigate the valley of death. From the recent launch of a green ammonia demonstrator at Harwell to the formation of a cross-European…

What would defence reform look like if we stopped overcomplicating it? In this Oxford+ in brief episode, host Susannah de Jager asks Alison Hawks questions that reveal how leaders think under pressure, what shapes their decisions, and what they are curious about right now. Alison argues that defence needs to get out of its own way: procurement should be a clearer transaction where the military owns the problem, industry owns the solution, and requirements reflect that division of expertise. She shares practical advice for anyone entering the sector tomorrow, using the simple test of desirability, feasibility, and viability to avoid building solutions nobody will fund or use. Looking ahead to 2050, Alison predicts a different defence marketplace where today’s primes may not dominate in the same way, even as scale still depends on major supply chains. Dr Alison Hawks: Dr Alison Hawks is co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, the UK arm of BMNT, where she advises governments and technology companies on accelerating…

How do you sell to a customer where the decision-maker is actually five different people, and half of them might move roles before the contract lands? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Dr Alison Hawks, co-founder and CEO of BMNT Ltd, about why defence innovation is becoming a structural opportunity, and why procurement literacy is often more important than the technology itself. They unpack the realities of B2G: long buying cycles, complex stakeholder incentives, and the traps that stall companies after a promising pilot. The conversation lands at a timely moment. The UK’s Strategic Defence Review commits to an ‘always on’ munitions pipeline, including building at least six new energetics and munitions factories, signalling how seriously government is now treating sovereign capability and industrial resilience. From Commercial X and changing acquisition culture to data sovereignty, Oxford’s role in defence innovation, and what investors should look for in founders, this episode…

What does success look like when world-leading research meets commercial sustainability? In this bonus episode of Oxford Plus, Susannah de Jager sits down with Lisa Flashner to explore the evolving landscape of one of the world’s most famous academic cities. Lisa shares her transition from the West Coast to Oxford, highlighting the unique intellectual diversity and the "incredibly talented women" who drive the ecosystem forward. The conversation dives deep into the structural challenges of navigating the ecosystem and the ambitious vision for Oxford in 2050. From the development of new innovation hubs like Oxford North to the integration of robotics and AI in future-proofed buildings, Lisa provides an optimistic roadmap for how technology can improve the human condition. Lisa Flashner: Lisa Flashner is the Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Institute of Technology, where she leads strategic planning, operations, real estate, construction, and expansion efforts for the Oxford campus. Before relocating to…

How does one of the most significant private investments in UK science and technology history take shape on the ground in Oxford? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Lisa Flashner, Chief Operating Officer of the Ellison Institute of Technology, about Larry Ellison's ambitious vision to establish a transformative research campus in Oxford. They explore why Ellison chose Oxford as the home for EIT's first major European campus, the Institute's four main pillars of work: medical sciences, clean energy, sustainable agriculture, and AI and robotics, and the physical plans for a campus that will eventually house up to 7,000 people. Lisa brings a unique perspective, having spent 15 years as COO of the Ellison Medical Institute in Los Angeles before relocating to Oxford. She discusses the cultural differences between US and UK innovation ecosystems, the Institute's "all boats rise" philosophy of collaboration with the University of Oxford and the broader ecosystem, and addresses early…

Oxford has always been a place where ideas can shape the world. But right now the stakes have never been higher. In season four of Oxford Plus we're asking what UK innovation really means in an age of global uncertainty, rapid technological change, and a growing need for national capability and sovereignty. This season features voices shaping that future, including Lord William Hague and Lisa Flashner alongside Founders, Researchers, and Policy makers working at the sharp edge of Science, Health, Defence and AI. From breakthrough research to industrial scale up, from global collaboration to domestic resilience, Oxford Plus explores how the UK can turn ideas into impact and ambition into advantage. Season four of Oxford Plus. New conversations. Bigger questions. Real world outcomes. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around…

Why do the critical conversations about founding and funding a business often happen behind closed doors, making the ecosystem feel impenetrable? In this special episode, Oxford+ host Susannah de Jager reveals the origin story and core premise of the podcast. Drawing on her extensive background as a former COO and CEO of a European equities hedge fund, and her later work in pension capital reform, Susannah shares what inspired her to move from listed asset management to focusing on nascent companies. She discusses how being exposed to companies in their critical growth phase—when they need long-term capital from investors like pension plans—revealed a passionate purpose: to make a meaningful impact by connecting capital with brilliant academics. Susannah de Jager: Susannah is a seasoned professional with over 15 years of experience in UK asset management. She has worked closely with industry experts, entrepreneurs, and government officials to shape the conversation around domestic scale-up capital. Connect…

How do we solve the UK’s persistent scale-up capital conundrum and move from academic theory to commercial reality? Host Susannah de Jager speaks with Pete Davies, Partner and Head of Developed Markets Strategy at Lansdowne Partners and co-founder of Oxford Science Enterprises (OSE). Pete shares his unique, contrarian perspective, spanning decades of experience in asset management and pioneering UK venture. This episode delves into the linear evolution of deep tech commercialisation, from IP Group to the creation of OSE. Pete discusses the critical need to shift company formation from an "academic X has an IP" push to an industry problem-driven pull, noting that this process is now at a "sort of halfway stage". The conversation also covers the importance of "magic" assets like the Oxford community, the exciting progress in areas like quantum computing, and how to fix the £100 million 'missing middle' of scale-up funding. With the UK seeing a 36% year-on-year rise in new tech incorporations, Pete explains why…

How do you design a physical space that matches the lightning-fast pace of modern scientific discovery? This episode explores the new paradigm for innovation districts with Professor Dame Kay Davies and Victoria Collett of Thomas White Oxford, the development company of St. John's College. The conversation covers the critical transition from academic lab work, where Professor Davies has spent 30 years researching Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy, to the intense, milestone-driven world of biotech spin-outs. Victoria Collett, Development Director for the £1.2 billion Oxford North project, explains how its mixed-use, master-planned environment—complete with flexible lab spaces, public art, and community areas—is specifically engineered to foster the "serendipitous moments" crucial for breakthroughs. Kay and Victoria also discuss the vital importance of connectivity, noting that the UK’s life sciences VC investment has been selective recently, making integrated innovation clusters like Oxford North, which is…

What if the key to the future of global mobility was found not in isolation, but in a carefully curated community? Host Susannah de Jager sits down with Dan Geoghegan, CEO of Bicester Motion, the visionary behind the world's largest automotive and future mobility cluster. Dan details his systematic, values-driven approach to turning a derelict RAF bomber station into a thriving, 444-acre ecosystem of 54 businesses—ranging from historic vehicle restorers to pioneers in net-zero fuels. They discuss the critical benefits of clustering, where like minds and complementary businesses achieve greater efficiency and critical mass. Dan shares the vital lesson that focusing on community, inclusivity, and long-term partnership with tenants actually leads to better business results and high occupancy. Tune in to hear how his bold vision and "fly the plane as you build it" entrepreneurship has created an economic powerhouse in the Oxford-Cambridge corridor, actively shaping the path to net-zero. (00:00) - Welcome to…

How do you maintain a strong company culture and team commitment as your organisation scales? In the third and final part of this series, Professor Robin Dunbar sits down with host Susannah de Jager to explore how social science can provide the answer. Robin explains that maintaining deep relationships with your core team is a huge "time burden" for leaders, but it is essential for fostering trust and ensuring everyone is on the same page. The conversation delves into the historical context of community-building in business, referencing the practices of 19th-century founders who built social clubs and community centres for their workers. Professor Dunbar highlights the importance of social engagement, from feasting and singing to the simple act of having a pub on-site, as a way to create a powerful sense of belonging. He argues that HR departments should focus less on legal issues and more on creating opportunities for social engagement to cultivate a committed workforce. (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (01:10)…

Have you ever wondered what makes a great leader for a large, scaling company? In part two of our special series, Professor Robin Dunbar returns to explore the essential social skills needed to manage a growing organisation. Robin and host Susannah de Jager explore the psychological boundaries of group size, from the point where a CEO no longer recognises every employee to the limit of knowing 5,000 faces you've seen before. They discuss the challenges for founders who are emotionally attached to their "baby" and how this can impede necessary growth transitions. The conversation highlights the often-overlooked importance of soft skills in the hiring process, particularly for senior roles. Professor Dunbar challenges the traditional reliance on CVs and short interviews, advocating for a trial period to truly assess if a candidate will fit into the social fabric of the company. (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (00:31) - The Importance of Recognising Everyone (01:31) - Transitioning Leadership Through Growth Phases…

Have you ever wondered why your company's culture shifts dramatically as it grows? In part one of a special three-part series, host Susannah de Jager sits down with Professor Robin Dunbar, creator of the renowned "Dunbar's Number," to explore the evolutionary and anthropological realities that impact organisations as they scale. They delve into how social constraints on our brains affect group sizes and dynamics, offering a new perspective on why committees and teams function differently at various scales. Drawing on insights from fields as diverse as human evolution and business, Professor Dunbar provides a toolkit for founders and investors to identify critical tipping points in a company’s development. They discuss optimal group sizes for different tasks, from small, fast-acting committees to larger, more diverse brainstorming sessions. (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (01:46) - Dunbar's Number and Group Dynamics (03:25) - Optimal Group Sizes for Decision Making (07:22) - Transition Points in Group Sizes…

What compels a scientist to leave academia for the high-stakes world of finance and then become the CEO of a publicly-traded biotech company? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager sits down with Zandy Forbes, the CEO and co-founder of MeiraGTx. Zandy shares her fascinating career journey, explaining how her experience as a hedge fund analyst shaped her unique approach to building a resilient, multi-asset genetic medicine company. They discuss MeiraGTx's pioneering work, from developing a mind-blowing technology that turns the body into a drug manufacturing facility to their successful clinical trials that are changing the lives of patients with inherited blindness, Parkinson’s, and other diseases. (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (00:58) - Meet Zandy Forbes: From Academia to CEO (02:08) - Transitioning to Wall Street (03:57) - Discovering the World of Biotech (07:15) - Founding MeiraGTx (09:45) - Innovative Gene Therapy Approaches (13:04) - Breakthroughs in Genetic Medicine (14:46) - Success…

Ever wondered how to integrate meaningful philanthropy into your entrepreneurial journey? In this insightful episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager sits down with Rob Chapman and Isobel Morton, Trustees of Founders Pledge, to explore innovative strategies for startup founders to effectively give back. Founders Pledge provides a structured, community-driven approach for entrepreneurs committed to donating a portion of their proceeds from liquidity events to charitable causes. Rob and Isobel share personal experiences and practical advice on utilising donor-advised funds, leveraging detailed impact research, and maximising the social impact of giving. With over $11 billion pledged globally, they discuss how entrepreneurs can make strategic, informed decisions to ensure their donations drive significant change. Whether you're at the early stages of your startup or approaching an exit, this conversation offers invaluable guidance on aligning business success with purposeful philanthropy. (00:00) - Welcome to…