We help aspiring PhD founders realise their potential and create long-term impact

Our team

Dr Riam Kanso
Chief Executive Officer
Agata Zborowska
Chief Operations Officer
Olivia Ash
Programme & Portfolio Manager
Dr Richard Anson
Deeptech Academic Lead
Polly Groves
HQ & Programme Support Manager
Aurora Percannella
Head of Content & Editorial
Rodolfo Rosini
Entrepreneur in Residence
Tallulah Robson
Administrative & Events Coordinator
Beth Massam
Marketing & Community Coordinator

Our Academic Advisory Board

Professor Michael Capaldi
Dean of Innovation and Business, Newcastle University
Professor David Chapman
Professor of Entrepreneurship Education, UCL School of Management
Pam Garside
Fellow of Judge Business School, University of Cambridge, and Angel Investor
Professor Thomas Hellmann
Professor of Entrepreneurship and Innovation, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford
Professor Ramana Nanda
Professor of Entrepreneurial Finance, Imperial College London
Professor Tyrone S. Pitsis
Professor of Strategy & Technology, Durham University Business School
Professor Tyrone S. Pitsis
Professor of Strategy & Technology, Durham University Business School

Meet our Board of Directors

Conception X is leading the way...
on how the UK creates value from science, enabling and supporting the next generation of scientists to create companies from their research.
Dr Alastair Moore
Associate Professor at UCL School of Management & Partner at The Building Blocks
Conception X is one of the best...
ways we can support the creation of teams that will build high-tech businesses out of the incredible research carried out by PHD students in our universities.
Dr Steven Roberts
Barclays UK Head of Culture and Chief Scientific Adviser

Our Partners

Over the next three years, our partnership with XTX Ventures will support outstanding founders from leading UK institutions focusing on transformative areas of deeptech – including AI, quantum computing, robotics and biotech – with a typical cheque size of £100,000. Our press release
Our Northern Deeptech Hub supports the next generation of PhD founders in the North East in partnership with:
The AI Vertical supports emerging AI-powered PhD startups in partnership with:

Our Early Supporters