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

The team

Dr Riam Kanso
Chief Executive Officer
Agata Zborowska
Chief Operations Officer
Carrie Baptist
Chief Strategy Officer
Dr Richard Anson
Deeptech Academic Lead
Olivia Ash
Programme & Portfolio Manager
Polly Groves
HQ & Programme Support Manager
Rodolfo Rosini
Entrepreneur in Residence
Aurora Percannella
Head of Marketing & Communications
Artie Rice-Oxley
Operations & Events Assistant

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
Martin Stow
Pro-Vice Chancellor for Business Engagement and Enterprise, University of Leeds
Professor Chris Taylor
Associate Vice President, Digital Strategy and Innovation, University of Manchester
Dr Phil Clare
CEO, Queen Mary Innovation Ltd
Professor Gil Gonçalves
Associate Professor with Habilitation & Pro-Dean for Internationalisation, Faculty of Engineering, University of Porto
Professor Wai Lok Woo
Head of Research for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, University of Northumbria
Professor Tyrone S. Pitsis
Professor of Strategy & Technology, Durham University Business School

The coaches

Ville Vesterinen
Angel investor & co-founder of Slush
Nick Slater
Partner, Twin Path Ventures
Pete Blake
Partner, Sapphire & Steel
Matt Wichrowski
General Partner, Fly Ventures
Aleksandra Pedraszewska
AI Safety, ElevenLabs &
co-founder, VividQ
Amrit Sami
Investor, Mercia Ventures
John Tang
AI Investor, Executive & Coach
Professor Wai Lok Woo
Head of Research for Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, University of Northumbria
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
At Conception X, we are a unique...
network of people dedicated to supporting postgrad students, helping to develop their research into startups delivering positive change.
Cengiz Tarhan
Director of Tarhan Associates Ltd, Ex Managing Director of UCL Business PLC

Our Partners