Emma is an Investment Analyst with Catapult Ventures, working on the specialist Greater Manchester and Cheshire Life Science Fund. Emma has most recently completed an MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience at UCL and has an undergraduate degree in Neuroscience from the University of Bristol. Working with the Life Science Partners in the Fund, Emma identifies new investment opportunities within the deal pipeline and assists with managing the Fund’s portfolio of 27 companies.

Nonny Jones is a UK and European patent attorney and Partner at Alembia Intellectual Property. Following a career spanning both academic research and time in industry as a medicinal chemist, Nonny moved into IP law, creating and managing patent portfolios across all stages of the drug development chain. Founding Alembia with Lucy has enabled Nonny to continue working with researchers from around the globe, designing tailored IP strategies for products in the life sciences arena and beyond.

Lucy Padget is a UK and European patent attorney and Partner at Alembia Intellectual Property. Lucy started her working career as a synthetic chemist before moving into IP over 20 years ago. Prior to establishing Alembia with Nonny, Lucy was responsible for the IP for AstraZeneca’s small molecule Oncology business, and managed the team of attorneys delivering it. At Alembia, Lucy continues to devise and implement commercially-focussed IP strategies for a wide range of companies from start-ups to multinationals.

Martino was the first CEO of the Stevenage Bioscience Catalyst an ambitious concept to develop an Incubator and Accelerator, followed by a world class Science Park for the Life Sciences sector. Martino has a PhD in Biochemistry from Cardiff University and spent 4 years at Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, TX in Cardiovascular research. Martino joined Amersham International in 1991 and subsequently went on to manage the R&D Technology Transfer Group, based in Cardiff and developing high throughput screening technologies for the Pharmaceutical sector. Following the merger of Amersham with Pharmacia Biotech, Martino became the Science Director for the Cardiff site, Martino then became a Business Manager for Manchester Biotech Ltd. and subsequently Manchester Innovation Ltd. in June 1999. When the Universities of Manchester and UMIST merged, he became Managing Director of UMIC and MICL and is was a Board member of UKBI. Martino was also acting Chairman for a start-up company, sri Forensics Ltd (2011-2014) and has previously been on the Board of Cartesian Technologies , BIONOW Steering Committee and was also a non -executive Director for Queen Mary Bioenterprise Ltd (2009-Aug 2010).. Martino has also been a Board member of the Hertfordshire LEP (2012-2015), where he chaired the Innovation sub-group. Martino was also appointed to the Life Science Wales Hub Board as a Non –Executive) from 2014-2017. Martino is now an Independent Consultant, based in Manchester. He currently has a part-time role as Entrepreneur in Residence at UMIP. Martino is also involved in assessing funding application and appraisals for Innovate UK, and NC3Rs. Most recently, Martino was appointed to the Board of BIONOW, the Northern Trade Organization for Life Sciences, as a non- Executive Director and as Chairman of the Discovery Park, Sandwich in June 2018. Martino is now also Chairman of a Biotech start-up that has recently attracted investment.

Claire Browns 20 year professional career spans academic research, R&D leadership at three global biopharmaceutical companies and Venture capital.

She is currently responsible for the investment activity of Biocity Group Ltd which includes the management of Alderley Park Ventures, a Healthcare focused Seed fund, and sits on the board of several early stage businesses.

Prior to joining Biocity Group, Claire held a variety of Scientific and Strategy/Business Development roles in the UK and USA in several large organisations including UCB, Genzyme and AstraZeneca-MedImmune including MediVentures, a corporate £400M investment fund.

Claire currently holds a BSc(Hons), a PhD and an MBA having completed her post-doctoral training at the University of Tennessee Medical Centre in the USA. Recently Claire also completed her Investment Management Certification.

From Automotive, electronics, IT and software to manufacturing in the food and drink sector Ian has experience and knowledge across several technologies and industries. He has managed the commercialisation of several high-profile new technology and disruptive solutions within both established and fast-growing companies. A track history of creating winning business strategies, innovation practice, building collaborations and managing a diverse Intellectual Property portfolio.

Paul is co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of HairClone, a cell therapy Company developing cell based treatments for androgenic alopecia. Paul has over 30 years’ experience in the US and UK in the commercialisation of various Regenerative Medicine and Cell Therapy products in both public and private Companies. He was the lead inventor on patents for Apligraf the first multi-cell therapy approved by the FDA which has treated hundreds of thousands of patients in the US with chronic ulcers. Paul was the sole founder of Intercytex Ltd. where he served as CEO for the first 5 years. During this period Intercytex developed several products that reached the clinic, including Vavelta which was commercially available and being used for the correction of Rhytids, scar contractures and dystrophic epidermolysis bullosa before the EU’s ATMP regulations came into force. Intercytex also carried out the world's first cell therapy clinical trial to induce new hair formation. Paul has sat on a variety of panels, grant funding bodies and regulatory committees. He is co-editor of the Journal of Regenerative Medicine, a co-Director of the Doctoral Training Centre in Regenerative Medicine at Manchester University and Industrial Director of Regener8.

I am a European patent attorney with experience in patent drafting, and UK and European patent prosecution in the field of biotechnology, in particular biomarkers, stem cell therapies, and immunotherapies. I am especially interested in working with start-ups and spin-outs to help them reach their full potential through maximising the value of their IP.

David has a background in biochemistry, immunology and molecular biology with a PhD from Imperial College, London and three years of post-doctoral experience. David has worked in the pharmaceutical industry for almost 20 years. He worked in big pharma at AstraZeneca for more than 17 years in a wide variety of R&D roles both in the UK and the US. Whilst at AstraZeneca he was heavily involved in developing the use of informatics and systems biology to support the development of new medicines. David joined Blueberry Therapeutics as Chief Scientific Officer at the start of 2014. In this role, he is responsible for leading the research activities of the business which are focused on developing new treatments for serious infectious diseases. The first of these treatments has now entering clinical testing.

I am an innovation professional who has spent many years developing and delivering innovation and ideas in a range of different companies. I have a lot of experience in idea management and project delivery and my consulting business provides support in these areas.

Joe helps companies in the healthcare, materials and consumer product sectors to protect their innovation and gain a competitive advantage in these sectors. He is a partner, patent attorney and patent litigator at Haseltine Lake. Joe helps start-ups to FTSE 100 companies manage their IP in order to achieve their commercial goal.
In particular, Joe has more than a decade’s experience protecting inventions in the healthcare sector including new chemical entities (such as protein kinase inhibitors, ADCs, PROTACs, PET imaging agents), formulations (such as oral peptide formulations) and biocompatible materials ( such as stents and implantable electrodes).
Joe particularly enjoys working with enthusiastic start-ups to help with their IP from concept to product launch and beyond. He has mentored and been on the judging panel of business plan competitions and regularly guest lectures at UK universities on the commercialisation of research.
Joe has a degree and PhD in Chemistry from the University of Durham. His diverse research experience includes imaging chromosome aberrations, polymer interdiffusion, supramolecular anion interactions and catalyst recycling constructs.

Dr Stewart White, Previously CEO of two life science AIM-quoted companies, CEO of Novel Technologies Holdings Limited, Chairman of Mikota Ltd, Non-Executive Director with The Electrospinning Company Limited, Scientific Advisory Board of Collagen Solutions plc, Visiting Professor at Glasgow University.

Holding a degree in Quality Control of Medicines from the Federico II University of Naples and an MBA from Business School Lausanne, Valentina is a motivated and ambitious professional that works since 11 years in the pharma industry. Valentina spent most of her career in Novartis in roles of increasing responsibilities within quality assurance and manufacturing areas of drug development and commercial business units. After her MBA she decided to join a “start-up like” company focused on multiple therapeutic area as well as orphan diseases, Idorsia where she can contribute to move projects forward from development to the commercial phase.

She is positive, creative and inspiring with the passion for continuous improvement and problem solving.

Traveler. Painter. Art and books lover.

Martin Eglitis, Ph.D., has over 15 years research experience and additionally 20 years of pharmaceutical licensing experience. He has headed labs at the NIH, lead discovery and enablement research teams at a biotech startup, and conducted all aspects of the licensing process at global pharmaceutical companies. Dr. Eglitis has closed licensing deals valued into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Currently at Blazing Star Pharma Advisors, he provides strategic and business development consulting services to small and mid-size biopharmaceutical companies.

Prior to founding Blazing Star Pharma Advisors, Dr. Eglitis held Senior Business Development postitions at Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd., Amgen Inc., and Eli Lilly and Company. Dr. Eglitis was also involved in one of the first gene therapy start-ups, Genetic Therapy Inc., from its inception through a successful IPO. While there he contributed to the IND filing for the first gene therapy clinical trial.

Dr. Eglitis is inventor on four patents, and author of dozens of research papers and book chapters, spanning a wide breadth of fields including mammalian developmental biology, retroviral vector molecular biology, and physiological responses to neurological disease and injury. He obtained his baccalaureate in Biology and Ph.D. in Anatomy and Developmental Biology from the University of Virginia.

Iwan is a final year PhD researcher in the Centre for Doctoral Training in Regenerative Medicine in the University of Manchester. His research focuses on the cell-biomaterial interactions and their use for tissue engineering. He utilises his background in Physics to bring a unique perspective to tissue engineering to provide a analytical and quantitative approach to problem solving.

Immersed from an early age in entrepreneurship by being brought up on a small farm in rural North Wales, Iwan has proactively engaged with many entrepreneurial opportunities through his work as a UMIP Fellow, organising national conference workshops and leading multiple university societies. He has also found success in multiple entrepreneurial competitions including Venture Further, BiotechYES and the Northern Biotech Consulting Case Competition.

Along with a team of interdisciplinary researchers at the university of Manchester, Iwan was fortunate enough to receive fantastic mentorship and support through the IMAGINE IF! competition and went on to win the IMAGINE IF! Global Final Life Sciences Award in 2017. This was for their start-up idea NeuroDynamics, which aims to develop a novel nerve guidance conduit to aid in the regeneration of peripheral nerve injuries.