Advice Archives

Oliver Sexton, Investment Director at UKI2S

What makes an exceptional start-up leader?

17th November 2022

Start ups may be founded by an individual with a grand vision but almost as soon as they raise the first pound a founder is joined by a nascent and fast growing team.

The role of seed funding in net zero solutions

15th November 2022

Funding early-stage technology companies is critical for turning innovation and science into real world solutions, including those which will help us adapt to and combat climate change.

Science Ventures Series: Valuation of start-ups as a seed investor

12th July 2022

We base our business model on the “power law” and estimate two out of ten early-stage investments will generate extraordinary financial return to cover the entire value of the fund.

Science Venture Series: How can start-ups build a strong reputation?

7th June 2022

What is your most crucial piece of advice to founders and entrepreneurs building a reputation for their businesses?
Make brand building a core part of your strategy…

Science Ventures Series: UK start-ups & later-stage fundraising

5th May 2022

What is the most important aspect in later stage funding? Demonstrating product-market fit and associated exponential commercial growth…

CEO Spotlight: Steve Bennington, CEO of Q5D

26th April 2022

Steve Bennington, CEO of Q5D, speaks to UKI2S about his journey in science ventures and engineering.

Supporting the leaders of tomorrow’s scale ups with Horizon 37

21st September 2021

UKI2S is proud to invest in innovative early-stage companies, helping them to commercialise their research.

Cross-cultural collaboration: learning from each other

8th June 2021

Against the challenging backdrop of a global pandemic, 2020 saw the successful merger of UKI2S portfolio company Perfectus Biomed and US-based Extherid Biosciences.

Patenting Innovation: Intellectual property in gene editing

24th May 2021

2021 is set to be an interesting year for gene editing. Gene therapy research is in its adolescence, and the ups and downs are played out almost every day…

CEO Spotlight: Laura Knight, COO, The Smarter Food Company

22nd March 2021

Our ‘CEO Spotlight’ series seeks to recognise the wide range of diverse innovators we work with and support. In the most recent instalment, we hear from…

CEO Spotlight: Fiona Marshall

11th February 2021

In recognition of wide range of diverse innovators we work with and support, we are launching our ‘CEO Spotlight’ series. We will be chatting with a selection of our Portfolio Company CEO’s to learn more…

Staying agile in early-stage deep technology companies

14th December 2020

Not every journey reaches its intended destination or takes the expected path en route to success. This is as true for commercialising scientific innovations as it is for any other business…

Virtual business: completing a merger online

2nd November 2020

Completing a UK/US merger can be a complicated and demanding undertaking at the best of times, let alone during a global pandemic. However, for UKI2S portfolio…

Tips for first-time fundraising

27th July 2020

In our latest guest blog, Antoine Espinet, Founder and CEO of MicrofluidX, shares his insights on how to build your team, tell your story and secure investors to manage a successful fund raise.

From academia to start-up: how to build a successful spin-out

7th July 2020

Jim Naismith is Founder and Technical Director of GyreOx, a biotechnology company recently set up with investment from the UK Innovation and Science Seed Fund (UKI2S).

Financial management in a crisis: how can early stage technology companies survive a pandemic

18th June 2020

In the current global climate, many people – and businesses – are struggling. On both a personal and professional level, these are the start of some challenging times…

Keeping operational in COVID: pandemic planning and resilience

2nd June 2020

Dr Carolyn Porter, CEO of CytoSeek, shares her experiences of running a company during the coronavirus pandemic and how the Company was able to keep running as usual through these challenging times.

The challenges of running a start-up through a pandemic: Hiring

28th May 2020

Atelerix is a biotechnology company providing an innovative solution for storing and transporting cells and tissues at room temperature.

Corporate communications in the COVID-19 crisis

9th April 2020

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues, science-based companies are having to adjust their communications strategies.

How to build a start-up: Launching early stage science companies

10th February 2020

Barbara Domayne-Hayman is an expert in supporting early stage companies in the UK life sciences industry, both as an entrepreneur and now also on the investment side.

Expert Interview with serial academic founder Professor Che Connon

6th January 2020

Starting a company will always be daunting, but what specific factors should university spin-outs consider to help the process run smoothly?

Tropic Bioscience selecting talent for your startup

Expert Interview with Gilad Gershon: Selecting the right talent for your start-up

20th November 2019

The success of the UK in starting and growing biotech companies is well known, but for most people the sector is synonymous only with healthcare and new medicines.

Expert Interview with Robert Haigh: Top Tips for Biopharma Start-ups

31st October 2019

Despite so much political and economic uncertainty, the UK life sciences start-up sector continues to thrive.

Shared Experience Raising Venture Capital

Shared Experience From Raising Venture Capital for a Technology Business

4th June 2013

Tim Grasby recently joined Midven as an investment manager to develop its relationship with Harwell Capital, targeting investment into UK based technology focused business.

Latest Insights, Interviews, News, and Resources.

What makes an exceptional start-up leader?

The role of seed funding in net zero solutions

Science Ventures Series: Valuation of start-ups as a seed investor

Science Venture Series: How can start-ups build a strong reputation?

Science Ventures Series: UK start-ups & later-stage fundraising

CEO Spotlight: Steve Bennington, CEO of Q5D

Supporting the leaders of tomorrow’s scale ups with Horizon 37

Cross-cultural collaboration: learning from each other

Patenting Innovation: Intellectual property in gene editing

CEO Spotlight: Laura Knight, COO, The Smarter Food Company

CEO Spotlight: Fiona Marshall

Staying agile in early-stage deep technology companies

Virtual business: completing a merger online

Tips for first-time fundraising

From academia to start-up: how to build a successful spin-out

Financial management in a crisis: how can early stage technology companies survive a pandemic

Keeping operational in COVID: pandemic planning and resilience

The challenges of running a start-up through a pandemic: Hiring

Corporate communications in the COVID-19 crisis

How to build a start-up: Launching early stage science companies

Expert Interview with serial academic founder Professor Che Connon

Expert Interview with Gilad Gershon: Selecting the right talent for your start-up

Expert Interview with Robert Haigh: Top Tips for Biopharma Start-ups

Shared Experience From Raising Venture Capital for a Technology Business

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