Oxford‪+‬ Susannah de Jager

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Irene Tracey, Vice-Chancellor of the University of Oxford and co-author of the University Spin Out Review, to delve into the myths and truths uncovered through the review. Through the conversation, they discuss the role of universities in fostering innovation, the challenges faced by female entrepreneurs in the sector, and the importance of private investment in university projects.
(0:12) Introduction(1:11) The University Spin Out Review(8:52) Can every university town can have its own cluster?(22:27) The future for Oxford(33:28) Addressing the entrepreneurship gender gap(39:20) Exploring university funding
About the guest:Irene Tracey is a distinguished academic and current Vice Chancellor of Oxford University. Her association with Oxford dates back to her undergraduate studies in biochemistry.
After graduating from Oxford, she specialised in Magnetic Resonance Imaging at Harvard Medical School before returning to Oxford in 1997 as a founding member of the Oxford Centre for Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging of the Brain, where she served as director from 2005 to 2015.
Irene has occupied numerous senior leadership roles within the University and has contributed to numerous national and international committees in her field of research. Notably, she co-authored the University Spin Out Review with Andrew Williamson from Cambridge Innovation Capital, contributing significantly to discussions around the investment ecosystem in and around Oxford.
Find out more about Irene's work with the University of Oxford here.
Read the University Spin Out Review here.
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager sits down with Ed Bussey, CEO of Oxford Sciences Enterprise (OSE), to discuss the future of the scientific ecosystem of Oxford, the challenges and opportunities it presents, and how to navigate it effectively.
Ed shares his insights and experiences as a venture capitalist, addressing myths and misconceptions about the Oxford ecosystem, the importance of transparency, and the role of government and investment capital in science and technology initiatives.
(0:12) Introduction(3:10) Venture Building and Entrepreneurial Empathy(9:06) OSE's Role(28:20) The Impact of the Ellison Institute for Technology(35:28) The Path Forward
About the guest:Ed Bussey is the CEO of OSE, Oxford Science Enterprises, which was originally Oxford Science Innovation, the largest university venture fund globally.
He studied natural sciences at Cambridge University before starting his career serving in counter-terrorism operations with the UK military and national security agencies.
Ed is a serial entrepreneur and leading UK technology expert having launched, scaled and successfully exited three venture-backed disruptive technology businesses.Connect with Ed on LinkedIn
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Dave Norwood, founder of IP Group PLC and Oxford Science Innovation as they discuss his experiences and insights into the potential of Oxford as a hub for innovation, particularly in AI and quantum computing.
The conversation also delves into the unique ecosystem of Oxford and the challenges and successes faced by entrepreneurs and innovators in the city, as well as the need for ambition, dreaming big, and collaboration within the Oxford community.
(0:12) Introduction(1:15) How snake bites led to investment insights(11:15) Foreign investment(14:57) Government support and domestic capital(27:30) Cross-pollination and the Ellison Institute for Technology(36:18) Breaking away from myths
About the guest:Dave Norwood is the founder of IP Group PLC and Oxford Science Innovation, now Oxford Science Enterprises, the largest university venture fund globally, which has brought in over 1.5 billion of investment into Oxford since its inception in 2015. 
He has also founded and been a director of numerous UK technology companies including Oxford Nanopore, Proxy Imogen, Synergen, 4D Pharma, Index IT, Evolution Group and Aura Capital. 
Dave is also a grandmaster in chess and has represented both England and Andorra internationally. Without Dave, much of the investment landscape of Oxford would not look how it does today
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Rowan Gardner, co-founder of Precision Life. The topic of discussion delves into the importance of diversifying the investment ecosystem and encouraging more participation from female investors. They also discuss the future of healthcare and the pivotal role AI plays in it, including how AI is reshaping our approach to healthcare, particularly concerning chronic diseases and how we diagnose and treat them.
(0:12) Introduction(1:10) From Oxford Molecular to Precision Life(4:03) The Oxford and Cambridge investing landscapes(15:56) The importance of heterogenous funding sources(19:49) Fostering diversity and inclusion in investment(28:18) The Mansion House Accord
About the guest:Rowan Gardner is a seasoned entrepreneur and CEO with over 30 years of experience in health tech, digital health, deep tech, and biotech. She played a part in one of Oxford University's first spin-outs, Oxford Molecular Group, in 1989 and later listed it on the main London Stock Exchange in 1994. Rowan is a fervent advocate for Oxford and currently serves as the Chief Business and Investment Officer at Precision Life. This platform connects chronic disease patients with the drugs they'll respond to, using mechanistic patient stratification biomarkers.
Connect with Rowan on LinkedIn
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Nicholas Lyons, former Lord Mayor of the City of London and chair of the Phoenix Group, the UK's largest pension provider. The discussion revolves around the Mansion House Compact, a commitment by insurance companies and pension funds to invest 5% of their capital into UK unlisted companies and infrastructure by 2030. Nicholas shares his insights on the importance of infrastructure investment, the growth economy, pensions, and financial literacy.
(0:12) Introduction(2:53) The private sector and economic growth(7:38) The Mansion House Compact outcomes(18:28) How governmental input can stimulate investment(23:35) Gaps in the university ecosystem(37:28) Looking to the future
About the guest:Nicholas Lyons is the former Lord Mayor of the City of London, a position he held following a 21-year career in executive roles in investment banking. In his current role, as the Chair of the Phoenix Group, the UK's largest pension provider, Nicholas' leadership has left an enduring mark on the financial landscape, highlighted by his advocacy for the Mansion House Compact, through which insurance companies and pension funds committed to invest 5% of their capital into UK-listed companies and infrastructure by 2030.
Connect with Nicholas on LinkedIn
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager is joined by Mark Preston, CTO of StreetDrone to talk about the motorsports cluster in Oxford and the challenges and opportunities it presents. They discuss the need for talent mobility, the impact of Brexit on the industry, and the importance of attracting headquarters and startups to the region. Mark and Susannah also take the opportunity to discuss the potential of clusters in other sectors and the need for government support and better immigration policies to attract and retain talent.
(0:12) Introduction(1:13) Background and early entrepreneurship(4:19) Exploring the Motorsport Cluster in Oxford(10:47) Brexit friction(14:44) National Works Programmes and large scale funding solutions(18:35) Growing pains(25:31) StreetDrone and Future Prospects
About the guest:Mark Preston is the CTO of StreetDrone, a pre-seed company developing low-speed, hyper-local deliveries in ports, commercial settings and local neighbourhoods. Mark also has experience within Formula One, having run multiple teams' engineering departments before moving into strategy and executive management within Formula E.
Connect with Mark on LinkedIn
About the host:Susannah de Jager 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
Visit our website to learn more and subscribe to our newsletter - oxfordplus.co.ukIf you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact
Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mischon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.