Quantum Light’s Post

Oxford Seed Fund was the highlight of my MBA over the past year at Oxford 💫 I consider myself incredibly lucky to have been able to interact with several amazing mission-driven founders, and to have been personally involved in scouting, investing in and supporting a few incredible people: Samuel Akinwunmi, Rohan Doctor, Bosco Lai, Gaurav Bajaj, Mihai Mărcuță, Elisabeth Duijnstee, Lucy Lyons, Alex Routledge, Johann van der Merwe, CFA, Jas Schembri-Stothart, Jo Goodall, Peter N., Amie Leighton + one crazy genius person ( and a good friend) building in stealth. Only time will tell how these investments play out, but - although I'm very biased :P - I am very bullish about these founders and am excited to see them grow their ventures 🚀 I am also looking forward to seeing the growth journey of startups we did not back this year. Rather than the quality of startups, it was more constraints around not having enough time ( juggling a near-FT #venturecapital gig with a FT #mba isn't easy!), limited capital to deploy and sometimes not being able to find the right industry expert to speak with. I do wish the best for all these founders and hope they prove me/us wrong ✨ I learnt so much about different industries and problem statements, jumping between founder calls in fields varying from quantum to space to battery tech to crypto to climate tech to B2B SaaS/ enterprise software to consumer social - sometimes multiple times during the same day! I also really enjoyed the due diligence process - doing industry research across websites, white papers and research papers, finding and speaking with relevant industry experts and also finding co-investors to help close a deal. I do think the University of Oxford startup ecosystem and alumni founder network has a lot of untapped potential 💫 Maybe it's about time we started an alumni syndicate to start supporting founders in the earliest stages and build an early-stage investment ecosystem similar to Stanford? 🤔 Dm if interested. I thank James Murray, Maria Zubeldia Diaz and Lilly B. for giving me the opportunity to be a part of this transformational experience, and my colleagues Arif A. Wani, Michael H., Alex Prittie, Celina Nanbara, Viktoriia Oliinyk 🇺🇦, Raymond Zhao, Isabel Greenslade, Julia Bator, Isobel Dunstan, Lenny Jenkins and Sarah E. for working on several deals with me - and also bearing with me during internal debates on which startups we should move ahead to IC 🙈 I also thank Ophelia C, Mish Mashkautsan, Tom Wilson, Nick Jenkins, Michael Tefula, Miruna-Ioana Girtu for sharing their #vc insights during our VC advisory board sessions every quarter. As this chapter of my life closes, I would like to highlight that Oxford Seed Fund will be hiring new student associates for this upcoming academic year - please reach out to Arif A. Wani to learn more 😄 p.s. apologies, v busy with new gig so can't take calls w/ everyone reaching out 🙏🏾

Oxford Seed Fund closes the year with ~£1M deployed across 20 Oxford-affiliated ventures, with recent investments spanning #health, #climate, #AI, #quantum, #deeptech & more. This caps off a successful year of experiential education, diligence and investment. See our most recent investments below: 🐶LatusPet: multiomics-based, ML-driven disease diagnostics for pets Bobojon ⚛️Quantum Light: novel pigments with Nobel Prize-winning nanotechnology Olga ♻CyanoCapture: gen-engineered cyanobacteria for carbon capture David, Uma ♀️luna: the go-to medically verified teen health & well-being app Jo, Jas 🔥Kestrix: mapping heat loss via thermal drones & AI to inform retrofit Lucy ♒Twin Paradox Labs: commercial quantum tech via novel electro-optics Peter ❔4 undisclosed deals: spanning advertising, fintech, climate & crypto. 🗞 Read more about our investments here https://lnkd.in/erP2dT8M 🙌 A big well done to student directors Alex, Celina, Isabel, Isobel, Julia, Raymond, Viktoriia, Yusuf and visiting student investors Lenny, Sarah ✨ If you're an angel, VC, or LP looking to invest into the very best Oxford-affiliated ventures, please connect with our alumni team Arif, Michael 📥 Are you a current or incoming Oxford student interested in venture capital? We've opened up applications for next year's cohort - link in the comments 👇 🙏 And thanks to OSF's home, the Entrepreneurship Centre at Saïd Business School, Saïd Business School, University of Oxford & University of Oxford.

We're thrilled to announce that applications are now open for our new programme, Venture Physics! ⚛🔭 This unique initiative, delivered in collaboration with the University of Oxford, Department of Physics, is designed to bridge the gap between scientific research in physics and entrepreneurship.   👨🔬 Who can apply? This programme is tailored specifically for physics DPhils, postdocs and research staff eager to explore the entrepreneurial potential of their research and develop the skills needed to bring innovative ideas to market.   🚀 What will you gain? Venture Physics is centred around the physics market, helping you transform your research into viable market solutions. The programme features focused sessions on: - Developing your entrepreneurial mindset and discovering opportunities - Crafting your business model and core value propositions - Building a minimum viable product - Intellectual property and why it matters - Building your Founding Team - Funding strategies for physics start-ups   🗣️ Plus engaging panel discussions with physics entrepreneurs reflecting on their journeys from the lab to market success and fund raising.   📅 Don’t miss out! Seats are limited. Apply now and take the first step towards turning your research into impact. https://lnkd.in/gn2rhFUY #physics #entrepreneurship #StartUp #ScientificResearch

🚀 Exciting news from Northeastern University! They have been awarded $299,898 by the National Science Foundation (NSF) to catalyze deep tech innovation and entrepreneurship through international partnerships. This project aims to enhance the impact of NSF-sponsored research by supporting the formation and success of small business concerns founded by the NSF SBIR and STTR programs. These companies are tackling critical challenges in renewable energy, semiconductor technologies, national security, and medical innovations. #SBIR #STTR #Innovation 🌍 By facilitating international cooperation, this project will boost the economic competitiveness of the U.S. and improve research and education infrastructure. It also aims to support diverse participants in founding and leading deep-tech startups. The project will address knowledge gaps and test solutions with U.S. startup founders and prospective partners. This grant, classified as a Project Grant (B), will last for 12 months, starting on September 1, 2024, and ending on August 31, 2025. #DeepTech #Entrepreneurship #Research

For 100 years, the Technion - Israel Institute of Technology has been the engine of ingenuity and entrepreneurship for Israel, the Startup Nation. “This study from Stanford University proves there is some special sauce in the Technion that distinguishes it from other universities,” said Michael Waxman-Lenz, chief executive officer of the American Technion Society. New research from the Stanford University Graduate School of Business shows that the Technion has a 25 times higher chance than any other university outside the United States to produce a U.S. unicorn. A unicorn is a startup valued at more than $1 billion that is privately owned and not listed on a share market. Read on to learn why... #israel #unicorn #startupnation #technion

Research Institution Proof of Concept, Startup Accelerator, and Venture Fund Gap Fund and Accelerator Programs (GAP for short) #innovation #university #research #gapfunding #proofofconcept #startup #accelerator #venture #commercialization

Research Institution Proof of Concept, Startup Accelerator, and Venture Fund Gap Fund and Accelerator Programs (GAP for short) #innovation #university #research #gapfunding #proofofconcept #startup #accelerator #venture #commercialization

What does it take to scale a company from the university lab to IPO & beyond? Dave Grimm, Partner AlbionVC and UCL Technology Fund discusses all things university spinouts, from what it takes to work at the earlier stages of venture, to our special partnership with UCL and why now is a very exciting time for the UK #deeptech ecosystem. Having backed over 30 university spinouts (4 went on to IPO on NASDAQ and 2 exited to big tech), David shares that deeptech founders need to love the problem they are solving more than the technology. "’𝘐’𝘮 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘭𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘯 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮 (𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘰𝘣𝘴𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯). 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘪𝘳 𝘣𝘪𝘨 𝘷𝘪𝘴𝘪𝘰𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘢 𝘭𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘫𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩.." What makes UCL Technology Fund different: 🌎 3/4 companies are aligned with the UN Sustainable Development Goals that promote a healthy planet, healthy people and healthy work 🤝 Together with UCL Business Ltd, we work at the earliest stages of ventures, supporting founders at the ideation stage 🚀 Over £2bn external funding has been raised by our companies including some in David's personal portfolio Phasecraft (Series A, working towards quantum advantage), Intrinsic ID (Series A, semiconductor memory) Bramble Energy Limited (Series B, fuel cell technology for clean transportation), Humanloop (ex YC, one of Europe’s most exciting gen AI companies), Echopoint Medical Ltd (Series A, optical sensing) and most recently Oriole Networks (photonics for data centres) and Stanhope AI (agentic AI). Full interview with David in Maddyness UK here: https://lnkd.in/evcdzfQH #deeptech #spinouts #UCL #founders #spinputs #universityspinouts

Some more good news for Cambridge! 🙌 Not only was Cambridge recently named the world’s most intensive science and technological cluster by Global Innovation Index for the third year running, but today, Cambridge will set out a plan to supercharge the impact of the Greater Cambridge area. It will do this by doubling the rate at which it builds unicorns, doubling the venture capital investment the city’s startups receive, and creating twice as many science and innovation companies – all within a 10-year timetable. Leading companies to be founded in Cambridge in the last 25 years include Arm, Bicycle Therapeutics, CMR Surgical, Darktrace, Healx and Raspberry Pi, delivering the same amount of economic growth in the next 10 years as achieved in the last 25. The city’s tech and life sciences companies have raised over $892 million in venture capital funding this year alone, up 38% compared to 2023, according to Dealroom. Quantum company Riverlane’s $75 million round in August significantly contributed to this growth. This means Cambridge could be on track for its best year for VC since 2021, overtaking 2023’s $1.1bn. https://lnkd.in/eghCquPv #cambridge #powerhouse #techlifesciences

Fund Launch Announcement 🚨 Parkwalk is delighted to announce the launch of the Imperial College Enterprise Fund III. The Fund is run in conjunction with Imperial Enterprise. It invests in disruptive technology and hard science companies linked to Imperial College, one of the top 10 ranked universities in the world. The previous two Imperial Funds have provided backing to high-growth early-stage companies, from Charco developing a non-invasive wearable device managing Parkinson’s symptoms to green energy storage technology, to sensor-based GripAble devices for rehabilitation and Fresh Check: Confirming Hygiene, who have created a novel colour change technology detecting bacterial contamination. Martin Glen, Investment Director at Parkwalk, said: “We are pleased to launch the third fund with the team at Imperial College Enterprise, which has an innovative ecosystem of deep science and technology businesses. With our expertise in scaling and commercialising early-stage university spin-outs, and Imperial College’s impressive global top-10 position in R&D, we are excited to be supporting the next wave of entrepreneurs.” Find out more about the Imperial College Enterprise Fund III here: https://rebrand.ly/jpl3f4a #ImperialCollege #InvestingInInnovation #Launch Don’t invest unless you’re prepared to lose all the money you invest. This is a high-risk investment, and you are unlikely to be protected if something goes wrong. Take 2 mins to learn more: https://rebrand.ly/gadzhlk Parkwalk Advisors is authorised and regulated by the FCA: 502237 Past performance may not be repeated and is not indicative of future results. 16/01/2024