In this episode, Ewan talks about his first entrepreneurial venture - a CAD software company built in his bedroom in the mid-eighties - and what it taught him about selling. He shares what it was really like to arrive at Goldman Sachs knowing nothing about finance, how he built Cantab Capital Partners from a blank sheet of paper into a multi-billion dollar fund, and what happened when it all nearly fell apart in 2013.

We also get into leadership, luck, and why he thinks most successful people dramatically overestimate how much credit they deserve. Plus his philosophy on philanthropy - and why he thinks giving money to safe projects is a waste of everyone's time.

If you're a founder, an entrepreneur, or just someone trying to build something that matters, this one's for you.

In this conversation, they explore why founders should build their networks before they need them, common misconceptions about accelerators and fundraising, lessons learned through failure, and why vulnerability may be one of the most underrated leadership strengths. For anyone building something - or considering it - this episode offers practical insight and hard-earned perspective.

Matthew Stafford is co-founder of 9others and has spent over a decade working in venture capital and early-stage investing. He supports founders navigating the realities of building high-growth businesses and believes great companies are built not only on capital, but on strong relationships and courageous leadership. He is co-author of Find Your Nine Others.

Katie Lewis is co-founder of 9others and has worked across accelerators, venture programmes, and startup ecosystems internationally. She is passionate about helping founders build businesses that solve real problems and create meaningful impact. Katie champions contribution, community, and the power of an abundant mindset. She is co-author of Find Your Nine Others.

Jon is the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Epitopia, a Cambridge- and Montreal-based company developing next-generation cancer vaccines using mRNA and immunotherapy technologies. Before that, he co-founded Pheno Therapeutics, an Edinburgh University spin-out focused on remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis, and held senior roles at Horizon Discovery and RiboTargets, now Vernalis.

Jon speaks to ideaSpace director, Ben Hartley about his journey from a science-obsessed teenager and Duke University postdoc to becoming a biotech founder shaping the future of oncology. He talks about the spark that led to Epitopia, the challenges of building transatlantic biotech ventures, what makes Cambridge such fertile ground for life-science start-ups, and the importance of curiosity, persistence, and trust in building great teams.

It’s a thoughtful and entertaining Start-up Story so sit back, press play and enjoy!

Scott is a true deep tech pioneer — a serial entrepreneur behind nine technology ventures, including Pragmatic, where he led the development of a groundbreaking flexible semiconductor platform. With over 25 years’ experience, 60+ patents, and recognition as Deep Tech Entrepreneur of the Year (2022), Scott has been at the forefront of telecoms, photonics, semiconductors, and AI innovation.

In this conversation, we dive into:

• What it really feels like to build and scale multiple startups
• The mindset shifts that help founders navigate the ups and downs
• How semiconductors and deep tech are shaping global challenges, from sustainability to national security
• Why enjoying the journey matters as much as the end goal

We talk about navigating uncertainty, bootstrapping a startup, redefining traditional industries, and building impact at scale. Sarjeena opens up about the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, leading a growing team, and why staying grounded in purpose has made all the difference.

It’s an honest, insightful conversation about resilience, innovation, and creating something that truly matters.

What you’ll learn in this episode:

• How a university spinout moves from 10+ years of research into a commercial company - and the trade-offs of building a platform technology

• What “non-dilutive funding” enabled for Vector, and how early grants can accelerate team-building and momentum

• How Lluna approached commercialisation as a non-scientist: translating the science into what investors, pharma partners, regulators, and patients need

• What the CEO role really looks like in an early-stage biotech: business development, partnerships, hiring, strategy, and “connecting the science to the outside world”

• How to choose a lead product when your technology can do many things (the “platform problem”)

• Why founder confidence matters - and how Lluna manages imposter syndrome while taking on bigger leadership challenges

• Why founder communities matter, including Lluna’s work co-founding the Cambridge Female Founders Network to reduce isolation and support women-led ventures

• What’s next for Vector: expanding the team and labs, progressing lead candidates, and preparing for their first fundraise

About the guest:
Lluna Gallego Reyes is the CEO and co-founder of Vector Bioscience Cambridge, a biotech spinout from the University of Cambridge. She also co-founded the Cambridge Female Founders Network, supporting a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

If you’ve ever wondered when to file a patent, how to avoid costly IP mistakes, or what happens when you believe somebody might have procured your idea — this one’s for you.

Beevive is a small company based in the South West that set about creating a series of products based around helping the bee population and spreading the word about their importance to the fragile environmental ecosystem. The company currently has seven employees creating products, such as their bee survival kit, as well as opportunities to engage with schools and global organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund.

It's another chance to hear more about the highs and lows of an interesting business founder's journey.

Paysend is a next-generation integrated global payment ecosystem, enabling consumers and businesses to pay and send money online anywhere, anyhow and in any currency. It is UK-based and has global reach having been created in April 2017 with the clear mission to change how money is moved around the world.

Alex has helped many businesses to attract, retain, and develop exceptional talent while creating unique workplace cultures by working closely with the CEO and executive leadership team across the full spectrum of people and culture. In this podcast, we look into what makes founders and entrepreneurs tick, learn how startups can build high performing people and culture teams from scratch, and also hear about some of the failures aspiring CEOs make along the way.

Listen as they discuss working with startups, the art of storytelling in the sustainability space, and the exciting journey of making companies more sustainable and sustainable companies bigger. It also looks at the role of startups in climate action, and the need for businesses to integrate sustainability into their core operations.

As former CEO and CSO of creative agency Grey London, Leo spent 25 years advising global clients on marketing, branding, innovation, culture-change and sustainability.

He's also an adviser to Carbon13, the venture builder for the climate emergency, and holds a distinction from the Cambridge University Institute of Sustainability Leadership. Leo is also a published author, blogger, podcaster, regular LSE lecturer and inspiring speaker.

Hear how Umaima moved from a successful career as a finance lawyer into the world of entrepreneurship and healthcare, via her role in business development at AstraZeneca. She tells us about how the idea came about, the importance of good hires and provides some tips on securing early investors.

Simon Hall, a journalist of 25 years' experience, mostly as a News Correspondent with the BBC, and who has worked across TV, radio and online is our guest for this episode. He's also an author of eight novels and a series of non-fiction business communication books. He supports startups and entrepreneurs, particularly with communication skills and packages, including pitching for investment and customers.

He spoke to us about all things comms, with a focus on founders and Start-ups. The episode is full of hints and tips on pitching and presenting, offers guidance on how to avoid the common communication traps and tells us why storytelling is an important way to communicate your brand.

It's also full of practical advice to help you in defining a headline and your core value proposition. If you're not sure where to start with communications for your Start-up then this is the episode for you!

Simon, chair of Cambridge Angels, has invested in over fifty companies, mainly tech focused and in the UK. Phil founded Cambridge Silicon Radio and joined Cambridge Angels after the company was acquired by Qualcomm. 

Both bring a wealth of experience to this week's podcast - the first in our Business Basics series. So take a listen to get some great insights into what makes a pitch great, what to avoid and the one thing you need to remember when preparing.