In this episode, Susannah de Jager is joined by George Robinson, founding partner of Oxford Investment Consultants (OIC). Established in 2015, OIC has directed substantial investments into early-stage technology and biotech companies originating from Oxford and other UK universities, particularly focusing on high-potential, innovative spinouts.

The conversation explores Robinson's journey from investing in listed equities in Asia to championing early-stage technology ventures in the UK. Throughout the episode, George shares insights into the challenges of university spinouts, discussing the complexities of evaluating new technologies, the strategic importance of assembling a well-rounded team, and the essential qualities he seeks in leadership.

• (00:00) - Meet George Robinson: Founding Partner of Oxford Investment Consultants
• (01:44) - George's Journey: From Listed Equities to University Spinouts
• (03:38) - Challenges and Opportunities in University Spinouts
• (04:25) - Building a Strong Investment Team
• (06:07) - Navigating Market Fit and Commercial Success
• (07:27) - Overcoming Technical and Commercial Hurdles
• (19:44) - The Importance of Team Evolution
• (24:51) - Funding Challenges and Strategies
• (34:25) - Evaluating Market Potential and Competitors
• (39:20) - Spotlight on Oxford PV: A Promising Solar Technology
• (40:55) - Conclusion and Farewell

An active investor with a keen focus on Oxford’s innovation landscape, Robinson was an early backer and former board member of companies like Adaptive Immune Therapeutics and Immunocore. He is also a founding partner of Technicos, a private equity firm investing in spinouts from Oxford's Institute of Biomedical Engineering.

With a distinguished career that began in listed equities, Robinson co-founded Sloan Robinson in 1993, focusing on global investments with a speciality in Asia and emerging markets. An Honorary Fellow of Keble College, Oxford, he holds a B.A. in Engineering Science and has served on Oxford University’s Endowment Investment Committee.

Connect with George 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.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode, Susannah de Jager is joined by Sue Douglas, Co-Founder of Veer, a pioneering journalist and media consultant turned tech entrepreneur.

Through their conversation, Sue brings a fresh perspective to the Oxford innovation landscape, drawing from her experience in journalism and her new venture, Veer—a machine learning start-up which focuses on transforming the recruitment process by shifting the emphasis from traditional experience to an individual's skills, ambitions, and potential.

Sue shares the inspiration behind Veer, her journey back into academia, and the role AI can play in uncovering career paths that align more authentically with an individual’s interests and capabilities. She reflects on her unconventional career path, her experience navigating Oxford’s start-up ecosystem, and her vision for a more inclusive, skill-based approach to work.

• (00:00) - Oxford+ S2 E5 Charting Fresh Career Paths with Sue Douglas, Co-Founder of Veer
• (02:33) - The Birth of Veer: From Idea to Reality
• (05:02) - Navigating Recruitment with AI
• (09:05) - The Importance of Valued Work
• (17:05) - Challenges and Opportunities in Oxford
• (26:57) - Future of Veer and Final Thoughts

Following a severe horse-riding accident, Sue continued her consultancy work and, in 2022, co-founded Veer, a machine learning start-up with Professor Sir Nigel Shadbolt. Veer focuses on reshaping recruitment by prioritising skills over experience, helping individuals uncover career paths aligned with their unique talents and ambitions.

Connect with Sue 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.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.

In this episode, Susannah de Jager welcomes Lily Elsner, CEO and Co-Founder of Jack Fertility. The conversation explores Lily’s journey from the US, to becoming a startup founder in Oxford. Lily shares her experiences across various roles in Oxford, highlighting how the support ecosystem within Oxford helped to shape her entrepreneurial path. The conversation also focuses on Jack Fertility, how the service aims to address male infertility, the hurdles faced by female founders, the potential for more integrated ecosystems in Oxford and the importance of gender inclusivity in business leadership

• (00:00) - Introduction to Male Infertility
• (00:26) - Meet Lily Elsner: CEO and Co-Founder of Jack Fertility
• (01:51) - Lily's Journey to Oxford and Career Path
• (03:20) - The Oxford Ecosystem and Its Opportunities
• (04:25) - Challenges and Opportunities in Oxford
• (08:56) - Founding Jack Fertility: The Inspiration and Journey
• (15:17) - Breaking Taboos and Technological Innovations
• (18:44) - Barriers to Male Fertility Treatment
• (21:16) - Innovative Postal Fertility Testing
• (23:53) - Direct-to-Consumer vs. B2B Models
• (25:07) - Challenges in the UK Investment Landscape
• (28:03) - Current Fundraising Efforts
• (31:52) - Gender Bias in Venture Capital
• (37:44) - Strategies to Mitigate Gender Bias
• (41:52) - Conclusion and Final Thoughts

Connect with Lily 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.uk
If you have a question for Susannah, please get in touch - oxfordplus.co.uk/contact

Oxford+ is hosted by Susannah de Jager, supported by Mishcon de Reya and produced and edited by Story Ninety-Four in Oxford.