The Enterprise Sessions

How can the UK address its technology skills gap? Professor Michele Barbour speaks with Kirsten Cater, Professor of Computer Science at the University of Bristol. Kirsten leads the skills and training aspect of the MyWorld project, addressing the significant skills gap in a rapidly evolving technological landscape.

How are novel quantum technologies being applied to meet market demands? Find out as Professor Michele Barbour speaks to Anthony Laing, Professor of Physics and Co-Director of the Quantum Engineering and Technology labs at the University of Bristol and CEO of Duality Quantum Photonics. Anthony outlines his career journey from mature student to CEO and the importance of customer-centricity in gaining market traction.

What is the future of hydrogen as a renewable fuel source? Professor Michele Barbour talks with Dr Neha Chandarana, a Lecturer in Bio-based and Sustainable Composites at the University of Bristol. Neha explores the potential applications of hydrogen, from heating to various modes of transport. She also shares insights into her role as the Equity, Diversity and Inclusivity Champion for the University’s Faculty of Engineering.

How could a chance discovery in cuttlefish biology help protect our sight? Join Professor Michele Barbour in conversation with Dr Shelby Temple, the CEO and Co-Founder of Azul Optics, a medical device company focused on using innovative screening technologies to improve eye health. Hear about Shelby’s transition from academia to entrepreneurship and the importance of building the right team.

What can we learn from our history to make positive changes for the future? Professor Michele Barbour investigates this question with Dr Joanna Burch-Brown, Senior Lecturer in Philosophy, Co-Chair of the Bristol Histories Commission, and Co-Director of Bridging Histories. Joanna talks about her work to celebrate diversity, empower people, and foster a sense of collective heritage.

How do you launch a new business without the necessary infrastructure to support it? If you’re Dr Harry Destecroix you build it yourself. Professor Michele Barbour sits down with the Science Creates Founder to talk about the remarkable success of an ecosystem that combines specialist incubator facilities, a network of strategic partners and a dedicated venture capital fund – and aims to make Bristol a global centre for deep tech.

What is the future of human-computer interaction? Join Professor Michele Barbour in conversation with Dr Tom Carter, the CEO and Co-Founder of Ultraleap, a tech company dedicated to breaking barriers between the virtual and physical worlds. Learn about their innovative hand-tracking and mid-air haptics technologies that promise to redefine how we interact with digital content.

How do you drive innovation around something as basic as toilet provision? Professor Michele Barbour talks to Amber Probyn about PEEQUAL, the UK's first freestanding women's urinal. Amber reveals how she and her business partner Hazel McShane turned a revolutionary product idea, devised as part of their degrees, into an award-winning business.

How do we ensure antibiotics are used in the right way? Professor Michele Barbour sits down with Dr Neciah Dorh, the CEO of health-tech start-up FluoretiQ. They are aiming to improve diagnostics at the point of care to prevent misuse of antibiotics and help mitigate antibiotic resistance. Hear about Neciah’s journey from PhD student to Founder, the support he found he needed, and the partnerships he forged.

How can AI reduce the costs of creating 3D digital assets for games, film and animation? Find out as Professor Michele Barbour talks to Konstantina Psoma, the CEO and Co-Founder of Kaedim, a deep tech startup that uses machine learning to speed up the manual process of turning 2D concept art into 3D models.

How could biological peptides reshape materials science? Join Professor Michele Barbour in conversation with Dr Martin Challand about his journey from PhD student to CTO and Co-Founder of Zentraxa, a biotech company working to engineer novel biomaterials based on naturally occurring marine molecules. Martin describes the technology involved, its initial applications for medical and industrial adhesives and shares his insights on how to navigate funding challenges and the role of a CTO.

How can we build more diverse, equal and inclusive workplaces? Join our host Michele Barbour as she talks to Roberta Guerrina, Professor of Politics, Director of the Gender Research Centre at the University of Bristol and Project lead for EQUAL IN-SIGHT. Find out how this consultancy is using a unique, data-driven and technology-enabled approach to help companies engage with the complex challenges of equality, diversity and inclusion.

How is nuclear research helping to power the country and address global energy challenges? Our host Michele Barbour talks to Mahmoud Mostafavi, Professor of Structural Integrity at the University of Bristol and Co-Director of the South West Nuclear Hub. Learn about the University’s longstanding partnership with EDF Energy, its evolution over time and the critical role it plays in ensuring the smooth operation of power plants.

How do you make physical chemistry a TV and Hollywood star? ​Our host Michele Barbour speaks to Wuge Briscoe, Professor of Physical Chemistry at the University of Bristol, about his partnership with global industry leader Snow Business to develop eco-friendly snow for special effects. Learn how his team overcame scientific challenges and initial failures to create a product that stars in the latest blockbusters.