This week Faye and James sit down with Martin Rigby, co-founder of ET Capital, for a must-listen conversation that challenges the traditional venture capital playbook.

Martin shares insights from his research, revealing that a diversified investment strategy in Cambridge tech deals since the mid-1990s has consistently outperformed traditional stock market benchmarks like the FTSE 100.

Key highlights include:

🚀ET Capital's Journey

Martin recounts his journey from a venture capital firm to establishing ET Capital, which has managed nine funds since its inception in 1993. The firm has successfully backed notable companies, including those in life sciences and low carbon technologies.

🚀 A new kind of fund

ET Capital is shaking things up with a fund designed to open doors, making high-growth Cambridge startups accessible to investors beyond the typical angel networks.

🚀 Backing the ecosystem

From partnering with Cambridge Enterprise to Deep Tech Labs, Martin shares how collaboration is key to unlocking the region’s startup potential.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode we’re diving deep into AI optimisation with Ushnish Sengupta and Federica Freddi, the co-founders of Sqwish, a startup on a mission to make AI smarter and more efficient.

Ushnish and Federica share their unique journeys and how a shared vision at MediaTek led to the creation of Sqwish: an “efficiency layer” for AI that’s already reducing input sizes by up to 10x and transforming GenAI performance.

Key Highlights:

· The entrepreneurial spark - from childhood toy trades to cutting-edge tech

· Tackling one of AI’s biggest challenges: cost and latency

· Why Sqwish is just getting started, with tools like smart routing and output compression on the horizon

If you're working with GenAI, building AI products, or curious about startup journeys from within the Cambridge ecosystem then this is for you.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week’s episode Faye and James welcome two inspiring guests: Natalie Gray, head of marketing and partnerships at Codurance, and Ilker Akansel, a community strategy consultant. They delve into the importance of grassroots tech communities and how they contribute to a vibrant tech ecosystem.

Key Insights include:

· The Importance of Community: Ilker emphasises, “Technical communities provide support to all the moving parts within entrepreneurial ecosystems.” These communities foster collaboration and innovation, essential for growth in the tech sector.

· Creating Safe Spaces: Natalie shares that grassroots communities offer a “safe space where you can practice, make mistakes, and learn your craft.” This is crucial for both newcomers and seasoned professionals looking to enhance their skills.

· Intentionality in Community Building: Ilker highlights the need for a clear purpose in community initiatives, stating, “If you put the member journey at the centre of the community, you can't really fail.” This focus ensures that communities remain relevant and valuable to their members.

· Regular Engagement: Natalie stresses the importance of consistency, saying, “As soon as you start skipping events, that’s when cracks start to show.” Regular meetings help maintain engagement and commitment from members.

Produced by Cambridge TV

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.