Business and innovation partnerships

Find contact information for business and innovation partnerships staff.

The Business & Innovation Partnerships (BIP) team works with large firms, external partners and SMEs in key sectors to forge institutional-level business partnerships that will extend UCL’s research into new areas and lead to new innovations with industry. The Acting Director is Michael Reynier.

View members of the team by sector or specialism:

• Creative industries
• Pharma and healthcare
• Technology, engineering and built environment
• Public sector and the professions
• SMEs

Creative industries

We’re rebuilding our Creative Industries team. In the meantime, please direct any enquiries to michael.reynier@ucl.ac.uk.

Pharma and healthcare

Dr Brian Carter

Principal Partnerships Manager (Pharma & Healthcare)

Tel: 020 3108 7947 (internal: 57947)
Email: brian.g.carter@ucl.ac.uk

Brian focuses on the development of strategic partnerships between external organisations and UCL researchers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He has a particular interest in work related to small molecule drug discovery, structural biology and informatics.

Contact Brian about:

• opportunities to partner with UCL researchers (if you’re a commercial or not-for-profit organisation)
• opening a dialogue with an external organisation about a research project or idea (if you’re a UCL academic)
• exploring an academic-industrial collaboration (if you’re unsure how to start the process)
• strategically developing your academic-industrial partnership

Before joining UCL, Brian was Corporate Relations Coordinator at the University of Cambridge. Before that he worked at the Institution of Engineering and Technology and spent a year working at the Royal Society of Chemistry. He spent 10 years working at IBM, and 10 years as a research scientist for GlaxoSmithKline. He's a member of the Royal Society of Chemistry, a Chartered Chemist and a Chartered Scientist. 

Dr Vassilis Georgiadis

Principal Partnerships Manager (Pharma & Healthcare)

Tel: 020 3108 6962 (internal: 56962)
Email: v.georgiadis@ucl.ac.uk

Vassilis focuses on the development of strategic partnerships between external organisations and UCL researchers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. He has a particular interest in work related to oncology, immunology, neuroscience, cardiometabolic disorders and the microbiome, advanced therapies (e.g. cell and gene therapy), biologics, devices and diagnostics, healthcare engineering, and digital health. 

He also co-chairs the Translation & Industry Delivery Group of the UCL Institute of Healthcare Engineering.

Contact Vassilis about:

• opportunities to partner with UCL researchers (if you’re a commercial or not-for-profit organisation)
• opening a dialogue with an external organisation about a research project or idea (if you’re a UCL academic)
• exploring an academic-industrial collaboration (if you’re unsure how to start the process)
• strategically developing your academic-industrial partnership

Before joining UCL Innovation & Enterprise, Vassilis was a Business and Innovation Manager at UCL’s Translational Research Office, supporting industrial research collaboration activities. Before that he was one of the founding members of Molecular Warehouse, a UK molecular diagnostics and digital health startup.

Vassilis is a molecular and cell biologist by training, with over 10 years’ academic research experience in biomedicine. He holds a BSc in Genetics from Queen Mary University, an MSc in Clinical Neurosciences from UCL, and a DPhil in Cell Biology from the University of Sussex.

Dr Isabel Van De Keere

Senior Partnerships Manager (Pharma & Healthcare)  

Tel: 020 3108 9732
Email: i.vandekeere@ucl.ac.uk 

Isabel focuses on the development of strategic partnerships between external organisations and UCL researchers in the pharmaceutical and healthcare sectors. 

Isabel has expertise in digital therapeutics and digital health, healthcare technology innovation and biomedical engineering, assistive technologies, and medical devices and diagnostics. She has a particular interest in neurological disorders and rehabilitation, neuroscience, and cardiovascular diseases. 

Contact Isabel about:

• opportunities to partner with UCL researchers (if you’re a commercial or not-for-profit organisation)
• opening a dialogue with an external organisation about a research project or idea (if you’re a UCL academic)
• exploring an academic-industrial collaboration (if you’re unsure how to start the process)
• strategically developing your academic-industrial partnership

Isabel founded digital therapeutics startup Immersive Rehab in 2016. The company creates engaging and personalised neurorehabilitation programmes using virtual reality, with the aim of improving patient outcomes and enhancing patient assessments by healthcare professionals.

Before this, Isabel led strategic research and technology transfer projects at Imperial College London. Previously she was responsible for innovation and policy projects at several international nonprofits, NGOs and intergovernmental organisations like the Global Disability Innovation Hub and UNESCO. She has also worked in the deep-tech industry as an innovation consultant and in academia as a scientist and teaching fellow.

Isabel has an MSc in Electro-Mechanical Engineering and a PhD in Biomedical Engineering.

Technology, engineering and built environment

Andrew Huddart

Principal Partnerships Manager (New Technologies, Energy & Engineering Sectors) 

Tel: 020 3108 6980 (internal: 56980)
Mobile: 07976 673435
Email: a.huddart@ucl.ac.uk

Andrew focuses on developing significant innovation partnerships between UCL and companies or civic partners that use digital or operational technologies. His areas of specialisation include digitisation, energy transformation, niche manufacturing and using engineering creatively to tackle unmet needs across society.

Andrew also leads the Innovation & Enterprise team’s support for UCL East.

Contact Andrew about:

• opportunities to partner with UCL researchers (if you’re a business or civic sector organisation), across all campuses, including the PEARL and UCL East developments
• opening a dialogue with an external partner about some applied research (if you’re a UCL academic)
• strategically developing your existing academic-based innovation partnership
• exploring an academic-industrial collaboration (if you’re unsure how to start the process)

Before joining UCL, Andrew managed partnerships for innovation for over 15 years, working in the UK, New Zealand and United States across public, private and higher education sectors. His professional background includes over a decade as a financial journalist for Reuters, and business reporting in the shipping sector. His first degree is a BSc Maritime Studies, and he holds an MSc in Medical Device innovation from Cranfield University.

Dr Laura Bovo

Senior Partnerships Manager (Enabling Technologies) 

Laura focuses on developing significant innovation partnerships between UCL and companies or civic partners that use digital or operational technologies, especially transformational technologies that will enable societal and economic impact. She specialises in the space sector, quantum technologies, sustainable chemistry, clean energy and applied physics in medicine. 

Contact Laura about:

• opportunities to partner with UCL researchers (if you’re a commercial or not-for-profit organisation)
• opening a dialogue with an external organisation about applied translational research or an innovation idea (if you’re a UCL academic)
• ways to stimulate innovation and facilitate external partnerships (if you’re unsure how to start the process)
• developing multi-stakeholder partnerships, and strengthening the links between science, policy and the public
• advice on the range of knowledge exchange pathways and opportunities available to develop innovation partnerships and other collaborations for impact

Before taking this role, Laura was responsible for supporting a range of innovation-related programmes, including innovation networks across different disciplines at UCL.

Laura is a chemist by training, with almost a decade’s experience of academic research in magnetism. She holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Padova, Italy, and worked as a researcher at the London Centre for Nanotechnology at UCL from 2011 to 2018. Laura is a member of the Institute of Physics and of the Royal Society of Chemistry, and sits on group committees for both institutions. More information about Laura's publications is available on IRIS.

Dr Ann Thorpe

Senior Partnerships Manager (Advanced Urban Systems)

Tel: 020 3108 6740 (internal: 56740)
Mobile: 07447 5610030 (preferred)
Email: ann.thorpe@ucl.ac.uk

Ann focuses on facilitating relationships with UCL’s partners in the realm of urban services, particularly smart and sustainable cities and sectors such as transport, built environment, and infrastructure. 

Contact Ann about:

• finding partners, whether looking from outside UCL in, or from UCL out
• tools and techniques for developing partnerships
• agreements, such as non-disclosure or heads of terms
• networking and connections in the realm of smart and sustainable cities

Before joining UCL Innovation & Enterprise, Ann worked in several groups around UCL, including the Transport Institute, the Department of Science, Technology, Engineering and Public Policy, and the Bartlett School of Architecture. She also has experience developing partnerships while holding roles in government and in businesses. She studied at University of California Berkeley, Stanford and the Open University and has expertise in sustainable design and development.

Public sector and the professions

The Public Sector and Professions (PSP) team specialises in developing partnerships with public sector organisations, social enterprises and the third sector (charitable, voluntary and community groups and organisations).

Dr Michael Reynier

Principal Partnerships Manager (Public Sector & the Professions)

Tel: 020 3108 7945 (internal: 57945)
Email: michael.reynier@ucl.ac.uk

Michael leads on business innovation partnerships between UCL and the public sector and the professions. He’s responsible for developing and implementing overarching partnership strategies for key public sector and profession stakeholders such as the Greater London Authority (GLA), local authorities and professional and membership associations such as London First, the CBI and the Knowledge Quarter.

Contact Michael about: 

• opening a dialogue with a public sector organisation or a professional body
• information on how UCL is currently engaging with selected public sector and professional organisations
• opportunities for department, research centre or faculty members to apply their expertise to the public sector or professions
• opportunities for public sector or professional membership organisations to partner with UCL academics

Michael has 14 years’ experience of catalysing partnerships. Before joining UCL, he was Deputy CEO of London Higher, a membership association of nearly 40 of London’s universities. In this role he promoted higher education in London to external stakeholders and liaised with key London agents such as the Mayor’s Office and various business organisations. He also set up collaborations between universities, including medical schools, on urban research and around student entrepreneurship.

Before this he was project coordinator for archaeology in the national Learning & Teaching Network based at the University of Glasgow. He’s also been a junior lecturer in archaeology at the University of Leicester.

James Jennings

Senior Partnership Manager (Public Sector)

Tel: 020 2108 6606 (internal: 56606)
Email: james.c.jennings@ucl.ac.uk

James helps build and maintain partnerships and relationships with a range of public sector organisations.

Contact James about:

• building links and interactions with local government (and entities that sit within it)
• collaborations with third sector and organisations with a strong footprint in the public sector arena
• public policy work in London, UK and overseas
• secondment opportunities to bring public sector staff into UCL to work with academics

James has extensive experience working in local government. He’s led on economic development and business growth, regeneration, housing, and policy and strategy for three local authorities in London and Essex. This included change management, international links and embedding equality, diversity and inclusion policy and practice. He also has experience in the third sector, chairing a charity and a community development trust in south east London. In all these roles James developed and maintained relationships with a range of statutory bodies, businesses and education providers.

James joined UCL from London South Bank University where he worked on complex change management projects and developing new ways of working through innovation. He has an MSc in Politics & Government and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Dr Helen Tsui

Partnership Manager (Public Sector)

Tel: 020 3108 9096 (internal: 59096)
Email: helen.tsui@ucl.ac.uk

Helen supports the delivery of innovation and enterprise partnerships that leverage, in a systematic manner, UCL academic expertise into the public sector. She’s also responsible for UCL Innovation & Enterprise’s engagement with local authorities.

Contact Helen about: 

• bringing UCL academic expertise into the public sector
• developing innovation and enterprise partnerships 
• helping UCL faculties and professional services to support partner organisations to be innovative and enterprising
• organising communications and events to promote and exchange knowledge between UCL and local authority partners

Helen previously managed UCL’s knowledge exchange funding. She’s also worked in UCL Public Policy, promoting engagement and interaction between UCL research activity and external stakeholders, in particular those working in public policy and in public sector. 

Before moving to UCL, Helen worked at Imperial College London where she managed the EPSRC-funded National Service for Computational Chemistry Software, supporting research groups at universities across the UK. She has a PhD in Computational Chemistry from UCL and is trained in project management (PRINCE2 practitioner).

SMEs

Kemil Thomas

Senior Partnerships Manager (High Growth SMEs)

Tel: 020 3108 7934 (internal: 57934)
Email: kemil.thomas@ucl.ac.uk

Kemil is responsible for identifying and developing strategic partnerships between UCL researchers and external commercial partners, with a focus on high-growth SMEs.

He previously managed UCL's Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme and other knowledge-exchange initiatives across faculties within UCL. Before moving to UCL, he worked as a Project Manager with the University of Wales, supporting their enterprise activities. He has experience supporting Innovate UK, European-funded (ERDF, ESF) and other external-funded projects for business engagement and support.

Kemil holds a Master’s degree in Finance from Swansea University and is also trained in project management (PRINCE2 practitioner).

Dr Joe Welch

Knowledge Transfer Partnership Programme Manager

Tel: 020 7679 9933 (internal: 39933)
Mobile: 07917 923689
Email: j.welch@ucl.ac.uk

Joe manages UCL’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) programme. The KTP scheme offers a co-funded mechanism through which academics can put their research into practice and businesses can innovate and grow. Joe works with businesses and academics to scope potential KTP projects and apply for funding from Innovate UK. He then works with academic departments to set them up and oversees them.

Contact Joe if you want to:

• explore if your idea or project could be eligible for the KTP programme
• apply your academic expertise in business/industry environments
• embed new capability in your business/organisation
• strategically develop your academic-industry partnership

Joe joined Innovation & Enterprise from UCL’s Impact team, where he was responsible for developing and supporting impact activities across the Maths & Physical Sciences and Engineering faculties. He also supported strategic institutional impacts through the Office of the Vice-Provost (Research).

Joe currently maintains his role as a Senior Research Fellow at the London Centre for Nanotechnology’s Diamond Electronics Group (UCL) one day a week. Joe has worked in the Diamond group since 2007, performing the role of Lab Manager between 2014 to 2021. Each research project Joe has worked on has been in close collaboration with industry, across a wide range of applications.

Learn more about the benefits of a KTP for company partners or UCL academics.

Rebecca Robinson

Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Project Coordinator

Tel: 020 3108 6625 (internal: 56625)
Email: rebecca.j.robinson@ucl.ac.uk

Rebecca manages the delivery of UCL’s Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) projects, from when they're awarded to when they close. This involves being the first point of contact for company partners, KTP Associates and UCL academics with queries about KTP projects.

Contact Rebecca if you’re:

• a UCL academic, company partner or KTP Associate with a query about a KTP project in set-up or live phase that you’re working on at UCL
• unsure who to contact about your KTP-related enquiry

Rebecca has ten years' international work experience in research, communication, languages and marketing. Before joining UCL, she worked at the European Union, the United Nations and the BBC.

Learn more about the benefits of a KTP for company partners or UCL academics.

Dr Aysha Chaudhary

Business and Innovation Partnerships & Knowledge Transfer Partnerships Administrator  

Tel: 020 3108 5536
Email: a.chaudhary@ucl.ac.uk

Aysha provides administrative support to the wider Business and Innovation Partnerships (BIP) team. In particular, she supports UCL’s Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) programme portfolio.

Contact Aysha if you’re:

• a UCL research services or professional services colleague with a finance, HR or project management query about a KTP project in your department
• unsure who to contact about your KTP-related enquiry

Learn more about the benefits of a KTP for company partners or UCL academics.

Innovate UK EDGE

The Innovate UK EDGE team provides specialist innovation advice and facilitates international partnerships for high-growth SMEs, innovative startups and R&D intensive spinouts.

Jonathan Grinbaud

Programme Manager

Tel: 020 3108 6688 (internal: 56688)
Email: jonathan.grinbaud.15@ucl.ac.uk

Jonathan manages the Innovate UK EDGE programme at UCL Innovation & Enterprise. The programme empowers innovation-driven small and medium-sized enterprises to grow and achieve their industry- and society-transforming ambitions.

Jonathan is responsible for the strategic oversight and management of UCL’s role in Innovate UK EDGE.

Contact Jonathan if you want to:

• find out more about the Innovate UK EDGE programme
• strategically engage with the Innovate UK EDGE programme and team as an internal or external stakeholder

Jonathan initially joined UCL Innovation & Enterprise in 2017 as a Project Officer and then as an Innovation & Growth specialist, supporting London-based SMEs and university spinouts with innovation management and internationalisation.

Jonathan has a Modern European Studies MA from UCL, and a French Master’s degree in European Affairs and International Relations from the Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Lyon (Sciences Po Lyon).

Garry Boyle

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 7911 5717
Email: g.boyle@ucl.ac.uk

Garry works with London-based innovative SMEs and spinouts, helping them realise their high-growth potential. Garry has a particular focus on identifying IP with commercial potential, as well as securing funding and investment. He also helps facilitate international partnerships to enable SMEs to expand and grow globally.

Contact Garry about:

• finding trusted business, research or technology partners internationally 
• accessing funding and finance 
• making global connections  
• improving how you manage innovation
• collaborative commercial R&D projects in the digital health and life sciences industry

Garry holds an MA in Accountancy and Business Law from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh. He also has extensive experience working with innovative spinouts, in particular in the areas of highly technical engineering and life science. He also won national awards for his startup idea at university.

Molly Foulger

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 8957 (internal: 58957)
Email: m.foulger@ucl.ac.uk

Molly works with London-based SMEs and university spinouts to advise and support them on their growth journeys. She helps companies to identify and explore new markets, access funding and investment, and develop their intellectual property. She has a particular focus on international growth and expansion 

Contact Molly about:

• accessing and doing business in new markets
• accessing funding and finance
• identifying sector specific opportunities to develop your business
• making global connections

Before joining UCL, Molly worked on London & Partners accelerator programme, supporting London-based start-ups and scale-ups on their growth journeys, both domestically and internationally. She has particular experience working with companies within the creative and urban sectors.

Molly has a degree in Modern Languages (Spanish) and Business & Management from the University of Manchester.

Alexandra Isevski

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 9399 (internal: 59399)
Email: a.isevski@ucl.ac.uk

Alexandra works with London-based SMEs and university spinouts, providing tailored support to help them with their growth potential. She helps companies access funding and investment, develop their intellectual property and identify and explore new markets.

Contact Alexandra about:

• accessing funding and finance 
• writing business plans
• entering new markets (UK and internationally)
• marketing coaching 
• business development
• IP issues
• making global connections

Before joining the Innovate UK EDGE team, Alexandra managed the UCL Hatchery Incubator Programme, supporting UCL startups and scale-ups on their growth journeys.

Alexandra holds a Bachelor’s degree in Marketing and an MA in Entrepreneurship from London South Bank University. She's also won an award for ‘Exceptional Entrepreneurship Education’ and a grant for her startup idea at university.

Stefan Nardi-Hiebl

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 7937 (internal: 57937)
Email: s.nardi-hiebl@ucl.ac.uk

Stefan provides tailored advice and support to London-based SMEs, including UCL startups and spinout companies. This includes helping them access funding for innovation, write business plans and funding applications, develop and diversify products, plan new markets, and exploit and protect intellectual property.

Contact Stefan about:

• finding trusted business, research or technology partners internationally 
• accessing funding and finance 
• making global connections  
• improving how you manage innovation 

Stefan has more than a decade of experience in healthcare and life sciences in various managerial positions, from multinational enterprises and consulting to the startup sector. 
 
He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from University of Applied Sciences Regensburg, Germany, a Master's degree from London School of Economics and Political Sciences, and an Executive MBA from ESMT Berlin, Germany. 

Lesley Rubenstein-Pessok

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 5839 (internal: 53839)
Mobile: 07702 124292
Email: l.rubenstein-pessok@ucl.ac.uk

Lesley helps London-based technology- and innovation-led companies to grow and scale.

Contact Lesley about:

• business strategies
• business development
• leadership and negotiations training
• mentoring C-suite executives

Lesley has spent her career helping businesses go from concept to commercialisation, get into better shape, problem-solve, strategise and scale-up.

She has established and managed, as a Managing Director or Chief Executive, three organisations, raising public and private funds to do so. She led the privatisation of one of these organisations from a non-profit to a for-profit, raising $2.3 million to do so. She’s set up her own companies to work in local and international business development and mentor clients in sectors including medical, fintech, regtech, chatbots, electronics, large format printing, LED lighting fixtures and controls, hospitality, enterprise software and apps.

Lisa Stafford

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Email: l.stafford@ucl.ac.uk

Lisa works with London-based SMEs who seek to offer solutions to problems affecting communities in the UK and worldwide. She helps companies to refine their business plans, manage and commercialise intellectual property, and  access funding and investment. She also helps companies to identify and access new markets internationally.

Contact Lisa about:

• finding trusted business, research or technology partners in the UK and internationally
• accessing funding and finance
• making global connections and finding networking opportunities
• improving how you manage innovation
• identifying sector specific opportunities to develop your business
• accessing and doing business in new markets

Lisa’s background is in UK foreign direct investment. She’s worked in the Investment Services Team at the Department for International Trade and at London's International Promotion Agency, London & Partners. Here she helped international companies make a business case to expand to the UK, identify market opportunities, and establish their operations.

Lisa holds a Bachelor's degree in International Business with French from Queens University Belfast and a professional diploma in marketing from the Chartered Institute of Marketing.

Marius Stancu

Innovation and Growth Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 7934 (internal: 57934)
Email: m.stancu@ucl.co.uk

Marius offers advice to London based SMEs, supporting their development. He helps companies improve their growth strategy, refine their business plans and funding applications, and identify new opportunities to commercialise their IP.

Contact Marius about:

• accessing funding and finance 
• making global connections  
• improving how you manage innovation
• identifying sector specific opportunities to develop your business
• accessing and doing business in new markets

Marius has a decade of experience supporting SMEs and the London ecosystem. He’s acted as mentor and advisor on various UK and international programmes, managed the business incubator for City, University of London and has been a Visiting Lecturer for Bayes Business School.

Marius holds a BA in International Relations and Politics from Coventry University and has completed the Mastering Design Thinking executive programme with MIT Sloane School of Management.

Isabelle Etheridge

Events and Marketing Officer

Tel: 020 7679 8196 (internal: 08196)
Email: i.etheridge@ucl.ac.uk

Isabelle oversees the events and marketing activities of the Innovate UK EDGE team. She's responsible for coordinating all aspects of events and contributes to the design and production of marketing materials and web communications.

Contact Isabelle about:

• workshops and brokerage events organised or co-organised by the team
• internal and external communications relating to Innovate UK EDGE and/or Enterprise Europe Network London

Suha Nizami

Business Development Specialist

Tel: 020 3108 3762 (internal: 53762)
Email: suha.nizami@ucl.ac.uk

Suha supports the delivery of UCL’s Innovate UK EDGE portfolio by building and maintaining relationships with key internal and external partners and stakeholders. She also monitors and analyses trends and fresh opportunities in the dynamic small and medium-sized business environment.

Contact Suha about:

• the Innovate UK EDGE programme, its eligibility criteria, and how your business may be able to strategically leverage and benefit from the programme
• sharing opportunities and building relationships with the Innovate UK EDGE team as an external innovation ecosystem stakeholder
• reporting and project outputs for the Innovate UK EDGE team