Cambridge Tech Podcast

The latest Cambridge Tech Podcast episode tackles one of the most pressing challenges facing the tech industry today: how do we prepare the next generation for a world fundamentally reshaped by artificial intelligence? The Problem Is RealThe statistics are sobering. The UK has 700,000 unemployed graduates struggling to gain a foothold in the labour market. Young people aren't just worried about AI - they're confused and increasingly anxious about their futures. What makes this episode essential listening is the nuanced, multi-stakeholder perspective it brings, including Liz Tolcher, Associate Partner, PA Consulting; Ayeisha Kone-Massouma, Degree Apprentice Project Manager, Bidwells; and those noted below. The podcast brings together educators, employers, policymakers, and AI experts to explore three critical themes:1. Self-Knowledge Over SpecialisationAnne Bailey, CEO & Co-Founder, Form the Future emphasises that young people's greatest asset is self-awareness:"Your uniqueness, your humanity, your curiosity, your interest, your values - these are the things that should be the driving factors in thinking about what work you want to do in the future."2. Foundational Skills Matter MostAgnieszka Iwasiewicz-Wabnig FRSA, Director, Maxwell Centre, University of Cambridge, argues that critical thinking, ethical discernment, and mental agility are non-negotiable:"Invest in foundational skills, invest in exercising your mental capabilities and you will be competitive against any AI."Aga also raises an important tension: over-optimisation for productivity might actually stifle innovation. Without room for experimentation, there's no space for human creativity to thrive.3. Responsible AI Development for ChildrenMaria Luciana Axente, Founder & CEO, Responsible Intelligence, highlights that most technology isn't built with young people in mind. The UK's "age-appropriate design" legislation represents a breakthrough, but urgent action is needed to prioritise children in AI policy and design.Tune in on your chosen podcast platform to subscribe and listen. Headline sponsor Holden Polestar

The Trinity Bradfield Prize is back, and this year's cohort of winners is nothing short of brilliant. If you're a founder, investor, or simply someone who gets excited about deep tech solving real problems, this episode is essential listening.We’ll hear from this year's winners: GreenMixes, Maricene and Phase Shift. And also, from Pinepeak – a returning winner who this year won the Angel Prize.This isn't a feel-good competition recap. It's a masterclass in how rigorous evaluation, technical depth, and genuine community support can nurture founders solving the world's hardest problems. You'll hear directly from founders grappling with real challenges - resource constraints, market uncertainty, and the pressure of scaling - with refreshing honesty.The Trinity Bradfield Prize represents what's possible when universities, investors, and mentors work together to support deep tech innovation.Headline sponsor Holden Polestar

When Trinity College decided to transform a former farm - complete with redundant railway sidings and stored US Army tanks - into the UK's first science park in 1970, they took a calculated risk that would reshape Cambridge's entire innovation ecosystem. Fast forward 55 years, and Cambridge Science Park remains a masterclass in how to build thriving communities for deep tech and life science companies.We caught up with Jane Hutchins, Director of Cambridge Science Park, on the Cambridge Tech Podcast for an illuminating conversation about what makes science parks tick, why green space matters more than ever, and where the sector is heading next.Whether you're a founder scouting locations, a VC understanding how ecosystems work, or simply curious about how institutions like Trinity College think long-term, this episode delivers genuine insights. Jane's 18-year journey from Southampton to Cambridge - plus her frank discussion of what actually makes companies succeed - is unmissable.Tune in on your chosen podcast platform to subscribe and listen. Headline sponsor Holden Polestar

The latest Cambridge Tech Podcast episode is an absolute masterclass in startup strategy, investment psychology, and navigating the cutthroat world of AI talent. Host James Parton and Faye Holland sit down with Alexander Kardos-Nyheim, whose journey from teenage legal warrior to founding an AI company acquired by Thomson Reuters in just two years, is nothing short of remarkable.This episode cuts through the noise of startup hype and delivers genuine, battle-tested insights. Whether you're wrestling with talent acquisition, navigating investor conversations, or trying to build defensible technology in the AI space, Alex's story offers a masterclass in strategic thinking.Episode Highlights:🎯 How to attract world-class talent to your startup💰 Why US and UK investors think completely differently🤖 The three categories of AI talent (and why two don't matter)📚 Building proprietary technology in a big tech-dominated world🏢 Maintaining startup culture post-acquisitionSubscribe to the Cambridge Tech Podcast to hear the full conversation.

Episode 174 of the Cambridge Tech Podcast reveals an extraordinary approach to drug discovery that sounds like science fiction but is very much reality.If you've ever wondered how we might make pharmaceutical manufacturing greener without sacrificing innovation, this week's episode delivers some genuinely exciting answers.HotHouse Therapeutics, a Norwich-based biotech spinout, is harnessing AI and plant biosynthesis to develop the next generation of therapeutic compounds - and they're doing it in greenhouses, not laboratories.Dr Dave Sheppard and D. Phil Spence joined the show to discuss their genuinely innovative approach to drug discovery. "We use AI and plants to make small molecule therapeutics. Plants have evolved these tools over millions of years to make small molecules - we essentially hijack this system and combine tools from different species to make new molecules with therapeutic purposes."We find out about:Compounds that would take synthetic chemists years to produce individuallyUsing greenhouses and vertical farming rather than chemical labsDiscovery projects (finding new compounds) and production projects (scaling hard-to-access natural compounds)HotHouse Therapeutics are not just building a company; they're pioneering an entirely new approach to drug discoveryOpening a funding round this month (January 2026), aimed expansion into additional therapeutic areas (neurodegeneration, oncology), and a continued focus on proving that sustainable drug discovery isn't just better for the planet, it's better for patients too.The team emphasises Norwich's emerging biotech ecosystem, particularly the John Innes Centre, Norwich Research Park, and Anglia Innovation Partnership. With eight team members currently and plans to scale to 20 post-funding, they're committed to keeping operations rooted in Norwich.This is genuinely exciting stuff. If you're interested in deep-tech innovation, sustainable biotech, or just want to hear how AI is enabling entirely new approaches to one of humanity's oldest challenges, this episode is essential listening.

Ben Stanton from Deloitte makes his record setting fourth appearance on the podcast to walk us through Deloitte's 2026 Tech (and Media and Telecoms) predictions.The discussion isn’t just a forecast - it’s a sharp analysis of current market trends, user adoption, and technology realities.Key Highlights & Insights:Surging GenAI Adoption – But Reality Lags the Hype:• “Standalone daily usage of GenAI is now about 6% of the population. In London, it’s 40% using it weekly - it’s urban centres and knowledge workers leading the charge.”AI’s Gender Divide is Narrowing:• “We’re far closer to parity: as of April, 53% of men and 42% of women have used GenAI tools.”SaaS Meets AI Agents:• “50% of organisations will be committing half of their digital transformation budgets to AI automation by 2026. Customers will buy in, but only if SaaS platforms develop agentic capabilities at speed.”Agentic AI Poised to Explode:• “There’s an avalanche of interest. Last year we said 25% would launch POCs—now, all it takes is a couple of clicks inside your ERP.”Search Gets an AI Facelift:• “AI-powered search engines now drive three times more discovery than standalone apps. This will reshape how we consume and find information, with huge implications for publishers, marketers, and regulators.”Industrial Robots: Still Hype Over Reality• “There are only 5 million industrial robots in the world - rising to 5.5m by 2026. Humanoid robots? Mostly a science-fiction obsession, not yet a real market.”Tech Sovereignty Spending Accelerates:• “$100 billion will be committed in 2026 to build AI compute infrastructure outside US/China. Yet 90% of global AI compute remains in their hands - a number falling only moderately by 2030.”The Rise of Video Podcasts (Vodcasts):• “The global podcast industry will hit $5 billion this year - driven by video. If you're just audio, you’ll have FOMO. Time for a pivot?”Produced by Cambridge TV