A high-end, glossy magazine published bi-monthly, Cambridge Catalyst features profiles on high-flying local start-ups and entrepreneurs, opinion pieces, interviews and news from the fizzing Cambridge tech cluster, plus premium lifestyle content including motoring, fashion and travel.
ON T H E P U L S E O F T H E C I T Y ’ S BU S I NE S S C OMMUN I T Y
Meet the Cambridge companies leading the clean tech revolution
CONTENTS
04 NEWS & EVENTS
News and events including details on the Future 20 winners.
08 INVEST IN THE ECOSYSTEM
In the first of a new series, Anna Lawlor looks at ways to profit from the local economy.
In the weeks since our last issue hit the stands, the UK government has declared a climate emergency, calling for drastically invigorated action to tackle global warming. With this in mind, Issue 2 sees us look to the Cambridge innovators poised and ready to bear the torch in the clean tech revolution. From Pavegen, a company quite literally paving the way to a more sustainable future by harvesting energy generated by footsteps, to Azuri Technologies, a firm making waves globally with its pay- as-you-go solar power technology, meet the local companies rising to humanity’s biggest challenge on page 22. The city’s booming economy is in the spotlight in Invest in the Cambridge Ecosystem , the first in a series of articles which explores opportunities for personal investment in the Cambridge Cluster. Find out why our local economy is worth backing and how to get a piece of the action on page 8. We also meet Jason Mellad, CEO of life science start-up accelerator Start Codon, in The Big 3 (page 12), where he shares his remarkable entrepreneurial journey so far and highlights three individuals who’ve helped him on his way. From quantum-age security solutions with Cambridge Space Technologies ( Pitch Perfect , page 15) to sensational self- playing pianos ( The Keys to Success , page 16), there’s plenty more on the pages ahead – enjoy the issue and look out for number 3, released in September.
12 THE BIG 3
Start Codon CEO Jason Mellad on the three professionals integral to his success.
15 PITCH PERFECT
Local start-ups give us their pitch. Up this month: Cambridge Space Technologies.
16 THE KEYS TO SUCCESS
Catalyst meets Edelweiss: Fulbourn-based makers of spectacular self-playing pianos.
22 SUSTAINABILITY SPECIAL
Cambridge's clean tech innovators tell us about their out-of-the-box ideas.
32 DOING GOOD & DOING WELL
The Cambridge social ventures making an impact.
37 MIND THE GAP
Local community finance experts look at ways for SMEs to access finance.
38 DOPPLE ACT
Alfy Fowler, founder of DoppleGanger, shares the story so far of his cult vegan restaurant.
42 TECH BYTES
NICOLA FOLEY EDITOR IN CHIEF
The latest news from the fizzing Cambridge Cluster.
46 GAME THEORY
The founder of FXP Festival chats engaging young people with the gaming industry.
EDITORIAL EDITOR IN CHIEF Nicola Foley 01223 499459 nicolafoley@bright-publishing.com CHIEF SUB EDITOR Beth Fletcher SENIOR SUB EDITOR Siobhan Godwood SUB EDITOR Felicity Evans JUNIOR SUB EDITOR Elisha Young ADVERTISING SENIOR SALES EXECUTIVE Lee Fifield 01223 492240 leefifield@bright-publishing.com
48 SPACE EXPLORATION
CONTRIBUTORS Alison Taylor, Anna Lawlor, Charlotte Griffiths, Jason Mellad, Matthew Gooding
We explore business spaces in the area, from co-working hubs to conference venues.
@cambscatalyst cambridgecatalyst.co.uk
55 OUT & ABOUT
Genome Lates, Movies on the Meadows, Summer at the Museums and more.
DESIGN & PRODUCTION DESIGN DIRECTOR Andy Jennings EDITORIAL DESIGN Alan Gray AD PRODUCTION Man-Wai Wong catalystads@bright-publishing.com
56 OUT OF OFFICE
MANAGING DIRECTORS Andy Brogden & Matt Pluck 01223 499450
Short-hop breaks to make the most of your annual leave.
CAMBRIDGE CATALYST IS A MAGAZINE BY BRIGHT PUBLISHING, MAKERS OF CAMBRIDGE EDITION
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The latest developments in the world of Cambridge business, innovation, start-ups and networking
RASPBERRY PI 4 LAUNCHES
The vision behind Raspberry Pi 4 is to make a rich multimedia PC experience accessible to everyone"
Cambridge company Raspberry Pi is celebrating the release of its fourth- generation model, promising the ‘world’s most affordable multimedia PC’. Representing a significant step- up in terms of speed and capability, Raspberry Pi 4 is a complete desktop computer with ambitions of competing in the global PC market – and it costs less than £30. The latest edition of this popular single-board computer can drive two independent 4K screens simultaneously and has three times the processing power and four times the multimedia performance of its predecessor, allowing users to surf, stream, edit images and even create their own apps in ultra HD for the fraction of the cost of a traditional PC. Customers can add in an optional desktop kit, which comes fully equipped with a Pi 4, mouse, keyboard, SD card, power supply, cables and case – all you need for a fully-
functioning PC is a monitor. As with all Pis, the product comes with a range of programming languages, from Scratch to Python and C++, giving users the tools they need to become developers. “The vision behind Raspberry Pi 4 is to make a rich multimedia PC experience accessible to everyone. By offering a ‘just right’ level of performance for most users, we’ve been able to do this at roughly a tenth the cost of a traditional desktop PC,” said co-founder Eben Upton. “This is a significant development for the PC market as a whole. Raspberry Pi is already the bestselling British computer of all time. In 2018 Q4, Raspberry Pi 3+ and earlier models accounted for 2.5% of the global PC market. The improved capabilities of Raspberry Pi 4 should allow us to address a much larger fraction of that market.” raspberrypi.org
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NEWS
Social Venture Weekend
If you’re looking to set up or grow a business that makes a positive impact – be it on an environmental or social level – check out Judge Business School’s Social Venture Weekend from 19 to 21 July. An inspiring introduction to the sector which offers a chance to zone in on your business in a supportive and friendly environment, attendees will have the opportunity to share and test ideas and learn from the experience of successful social entrepreneurs. For those at the start of their business, it’s a chance to refine ideas and pick up valuable insight
from others who’ve been through the process, while more established ventures can refine business plans and cement understanding of business fundamentals. Over the course of the weekend, faculty from the Judge Business School, along with other world-class experts in social enterprise, will cover business planning, market research, legal structures, finance and pitching, culminating on Sunday afternoon with an informal pitch and a discussion about your next steps. It’s priced at £75 for the weekend. jbs.cam.ac.uk
5G is fast becoming a reality – but are you prepared for the brave new world of mobile technology? If the answer to that is ‘no’, book your spot now for Cambridge Wireless’ Advanced Introduction to 5G Technology course: a day- long session designed to provide a high-level technical overview of 5G tech, covering requirements, end-to-end architecture and applications, and aligning the different pieces of the puzzle to create a complete picture. Taking place on 30 September, it’s geared towards those in senior management roles, plus salespeople, marketers, coders, testers and technicians. The course is run by Zahid Ghadialy, the founder and principle consultant at 3G4G, who has experience spanning innovative start-ups and industry leaders, 5 G IN THE SPOTLIGHT
WIBN JULY
The Women in Business Network hosts its latest gathering on 30 July at the Quy Mill hotel, offering an opportunity for business owners and women in strategic positions to meet and establish connections. The Cambridge chapter of a network which spans the UK and Ireland, WIBN acts as a forum for business women to network and meet likeminded individuals, improving opportunities across a wide range of sectors. Including lunch and refreshments, the event is priced at £30, with tickets available via Eventbrite. eventbrite.co.uk
from chipset and handset manufacturers to network equipment vendors, small cells and Wi-Fi companies, and analyst and consulting
firms. By the end of the course, attendees should have a solid understanding of the motivation for moving beyond 4G and be familiar with the architecture and technical options. It’s priced at £150 for members or £200 for non-members. cambridgewireless.co.uk
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NEWS
Allia Future Business Centre has officially launched its Future 20 Incubator programme, set to support 20 inspiring businesses that tackle global and local challenges in an innovative way. The goal of the programme is to give a leg- up to start-ups working to address UN Sustainable Development Goals, from clean energy to gender equality, helping them to develop and scale up to create maximum impact. Among the successful candidates were Phycofeeds, which generates THE FUTURE 20
solar bio oil and feedstocks from waste; Greater Change, which provides opportunities for homeless people through empathetic crowdfunding, and Wearth, an online shopping platform for all things eco and sustainable. These ventures will receive a bespoke package of strategic support and practical business advice, plus mentorship, introductions to funders, free workspace and prototyping facilities and more. Caroline Hyde, CEO of Allia Future Business Centres, said: “We were
delighted to finally meet our Future 20! This new incubator isn’t about creating a structured programme, but fully understanding what each venture needs to move forward individually. We will work with our network of partners to access and leverage these requirements, building a bespoke package of support for each company. We are truly excited to see what we can achieve collaboratively over the next year.” futurebusinesscentre.co.uk
July sees the unveiling of Acropolis: a major new event space at Gonville & Caius college. Available for hire across a fifteen-month period, the venue is a modern, sophisticated 2150 square foot marquee structure with solid sides that’s suitable for conferences, weddings or social gatherings. Its name is a reference to its architectural shape and multiple glass sides around its linked hexagonal structures,
providing outdoor views into the gardens and mirroring the open aspect of the ancient citadel. Rather than overlooking Athens, though, guests will be treated to views of the pretty gardens of Harvey Court at Caius, tucked away in the very heart of the city centre. Capacity is 100 cabaret style or 180 theatre style, with AV equipment included. cai.cam.ac.uk
ACROPOLIS AT CAIUS
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Anna Lawlor, co-founder of Luminescence Communications, on why the city's booming economy is worth backing – and how to get your share
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INVESTMENT
he fastest-growing city in the UK, home to some of the UK’s largest companies, and a world
The turnover of Cambridgeshire’ s largest companies leapt 10% last year to £10.7bn, according to a report"
leading university renowned for launching innovative spin-off companies means Cambridge's economy is booming. While many of us are immersed in the region’s economy as homeowners, business owners, employees or consumers, we might not have considered how we could benefit from this prosperity through our own personal investments. This is the first in a series of articles exploring how you can invest directly and indirectly in the Cambridge Phenomenon through different investment vehicles, from ISAs and pensions to crowd-funding and more. In this article, we look to the region’s largest companies, those listed on a public stock market – meaning anyone can become a shareholder and buy a slice of the profits. Cambridge’s listed companies The turnover of Cambridgeshire’s 100 largest companies leapt 10% last year to £10.7bn, according to a report by Grant Thornton. The figure excludes AstraZeneca, whose global headquarters are in Cambridge, because of the firm’s large global footprint. Other multinationals are also excluded – such as Apple and Microsoft – that have offices in Cambridge. Even larger than this strong 10% sales growth in 2018 was a mighty 17% rise in profits, hitting £780m. Out of the largest 100 companies in the region in 2018, 17 were listed on the UK
stock market. This brings added skills, experience and kudos to the region, commentators believe. Peter Hewkin, chief executive of the Centre for Business Innovation, a think tank that helps businesses collaborate on technology and business process projects, says: “I’m a big fan of large enterprises being based here, because it shows the region on the big boys’ landscape.” He continues: “Also, it brings large company skills to the region. We are overweight in innovation and entrepreneurship in Cambridgeshire but underweight in running really big companies, so it helps us to have the skills in the region that will enable our companies to grow that bit larger.” Claire Ruskin, chief executive of Cambridge Network Ltd, says it is “excellent” to have listed companies in Cambridge, because their experience in areas such as exporting and international supply chains, as well as their scale, “sets an example and aspiration to some of our growing businesses”. “We also see useful and generous support coming from some of the bigger companies to help fund and resource
COMPANY / TICKER
INDEX
MARKET CAPITALISATION (£M)
AstraZeneca (AZN)
FTSE 100
80.07bn
Hilton Food Group (HFG)
FTSE 250
779.3
Abcam (ABC)
FTSE AIM UK 50
3.01
Xaar (XAR)
FTSE SmallCap
60.7
Quixant (QXT)
FTSE AIM 100
152.7
Amino Technologies (AMO)
FTSE AIM All-Share
75.4
Science Group (SAG)
FTSE AIM All-Share
81.8
Horizon Discovery (HZD)
FTSE AIM 100
221.1
Creightons (CRL)
FTSE AllSmall
18.9
Frontier Developments (FDEV)
FTSE AIM UK 50
412.2
Elektron Technology (EKT)
FTSE AIM All-Share
81.8
IQGEO Group (formerly Ubisense) (IQG)
FTSE AIM All-Share
34.1
Quartix Holdings (QTX)
FTSE AIM All-Share
120.3
Brady (BRY)
FTSE AIM All-Share
47.7
Avingtrans (AVG)
FTSE AIM All-Share
67.4
Source: Grant Thornton / company accounts
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INVESTMENT
do not want to receive dividend income straight away, most SIPP providers offer a dividend reinvestment service, which reinvests this income into more shares of the company paying them. It is worth remembering that automatic enrolment is now compulsory, meaning all employees are paying into a workplace pension unless they opt out. Check what your workplace pension is invested in to ensure diversification across your investments. There are different tax treatments and access rules for different financial products that hold shares, so it’s advisable to do your due diligence or get financial/tax advice before making an investment. companies), the FTSE 100, secures more than 70% of its revenues from overseas, showing the international nature of the UK stock market. This will also be reflected in Cambridge- based listed companies buying and selling nationally or internationally, and influenced by sectoral and other forces beyond the region’s boundaries, which could impact performance. Of the 17 Cambridgeshire-based listed Investment considerations The UK’s index of leading shares (largest
activities, for example, to bring young people from a much wider region into STEM subjects and host events from which everyone can learn,” she says. How to buy your share To buy shares in listed companies, investors need to have either a stocks and shares ISA or a personal pension, such as a SIPP (Self Invested Personal Pension). Companies including Hargreaves Lansdown, AJ Bell, James Hay and Bestinvest offer such products for varying fees. Once you have a financial product that can ‘hold’ shares (also known as listed equity), you can either transfer an existing pension into it or fund it with cash from another source. Once funds are in place, you will then be able to add your chosen shares into that financial product (ISA, SIPP etc). Shares can be searched for by company name (such as AstraZeneca) or stock market ticker (eg AZN). To make financial gains on shares, investors can benefit from capital appreciation – the price of the shares rising above the price they were bought for – and dividends, if the company they are invested in pays out regular cash to shareholders. If, however, you
Irwin Mitchell’s UK Powerhouse report, which analyses the economic performance of 44 cities, showed Cambridge’s year-on- year growth in the final quarter of 2018 was 2.7% "
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INVESTMENT
Growing dominance Cambridge – its already vibrant
companies in 2018, two were bought by private companies, meaning shares in the firms no longer trade on the stock market. These companies were drug development company Abzena and Produce Investments, one of Britain’s largest fresh produce companies. Furthermore, part of Ubisense was acquired by Bahrainian private equity firm InvestCorp Bank and renamed IQGeo Group but remained listed. Acquisitions can be an important component of a listed company’s returns. The £24.3bn purchase of Arm Holdings in 2016 by Japanese conglomerate SoftBank is a case in point. Arm’s share price rose by 41% on news, which is a financial windfall for its shareholders. Arm is now owned by SoftBank’s Vision Fund, which is not accessible to retail investors. UK investors could buy shares in SoftBank, which is listed in Japan, but that company’s performance is not intrinsically linked to the performance of Arm. Future gazing With so many cutting-edge private companies in Cambridge, the likelihood of more company flotations (listings)
on the stock market is high. In Grant Thornton’s Cambridgeshire Ltd report, more than a fifth of the companies (22) are technology firms. This includes five of the top ten fastest-growing companies out of the 100-strong field, led by DB Broadcast Holdings and Darktrace respectively. With the technology sector globally in rude health, there is a potential some of Cambridgeshire’s tech firms could be stock market darlings of the future. Companies looking to list on the stock market must go through a detailed IPO (initial public offering) process. This includes announcing on the stock exchange an intention to ‘float’ and then attracting investors. Private investors will usually be able to invest in IPOs through their SIPP or ISA provider, or through a stockbroker. For those looking to stay ahead of the pack, investment-related magazines or services such as Beauhurst may be able to help you predict the next companies due to list. Indeed, Beauhurst identified 30 companies it expected could float in the next few years based on various criteria, which included Cambridge Broadband Networks, one of the region’s largest 100 companies.
economy buoyed by the Cambridge- Milton Keynes-Oxford Arc and the UK Innovation Corridor between London and Cambridge – is forecast to dominate as the UK’s fastest-growing city between 2016 and 2026 , according to the City Tracker report by Cebr and Irwin Mitchell. Irwin Mitchell’s UK Powerhouse report, which analyses the economic performance of 44 cities, showed Cambridge’s year-on-year growth in the final quarter of 2018 was 2.7%. Dame Kate Barker, one of the country’s foremost economists and chair of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Independent Economic Review, wrote in her 2018 report that the region’s 1.37% contribution to nationwide Gross Value Added “understates its importance” and that to double the area’s GVA by 2040 would be “realistic”. This suggests it might be worth considering backing Cambridgeshire’s economy, rather than simply watching it roar away.
Anna Lawlor is co-founder of Luminescence Communications: weareluminescence.com
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ENTREPRENEUR STORIES
Jason Mellad, founder of Start Codon, tells Catalyst about the three professionals who were integral to his business success
opportunity. Start Codon now gives me the opportunity to pay forward everything I’ve learned over the years to help the next generation of life science entrepreneurs succeed. Throughout my career, I’ve learned that to succeed, it’s important to build a strong network of local partners
completed my PhD in Medicine at the University of Cambridge, but quickly realised that I was an entrepreneur at heart. During my postdoc at King’s College London, together with friends, I started a company called B-stable, which developed a novel, hands-free balance and mobility aid aimed at reducing falls in the elderly. With our business idea, we won the Lion’s Den business plan competition, which offers start-up capital to entrepreneurs. It was here I learned the fundamentals of starting up a company. In 2011, I joined Cambridge Enterprise and worked in tech transfer, helping patent and foster new university innovations and spin-out companies. I then transitioned to Cambridge Epigenetix, where I spent six years, two as CEO, re-focusing the company from selling research reagents into a leading liquid biopsy diagnostic test developer. I led two successful funding rounds, raising a total of $49m investment. When Cambridge Innovation Capital, the Milner Therapeutics Institute and Genentech approached me regarding a new strategic initiative to establish a leading healthcare accelerator in Cambridge, I leapt at the
to support you early on. On 13 May, I invited three colleagues, George Neville-Jones, Lorna Cuddon and Roop Chandwani, to join me as guest speakers at ideaSpace’s event, Basics of Building a Business. George, Lorna and Roop represent three important aspects
in an entrepreneur’s journey, from concept to commercialisation – finance, PR and marketing, and team. From working with
them at various companies, I’ve witnessed the importance of the strategy behind raising
investment, clearly communicating with different audiences, and building a team.
With our business idea, we won the Lion’s Den business plan competition, which offers start-up capital to entrepreneurs"
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ENTREPRENEUR STORIES
GEORGE NEVILLE-JONES, METROBANK
George Neville-Jones is the local director of Metrobank in Cambridge, and support for local start-ups is a key part of his strategic mission. Raising start-up capital is an important part of developing your own business as an entrepreneur, and we are working
together to support the Cambridge ecosystem in doing so. At the B3 event, he focused on access to funding for early stage companies and strategies for growth, as well as Metrobank’s unique business model and solutions for start-ups.
LORNA CUDDON, ZYME COMMUNICATIONS
Lorna Cuddon founded Zyme Communications in 2010, when she saw a gap in the market for a Cambridge-based communications agency focused on supporting early stage life science companies. Almost a decade later, with offices now in Cambridge and Manchester, Zyme provides strategic and specialist PR and marketing advice to more than 50 life science organisations across Europe and the US, ranging from start-ups though to industry-leading global businesses. Lorna and her team have been my marketing partners for years and were instrumental in the pivot of Cambridge Epigenetix. Zyme’s help with developing new company messaging to support the transition into a clinically-focussed company was
invaluable, and I am grateful that the team is now supporting us to build the Start Codon brand. Lorna’s approach emphasises the importance in aligning your communications plan with your corporate objectives. Whether your focus is raising investment or generating commercial leads and revenues, establishing partnerships or raising the company profile to support a recruitment drive, communications should link directly to your corporate strategy and target audiences. Branding, website, social media, press releases, articles and interviews are key to helping you engage with your audience, but it’s important to know who that audience is, the challenges they face, where they are based and where they source their information.
ROOP CHANDWANI, AGGIOSERGEANT
As managing director at AggioSergeant, Roop Chandwani’s focus is building high- performing life science and healthcare teams globally that continually deliver superior return on investment. Roop helped me recruit senior experts to my management team at Cambridge Epigenetix and has taught me that strong teams are essential for the success of high potential companies.
Roop understands that as a company grows, the culture and people will change, and many companies simply do not invest sufficient time in planning how they will build a great team around this transition. A core component is understanding your company culture from the beginning, and how it will change, then aligning that with the vision and strategy for the business.
IDEASPACE B3 This article is the first in a regular series inspired by ideaSpace’s B3 events, at which you can hear from a successful entrepreneur and the three professionals who were instrumental in helping their business to flourish. The events also include networking, with pizza and beer to finish. The next B3 takes place in September and will feature Pint Shop non- executive director and co-founder of 10to8 Matthew Cleevely. Keep an eye on ideaspace.cam.ac.uk for updates.
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PITCH PERFECT
Owen Thompson, director of Cambridge Space Technologies, gives us his business pitch
particular, have quite high barriers to entry for start-ups. We will be spending a large portion of our time fundraising on our first round, to enable our first satellite launch to take place with the appropriate technology on board. Which individuals or companies are your biggest inspirations? Of course we love the story of companies like SpaceX and those with incredible histories like Nasa, but we’re at the forefront of a new industry. We’re also excited by places closer to home with a deep history, such as the Department of Applied Mathematics and Theoretical Physics in Cambridge where even Stephen Hawking had an office! Where do you want the business to be in five years? In five years, we’ll be well on our way to launching a full constellation of satellites, and able to profitably service a number of commercial customers.
What’s your pitch? We are aiming to provide direct access, for government and commercial users, to a new level of quantum-age security. We’ll do this through quantum keys, which will be distributed via small satellites in low earth orbit. We are commercially orientated, acting as a prime contractor to utilise currently available infrastructure, launch systems and cutting-edge quantum communications. We are launching first in environments that demand rapid and highly secure communications, aiming to establish a ubiquitous service for users globally. How old is the company and how did it start? We have been forming the idea for many months now; it was primarily drawn from the known deficiencies in our current security systems, combined with a passion for space and new technology! What’s your role and background? I’ve just finished a stint of more than 13 years as a commissioned officer and fighter pilot in the Royal Air Force entanglement technologies in order to deliver commercially advantageous quantum-safe
and I’m now studying part time at the Cambridge Judge Business School. I wanted to take my passion for the aerospace industry and translate that through to a wider project that would still keep me interested while benefitting society as a whole. What makes the company unique? Primarily our team: we have a plethora of experience, including experts in defence acquisition management, and an experienced director who has run multiple technology companies. notice, was a great opportunity for us, but also very amusing! Our pitch deck wasn’t due to be ready for another week or so and I was overseas with my day job. Our other director was away with his family. We spent every spare hour available trying to construct and polish the pitch together from over 3,800 miles apart! It came together with minutes to go, edits were still taking place on the underground as we neared the venue. Biggest challenges? The technology industry as a whole, and the aerospace industry in Biggest achievement so far? Pitching at Canary Wharf, at short
Find out more at cambridgespacetechnologies.com
We are aiming to provide direct access, for government and commercial users, to a new level of quantum-age security"
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
WORDS NICOLA FOLEY
Catalyst meets the Cambridgeshire-based company shaking up the industry with its fully customisable, self-playing range of designer pianos
here’s a 24-carat gold piano in at the moment. We’ve hand- painted marble pianos, we can
pianos we’re working on will be delivered abroad”, says Ross. “We’re finding it a very exciting time. Brexit obviously has its uncertainties, but we haven’t noticed any slowdown whatsoever. In fact, we’re on our busiest year ever – about 50% ahead of last year at the moment, which we’re very, very thankful for.” Anyone with a passing interest in the piano trade will sit up and take notice at that comment, given that industry- wide, sales have been nosediving for decades – around a 60% decline since 2004 to be exact. But Edelweiss, with its eye-popping customisation options and dazzling array of colours and finishes, is bucking the trend in style. Resembling works of art isn’t the only thing that makes the Edelweiss range stand out from the crowd – these pianos have a game-changing USP under their bonnets in the shape of a sensational self-play function, which replicates the magic of a live performance at the touch of a button, leaving you free to sit back and enjoy the show. Controlled using a dedicated iPod or iPad, the technology uses
do acrylic, we’ve got a piano covered in half a million Swarovski crystals. We can do literally anything...” grins Ross Norman, gesturing around a huge, airy workshop. This 10,000 square foot production space, in which around fifteen highly skilled technicians, craftspeople and artisans go about their work, is Edelweiss Pianos’ Fulbourn base: the heart of what’s swiftly becoming a truly international operation. “Most of the
These pianos have a game-changing USP in the shape of a sensational self-play function, which replicates the magic of a live performance at the touch of a button"
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
I think Harrods decided to run with Edelweiss because we’re different. We appeal to the millennial generation, piano players and interior designers. We are flexible and our pianos can be adapted to any specification, or any interior"
early 20th century, these self-playing pianos come preloaded with thousands of songs to choose from. “Beethoven, James Blunt, Led Zeppelin and whatever’s in between”, says Ross. “There’s a speaker concealed, and we can also merge in an MP3 track, so you can have vocals and the full band playing along through the speakers if you want.” Edelweiss was, Ross says, a product designed to act as a ‘recession beater’; borne out of an eagerness to keep business buoyant in an increasingly tough market – but the history of the company goes back much further. It’s an offshoot of 1066, a revered Cambridge firm specialising in designing, creating and restoring custom pianos, which was founded by Ross’ grandfather, John ‘Roy’ Norman. A Cambridge University research physicist graduate and talented pianist, John took up tuning pianos in the 1970s to earn some extra money on the side. “He soon realised the pianos he was tuning were poor in terms of their maintenance and how they played; like a car with a badly tuned engine. So, using his skillset as a physicist, he was able to analyse how he could make them better,”
explains Ross. “He quit his job, bought a piano and redid it from his lounge, selling it on to somebody. Then, with the profit he made from that, he was able to buy two more and keep a bit back for himself, he then bought four more, and so on – and that’s how he started.” “I think we're unique,” he adds. “We’ve been founded on the highly unusual combination of a research physicist who also has the artistic ability. Those two skill sets don’t usually come together.” As the business grew, Roy ran out of space in his home for the many pianos passing through, and set up shop on Cherry Hinton high street, gradually building an international reputation for his work on piano restorations. The move to the current Fulbourn site came in 1989, where the business remains very much a family one to this day. Roy’s son Mark is head of production and design, while Chris, another son, looks after restoration and aftercare. “Between the two of them, there’s not any piano they don’t know,” says Ross with admiration. “The knowledge we have in-house is amazing.” Building on the heritage of the company while adding a decidedly
electromagnetic solenoids to convert electrical signals into a mechanical action; moving the keys as though they were being struck by a human hand. Songs are recorded by a live pianist, with an infrared rail tracking how fast the keys move, how far down they’re pushed and how many times they’re played, recording every touchpoint and datapoint so it can be fed through Edelweiss’ software and processed into a MIDI track. Each solenoid has around 1800 gradations of touch, meaning the pianos can recreate the nuances of a song perfectly, each and every time. A sort of high-tech successor to the pneumatic pianolas popular in the
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MOVERS & SHAKERS
modern spin, the new generation of the Norman family is pushing the business to new heights. Today, as well as ordering online, customers can browse the range at Harrods, making Edelweiss the first pianos this prestigious department store has stocked since closing its piano department in 2013. “I think Harrods decided to run with Edelweiss because we’re different”, muses Ross. “We appeal to the millennial generation, piano players and interior designers. We are flexible and our pianos can be adapted to any specification, or any interior in the world. They told us, ‘You clearly are the pianos of the future’ – they don’t want anything that’s stuck in the now, they want companies that are looking ahead and moving with trends. We’re absolutely at the front of the curve.” The Harrods buyers aren’t the only ones impressed by Edelweiss’ music- making objets d’art. In fact, the brand is something of a favourite with celebrities, too, Ross tells me, citing Lady Gaga, Sia and Claudia Schiffer as recent happy customers. “But whoever it is, it doesn’t really matter to us,” he’s quick to add. “We treat everybody exactly the same.”
The 2019 collection offers ten new colours, including the Pantone Colour of the Year, Living Coral. But the show- stealer is, without a doubt, the Elmer. Named in honour of the colourful patchwork elephant, it’s unapologetically bold, bright and mould-breaking – much like Edelweiss as a company. While we chat, Ross likens the company to a brand like Aston Martin in the car world, in the sense that they’re “continually stepping it up to the next level, constantly getting better and getting sleeker, but never losing the core appeal of being a top quality product”. But as I explore the workshop and get a live demo of a self-playing piano, transparent and illuminated from within by colour-changing LEDS, I can’t help but think the brand shares more in common with Tesla, given their zeal for innovation – something that shows no signs of slowing down anytime soon. “The future is exciting. Very, very exciting,” enthuses Ross. “I’m not allowed to discuss them yet, but the new innovations we will be launching early next year are going to transform the market again…”
However dazzling the technology or fantastical the designs, for Ross, it comes down to the simple pleasure of owning an instrument and bringing joy into people’s homes. “We believe pianos are about more than just music – they’re about the lifestyle surrounding them and the enjoyment. It’s about bringing happiness into an interior, and wherever you are in the world, whatever your interior looks like, we will be there with a piano completely unique to you, which you’ve designed yourself: your piano.”
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New technologies for the genomics toolbox of the future
or almost a decade, CRISPR has dominated discussion within scientific communities.
MULTIDISCIPLINARY The Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences programme brings together scientific communities from a variety of research and clinical backgrounds, including healthcare professionals working in genomics. data visualisation and analysis that sets a new precedent for studying and interpreting thousands of cells at once to draw detailed conclusions. Thanks to this, we are now closer than ever to laying the foundations for precision medicine, with many opportunities for organisations working in genome targeting and novel drug development. “It is an incredibly exciting time to work in biomedical science. We can now systematically knock out every gene in the genome or mutate every DNA base in disease-causing genes, and couple this with novel rich readouts from cells and organisms to understand how changes in DNA lead to disease,” explains Dr Leopold Parts, group leader, Wellcome Sanger Institute. “Our conference will cover the technologies that enable these approaches, and showcase their applications in basic research, medicine and drug development.” These pioneering technologies are a core topic for the forthcoming CRISPR and Beyond: Perturbations
Once a theme reserved for science fiction, it’s becoming a reality as a viable biotech solution to many genetic challenges facing the future of healthcare. Black holes and revelations Thanks to large-scale genome sequencing, we now have deep catalogues of natural and disease- related human genetic variation. However, a lack of understanding around the function of a vast majority of the detected variants is delaying the progress to enable us to answer long- standing (sometimes urgent) important questions about human health. CRISPR opportunities: the key to unlocking greater understanding Significant advances in CRISPR technologies now make it possible to integrate such gene editing power with single-cell sequencing methods. A formidable combination between
HIGHLIGHT SPEAKERS Britt Adamson
University of Princeton, US Interrogating gene function with high-resolution functional genomics. Fritz Roth University of Toronto, Canada Prospects for testing all possible human missense variants in every disease gene. Maya Ghoussaini OpenTargets, UK Using genetics and genomics to prioritise drug targets. professional colleagues, decision makers, and high-profile speakers and thought leaders. ACCESS To target rich environments containing established researchers and clinicians, as well as rising members of diverse genomics and biomedical communities. Interact in the comfort zone of many
IMAGES The CRISPR conference is a
chance to network with top scientists and health professionals
NETWORKING Meet and mingle with field experts,
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WHY PARTNER YOUR BUSINESS WITH A
SCIENTIFIC CONFERENCE? Reaching busy scientists and healthcare professionals to form engaging partnerships is almost impossible, unless you are directly involved in the collaborations taking place. Partnering with a scientific conferences programme offers a unique opportunity to place your business at the heart of these interactions within active research communities. The Wellcome Genome Campus Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences (ACSC) programme boasts over 60 events annually, specialising in a range of genomics-led topics, such as CRISPR, health data science, valuable conference support will position your business in front of influential decision makers. You can participate in hot topic discussions, engage in networking opportunities and increase your brand visibility, as well as share knowledge on the latest trends in a specific biomedical sphere. ACSC is interested in developing partnerships with businesses to invest in shared goals and challenges, interactions. ACSC believes in defining custom opportunities, as well as offering traditional packages, pre-event digital and social branding, and on-site exhibitions. It's also open to discussing experiential propositions that help its partners achieve success. ACSC welcomes partnerships from all areas of science, commercialisation and tech transfer. For more details, email Catherine Holmes, ACSC marketing and communications manager, at catherine.holmes@ wellcomegenomecampus.org or visit bit.ly/Partner_ACSC personal genomes and applied bioinformatics. Joining forces with the ACSC agenda to provide and offer our communities the best networking and
The conference is bringing together
at Scale to Understand Genomes conference, being held in September at the Wellcome Genome Campus Conference Centre. This new meeting, funded and organised as part of the Advanced Courses and Scientific Conferences programme, focuses on the latest biotech insights, presenting wide- ranging opportunities for both organisations and academic institutes focused on the science and innovation of gene editing. At the cutting-edge of genome engineering, new technologies will underpin the central theme of the meeting including: gene and drug function in diseases, and interactions with genes, drugs and environment. influential decision makers, making it easier to approach, connect and start conversations that are aligned to your business goals and objectives to ensure that you receive the very best value proposition and exposure in exchange for your support.
biomedical researchers working on high throughput screening, genome engineering and variant effect interpretation. They are being joined by delegates working in R&D biotech, pharma and academia to take part in an engaging and exciting few days of knowledge exchange. Discussion and networking will play a pivotal role in bringing diverse communities together to share perspectives, identify shared opportunities and build new understanding and collaboration. The possibilities are endless… Registration for this conference
closes 30 July. For details, visit bit.ly/CRISPR19 _ CambsCat.
scientific hot topics and research before anyone else.
CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY The events programme is designed around research directly linked to the impact on global human health. By supporting one of the conferences, you are also supporting wider global initiatives.
CUTTING-EDGE Be associated with the latest
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SUSTAINABILITY
Matt Gooding meets five pioneering Cambridge clean tech companies offering innovative solutions for a more sustainable future
hough the president of the United States may beg to differ, most would
preferences shift towards low- carbon products.
Cambridge is home to a strong clean technology community, supported by Cambridge Cleantech, the membership organisation for the sector. As well as offering networking and support, it helps broker partnerships and financing for businesses working to build products and services in response to global sustainability challenges, and runs a programme of events including the annual summer Cleantech Futures conference and its popular Cleantech Venture Day, which sees the most promising companies from the sector travelling to London to pitch their ideas to an audience of potential investors. Here we take a look at five companies from the region that are excelling in the clean tech space.
agree that climate change is the biggest challenge facing humanity. Global warming and the associated problems have the potential to impact every aspect of our lives, and the widespread demonstrations in London and other cities – including Cambridge – by climate change activists Extinction Rebellion show there is an appetite for change. Clean technology will play a key role in driving this change, and also represents a growing business opportunity. According to research carried out by pressure group the Carbon Disclosure Project, 225 of the world’s 500 biggest companies reported climate-related opportunities that represented potential financial impacts totalling over $2.1 trillion dollars, as demand grows for low- emissions technology and consumers'
Find out more about the work of Cambridge Cleantech at cambridgecleantech.org.uk
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SUSTAINABILITY
AZURI TECHNOLOGIES Electricity is something most of us take for granted, but a billion people across the globe still live off-grid. Approximately 600m of these people are in sub-Saharan Africa, which is where Azuri Technologies is making waves. The company offers pay-as- you-go solar power technology in 12 different countries, and has already sold more than 150,000 of these systems, impacting 750,000 lives. The systems can power anything from lighting to satellite TV, and the pay-as-you-go model, which utilises mobile payment technology, makes it more affordable than many alternatives.
Founder and CEO Simon Bransfield- Garth, an experienced tech entrepreneur, told Catalyst : “I founded Azuri because I saw an opportunity to solve one of the biggest challenges on the planet with low-carbon and sustainable technology. “Households often rely on technologies such as candles and kerosene lamps that would not have looked out of place centuries ago. Despite this, most have access to a mobile phone. Our innovation was combining mobile and solar technology, allowing individuals to pay for solar power as they use it, at a cost cheaper than kerosene or candles,” he explains. “Just as the mobile phone leapfrogged the landline, so sustainable technologies can find segments where they can replace existing solutions, particularly those relying heavily on fossil fuels,” points out Simon. “In recent years, sub-Saharan Africa has suffered from a widening gap to western nations – the so-called ‘digital divide’. The provision of power is the first step towards widespread access to communications, media and information via devices such as TV, tablets and smartphones. This
allows individuals to join the knowledge economy and to start to level the playing field with more developed nations.” Based in Milton, Azuri recently secured a $26m investment to help it roll out its technology to new markets. “We are a young but stable, well-established company,” Simon says. “We are progressing to the next stage of PayGo solar in Africa with a coherent vision of the future that will transform lives and help develop African economies.” azuri-technologies.com
IMAGES Azuri Technologies is attempting to close the digital divide by providing pay-as-you-go solar power in sub- Saharan Africa
Households often rely on technologies such as candles and kerosene lamps that would not have looked out of place centuries ago"
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SUSTAINABILITY
BIO-BEAN We now drink over 95m cups of coffee a day in the UK. As well as creating a whole mound of discarded disposable cups, our collective caffeine habit throws up another problem: used coffee grounds. Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of grounds are produced by the coffee shops that pepper high streets up and down the country, and 95% of these end up in landfill, where they produce the highly toxic greenhouse gas methane, which is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. As well as harming the environment, this practice hits businesses in the pocket via the government’s landfill tax. Fortunately, a company from just outside Cambridge has brewed up a solution. Bio-bean is the first business in the world to industrialise the conversion of used grounds into biofuel and other bio products. Collecting waste grounds from coffee shops, office blocks and transport, its novel process is able to recycle the grounds into ‘coffee logs’ and other types of fuel, as well as biochemicals. Bio-bean has gone from strength to strength since it was founded in 2013, opening its purpose-
exciting development for Bio-bean. It will enable us to push for even greater innovation in extracting commercial value from used coffee grounds – which are otherwise considered a waste – helping to further strengthen Bio-bean’s position at the forefront of the circular economy and increase the use of sustainable, second-generation resources.” bio-bean.com
built factory at Alconbury Weald and launching its first product, the eco briquette, in 2016. Coffee grounds processed by the firm have been used to power London’s red buses through a partnership with Shell, and recently it secured a £4m equity investment that will allow it to scale internationally and launch three new product lines. Chris Harrison, CEO of Bio-bean, says: “This investment is a hugely
IMAGES Coffee grounds produce methane in a landfill, but Bio-bean converts the waste product into biofuel and other bio products
Collecting waste coffee, Bio-bean's novel process is able to recycle the grounds into 'coffee logs' and other types of fuel, as well as biochemicals"
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