Researcher to Founder Showcase Oxford
Join us for a fireside chat on company formation, a founder panel sharing real-world journeys from lab to startup, and networking with peers, mentors, and ecosystem builders, hosted by Prof Sir Tony Kouzarides.
Designed for early-career researchers curious about having an impact and entrepreneurship, the event will explore:
How to identify commercially viable, impactful ideas
The practical realities of company formation and early decision-making
Key factors in the academic → founder transition
Lessons learned from founders who’ve done it before
Event schedule:
4.00 - 4.45 pm: FIRESIDE CHAT
Sir Tony Kouzarides, CEO of Vellos, Professor at the University of Cambridge, venture partner 50Y
Steph Avraamides, UK Lead of 50Y venture capital firm
4.45 - 5.30 pm: PANEL DISCUSSION
Dr Tom Harty, Co-founder and CTO, Oxford Ionics
Vaitea Cowan, UK Lead of 50Y, Co-Founder of Enapter
Dr Ryan Cawood, CEO of Icosphere Biosciences, previously OXGENE (135M cash exit)
5.30 pm: NETWORKING WITH DRINKS PROVIDED
5050 UK Programme
Sir Tony Kouzarides will also introduce 5050 UK, a free, 14-week, part-time company creation programme. Designed to help exceptional scientists and engineers explore whether founding a company could be the highest-impact path for their work. Powered by ARIA.
The programme offers hands-on mentorship, commercial validation, and access to an international network of 450 alumni who have founded over 100 impactful ventures. Since launching in March 2025, 5050 UK has supported 86 scientists and engineers, who've raised $11M+. Applications are open now for 5050 cohort 3 here.
Hosted by PRIMED & Fifty Years UK team
PhD and postdoc PRIMERS who orchestrate PRIMED communities
Prof Sir Tony Kouzarides – Founder of Storm Therapeutics, Chroma Therapeutics & Abcam ($5.6B acquisition); Venture Partner at Fifty Years
Steph Avraamides – Serial startup launchpad founder & UK Lead at Fifty Years
Vaitea Cowan – Founder of Enapter, Earthshot Prize Winner & UK Lead at Fifty Years
5050 UK and this event is powered by The Advanced Research + Invention Agency (ARIA), a UK R&D funding agency built to unlock scientific and technological breakthroughs that benefit everyone. ARIA empowers scientists and engineers, from their Programme Directors to the teams they fund, with the resources and freedom to pursue breakthroughs at the edge of the possible.
PRIMED UK is supported by Cancer Research Horizons, who support and fund innovative researchers and ventures tackling cancer.