This special episode was recorded at a live event in Edinburgh on 2 October 2025. We gathered to discuss the role of external experts in commercialising research and how to recruit and support a more diverse pool of experts.

Elad Katz is the co-founder and chief technology officer for Navigate Precision Biology, a spinout from University of Dundee. Rachel Connolly is an Enterprise Executive at Heriot Watt University specialising in deep tech commercialisation. Chris Jones is Chair and Non-Executive Director for a portfolio of life science companies and an experienced commercial champion.

The panel talks about

• The need for flexibility and matching the right experts with the right project at the right time
• How the current role descriptors and expectations might be attracting the wrong people
• Addressing the lack of diversity amongst the current pool of external experts
• Why relationships, commitment and drive can be more important than experience

Connect with our guests on LinkedIn - Chris Jones, Elad Katz & Rachel Connolly

To receive a copy of the report ‘Widening and formalising Executives in Residence (XiR) in Scotland’ by Hamish McAlpine and Britta C Wyatt, get in touch with Orla Kelly

Hamish McAlpine is Director of Policy & Engagement at innovation consultancy Oxentia. Hamish is working on a report, due out in September 2025, which explores how Scottish universities currently work with external experts to support research commercialisation and what could be done better in the future.

Sarah and Hamish talk about

• The inherit tensions between how entrepreneurs think and how universities operate
• How entrepreneurs in residence are recruited, inducted, supported and deployed across universities
• The myriad reasons why the pool of experts lacks diversity
• Why Scotland is well placed to make system-wide improvements

Connect with Hamish on LinkedIn

Visit Hamish’s page on the Oxentia website

Follow the Academic Adventures podcast on LinkedIn

This podcast was a collaboration between the University of the West of Scotland, Converge and Sarah McLusky, working in partnership with Ross Tuffee and The Connect-Ed Network. The podcast team includes Orla Kelly, Adam Kosterka, Jen Black and Sarah McLusky. This season of Academic Adventures is supported by the Scottish Funding Council.

Nanik Ramchandani is an entrepreneur with over twenty-years’ experience in the financial services industry all around the world. Now based in Edinburgh, Nanik has worked with Edinburgh Napier University for many years. He was an Entrepreneur in Residence in 2023/24 and helped establish the Scottish Centre of Excellence in Digital Trust. He is now working alongside academic co-founder Zakwan Jaroucheh to spin out cybersecurity company Lasting Asset.

Sarah and Nanik talk about

• His entrepreneurial journey and why he got involved in research commercialisation
• The unique challenges of launching a university spin-out compared to a typical start-up
• Why spinouts need support to get beyond proof of concept and land their first customer
• How universities might attract and incentivise more commercial champions

Connect with Nanik on LinkedIn

Find out about Nanik’s new spinout business Lasting Asset

Follow the Academic Adventures podcast on LinkedIn

This podcast was a collaboration between the University of the West of Scotland, Converge and Sarah McLusky, working in partnership with Ross Tuffee and The Connect-Ed Network. The podcast team includes Orla Kelly, Adam Kosterka, Jen Black and Sarah McLusky. This season of Academic Adventures is supported by the Scottish Funding Council.