Should the researcher lead the company? Or step aside for a commercial CEO?
There's no single answer to the spin‑out CEO question, so in this no‑holds‑barred conversation we bring together four people who have lived it from very different angles.
Gillian Fleming, Co‑Founder & Managing Director at Mint Ventures.
Shahida Imani, Co‑Founder and CEO of Singular Photonics.
Andrew Noble, COO at PXN.
Dave Hughes, former Founding Director and CTO of Novosound.
They’ll tackle the pros, cons and uncomfortable trade-offs. What red flags make investors hesitate? Should an academic grow into the CEO role – or step aside for a commercial veteran? And when a professional CEO is brought in, who gives up equity?
No polished answers. Just an open, honest conversation about one of the hardest decision a founder faces.
Speakers
Should the researcher lead the company? Or step aside for a commercial CEO?
There's no single answer to the spin‑out CEO question, so in this no‑holds‑barred conversation we bring together four people who have lived it from very different angles.
Gillian Fleming, Co‑Founder & Managing Director at Mint Ventures.
Shahida Imani, Co‑Founder and CEO of Singular Photonics.
Andrew Noble, COO at PXN.
Dave Hughes, former Founding Director and CTO of Novosound.
They’ll tackle the pros, cons and uncomfortable trade-offs. What red flags make investors hesitate? Should an academic grow into the CEO role – or step aside for a commercial veteran? And when a professional CEO is brought in, who gives up equity?
No polished answers. Just an open, honest conversation about one of the hardest decision a founder faces.
Speakers