Buying a home can be stressful—especially when it comes to legal enquiries. Hear how AI and machine learning are helping conveyancers manage chaos and speed up transactions. Wondering how AI supports legal pros? This episode is a must-listen! Participants of this podcast: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Gemma Fulbrook-Felstead, Director of Operations, Collaborative Conveyancing - Jonny Palmer, Data Science Lead, Collaborative Conveyancing - Robert Firth, Senio...
Jun 18, 2025•43 min•Ep. 86
How can AI help pensions match personal values? Discover how conversational AI and sustainability data are helping savers align their investments with what matters most. Interested in values-driven investing? Tune in! In this episode, we hear from these participants: - Andrew Tucker, Co-Founder and CEO, Mettle Capital - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Benjamin Winter, Lead Machine Learning Engineer, Wyser - Mark Pearce, Founder and CEO, Wyser Innovate UK and the...
Jun 18, 2025•43 min•Ep. 85
Crypto taxation can be complex and confusing. Dan Howitt of Recap explains how his startup is making crypto tax calculations secure and manageable for accountants and investors alike. If you want to understand crypto tax better, this episode is for you. Participants of this podcast: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Daniel Howitt, CEO and Co-Founder of Recap Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have invested £26.5 million in the Next G...
Jun 18, 2025•32 min•Ep. 84
When insurance meets the gig economy, flexibility and tech matter. Janthana Kaenprakhamroy of Tapoly shares how AI is reshaping insurance for freelancers and small businesses. Curious about inclusive, tech-driven insurance? Listen now! Participants of this podcast: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Janthana Kaenprakhamroy, CEO and Founder, Tapoly Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have invested £26.5 million in the Next Generation Pr...
Jun 18, 2025•20 min•Ep. 83
What does innovation look like in small accounting firms? Learn how hands-on training and simple tech tools help firms modernise without being tech experts. Ready to update your practice? Don’t miss this episode! In this episode, we hear from these participants: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead at Innovate UK Business Connect - Dr. Tzameret Rubin, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Management at Oxford Brookes Business School and lead of the TiPS Innovation Adoption Accelerator - Rebecca Trudg...
Jun 18, 2025•33 min•Ep. 82
How do firms overcome the barriers to innovation? Hear from academic leaders on how training and peer support help financial and professional firms embrace new technology. Facing challenges in innovation? This episode is for you. In this episode, we hear from these participants: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead at Innovate UK Business Connect - Dr. Tzameret Rubin, Senior Lecturer in Innovation and Management at Oxford Brookes Business School and lead of the TiPS Innovation Adoption Accelerato...
Jun 18, 2025•37 min•Ep. 81
What does real financial inclusion look like? Tynah Matembe shares how lived experiences inspired her mission to make financial education accessible and practical for all. If you want to understand what inclusion means in practice, tune in! Participants of this podcast: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Tynah Matembe, Founder and CEO, MoneyMatix Innovate UK and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC) have invested £26.5 million in the Next Generation Pro...
Jun 18, 2025•38 min•Ep. 80
How clear is the fine print you sign? Minesh Patel of Amplified Global shares his journey from dyslexia diagnosis to creating tech that makes legal and financial info easier to understand. If you have ever skipped the small print, this episode is for you. Participants of this podcast: - Astrid Ayel, AI for Services Lead, Innovate UK Business Connect - Kevin Still, Director, Debt Managers Standards Association (DEMSA) - Minesh Patel, Founder, Amplified Global - Richard Hyde, Professor of Law, Reg...
Jun 18, 2025•50 min•Ep. 79
In this final episode of the IETF podcast series, Jenni McDonnell MBE, speaks with Kerry Whiteside from Samworth Brothers and Emma Piercy from the Food and Drink Federation, the trade association supporting the food industry. Together, they explore the challenges facing the food industry in decarbonising and how the IETF support has helped food manufacturers to transform their processes, cut emissions and improve energy efficiencies.
May 09, 2025•20 min•Ep. 78
In Episode 4 of the Battery Caffè Podcast Series 2, we explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), their applications in battery manufacturing, characterisation and recycling, as well as the opportunities and limitations for adoption of AI technology for batteries. We’re joined by three experts who share their knowledge and industry insights. We hope you enjoy the series! Please feel free to share it with your network. Guests Richard Hewitson | CEO | Lion Vision D...
May 06, 2025•28 min•Ep. 77
Visit the series page Download the transcript (PDF) In Episode 3 of the Battery Caffè Podcast Series 2, we explore the role of batteries in grid and stationary storage applications, covering key insights on the UK's ambitious targets for renewable energy and the role of battery energy storage systems. The episode discusses their importance in supporting a stable electricity grid, the battery technologies currently being used for stationary storage, and the commercial opportunities and challenges...
Mar 11, 2025•24 min•Ep. 76
In this episode of the IETF podcast series, we focus on the UK paper industry and how businesses are benefiting from IETF support. Richard Lewis from WEPA and Richard Burnett from James Cropper Ltd share with Jenni McDonnell MBE how IETF funding has helped them cut carbon emissions and make their paper manufacturing processes more sustainable. https://iuk-business-connect.org.uk/news/industrial-energy-transformation-fund-podcast-series/
Feb 26, 2025•24 min•Ep. 74
Episode 2: Batteries for Maritime In Episode 2 of Battery Caffè Podcast Series 2, we explore the role of batteries in maritime, covering key areas such as the current landscape for decarbonisation, integration of batteries, and the future of zero-emission vessels. We’re joined by three experts who share their knowledge and industry insight. We hope you enjoy the series! Please feel free to share it with your network. Guests Enora Pichon | Deputy Project Director | Bibby Marine Limited Syb ten Ca...
Feb 26, 2025•24 min•Ep. 75
In episode 7 of the IETF podcast, Jenni McDonnell MBE talks to Dean Butler and Sharon Todd from Ardagh Glass Packaging and Mark Pudner from the British Glass trade association.
Feb 10, 2025•20 min•Ep. 73
Episode 1: Batteries in Aerospace In Episode 1 of Battery Caffè Podcast Series 2, we explore the role of batteries in aerospace , covering key areas such as technical innovation, commercial opportunities, and industry collaborations within the aerospace sector. We’re joined by three experts who share their knowledge and experience. We hope you enjoy the series! Please feel free to share it with your network. Guests Kate Cooke | Energy Sources Senior Manager | Collins Aerospace Dr Jack Nicholas |...
Feb 03, 2025•25 min•Ep. 72
In this episode we are joined by Jonathan Mitchell and Dr Richard Clewley from the Insititute of Apprenticeships and Technical Education (IfATE) to discuss their role in aligning skills development with labour market needs. Created in 2017, IfATE works with employers to shape apprenticeships, T Levels and higher technical qualifications in order to prepare the workforce for the future. We discuss how they have benefitted from working with the Workforce Foresighting Hub in order to address the fu...
Jan 23, 2025•44 min•Ep. 71
Karen Burgess and Simon Hawdon from CPI join us for episode 6 of the Workforce Foresighting Hub Podcast, following the recent publication of a workforce foresighting report addressing the skills challenge in RNA therapeutics manufacturing. With this sector expected to grow rapidly in the future, the UK has the opportunity to lead the way, but only with a skilled workforce to support this growth. This episode sees Karen and Simon pick out the key insights and recommendations from this report to h...
Dec 09, 2024•28 min•Ep. 70
In episode 5, we welcome Kathie Bowden from the Satellite Applications Catapult , and Bethan McAulay of Astroscale , to discuss their experience of workforce foresighting. After recently completing a workforce foresighting report for the UK space sector , the knowledgeable pair go into detail on the challenges facing the sector and the actions needed to prepare the workforce to adapt to future skills requirements. They also talk about their experience of the Workforce Foresighting Hub process an...
Nov 14, 2024•41 min•Ep. 69
The Workforce Foresighting Hub coaches are at the heart of the WF Hub programme. They work closely with all participants to ensure everything runs smoothly and offer advice and guidance throughout the workshops. So, who better to get on the podcast to discuss the WF Hub process with? For this episode, WF Hub coaches Satchin Semage, Jack Lockhart and Samantha Yair discuss their background in skills and share the insights they have learned from the workshops. Download the transcript Read more abou...
Oct 17, 2024•30 min•Ep. 68
Our third episode sees us speak to Andrew Esson, Future Skills Lead at Offshore Renewable Energy (ORE) Catapult. ORE Catapult were part of one of the first Workforce Foresighting Hub cycles, where they looked into preparing the workforce for future challenges in the offshore floating wind sector. In this episode, we hear about ORE Catapult’s experience in the programme, how they benefitted from it and what they learned along the way. Read the transcript: https://iuk.ktn-uk.org/wp-content/uploads...
Sep 13, 2024•27 min•Ep. 67
Explore the transformative power of design as you listen to the Silent Designers’ podcast finale, recorded live. Our panel of Catapult’s Design network experts will share firsthand insights on leveraging multidisciplinary design for innovation in your business. Engage directly with industry leaders and gain practical strategies to integrate design thinking into your projects. Why watch? Learn actionable strategies to embed design thinking into your innovation projects. Gain firsthand knowledge f...
Aug 27, 2024•1 hr•Ep. 66
The second episode looks at how the Workforce Foresighting Hub programme and the wider Skills Value Chain approach can address the UK skills challenge. We’re joined by WF Hub coaches Steve Picker and John Lanham who explain what the programme consists of and how it works, as well as how we can use insights and data to inform how we prepare for the future. Download the episode transcript ....
Aug 16, 2024•29 min•Ep. 65
In the first episode of the series, we are joined by Workforce Foresighting Hub Lead Consultants John Lanham and Paul Shakspeare to delve into the UK skills challenge. John has worked in the higher education and skills sector for over 30 years and has been part of the work to develop the Workforce Foresighting Hub for the last five years. Paul is an engineer who spent most of his career working on how we train and educate people in various fields, which is how he initially met John. They now wor...
Jul 17, 2024•28 min•Ep. 64
Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Manager, Karen Wilkinson, introduces listeners to leading researchers and innovators whose work has the potential to support us as we age. Brought to you by the Healthy Ageing Challenge Community of Practice, hosted by Innovate UK, this series spotlights the pioneering innovations being developed to shape the future of our longevity and explores the inspiration behind the work that’s currently taking place. Episode 4: Activating Our Ageing Population How can tech...
Mar 27, 2024•24 min•Ep. 63
Episode 3 — The Medicine of Cricket Can sport break down the barriers around ethnicity, age, and gender? In this, the third episode of Age Innovators, host Helen Crampin, Innovation and Technology Lead from the Innovate UK Healthy Ageing Challenge, talks to Alosh K Jose, co-founder and CEO of Newcastle-based Cricketqube, to explore this question and more. Cricketqube is an evidence- and data-backed Community Interest Company. The company’s aim is to make cricket accessible to people of all ages ...
Mar 20, 2024•19 min•Ep. 62
In this episode of ‘Age Innovators’, Innovate UK’s Knowledge Transfer Manager, Karen Wilkinson, introduces listeners to leading researchers and innovators whose work has the potential to support us as we age. Brought to you by the Healthy Ageing Challenge Community of Practice, hosted by Innovate UK, this series spotlights the pioneering innovations being developed to shape the future of our longevity and explores the inspiration behind the work that’s currently taking place. Supporting Healthy ...
Mar 06, 2024•27 min•Ep. 61
Can design take us to unexpected places? In this, seventh episode of Silent Designers, this month’s guest, Yasmin Ali, explores the theme of Net Zero and Sustainable Technologies, discusses the unexpected ways in which hydrogen could decarbonise our world, and reveals the most effective deployments of hydrogen happening in industry today. Award-winning chartered engineer, Yasmin Ali, is a Hydrogen Project Development Manager at RWE—a leading supplier of renewables worldwide. She’s also the autho...
Feb 27, 2024•18 min•Ep. 60
Introduction to the series In this new Innovate UK Business Connect podcast series, Age Innovators, we meet researchers and innovators whose work has the potential to support us as we age. Brought to you by the Healthy Ageing Challenge Community of Practice and hosted by Innovate UK, this series spotlights the pioneering innovations being developed to shape the future of our longevity and explores the inspiration behind the work that’s currently taking place. Episode 1: Language of Care Can we h...
Feb 19, 2024•27 min•Ep. 59
How AI and design thinking are helping us live better for longer In this, the sixth episode of Silent Designers, Steve Welch and guest, Ahmed Wobi, explore the theme of healthy living and tech. Award winning writer, director—and national basketball champion, Ahmed Wobi, is also the co-founder of Tonus Tech. Tonus Tech provides preventative health companies with wearable solutions and AI-driven movement analysis and personalised workout programmes to optimise people's fitness age. Ahmed and his t...
Jan 22, 2024•18 min•Ep. 58
In episode 6 of the IETF podcast, Jenni McDonnell MBE sits down with Simon Proctor from Mitsubishi Chemicals UK and James Findlay from Esseco Group. We explore the challenges faced by the chemicals industry as it strives to achieve the ambitious target of net zero emissions. Our conversation delves into the innovative strategies both organisations are looking to adopt, supported by the IETF. Join us for this discussion on the chemical sector's journey towards sustainability, unraveling the trans...
Jan 19, 2024•20 min•Ep. 57
