Entrepreneur in Residence

About the Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) scheme

The Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR) scheme, part of the Science, Industry and Translation programme, aims to increase the knowledge and awareness in UK universities of cutting edge industrial science, research and innovation. The successful applicants are funded to spend 20% of their time over two years with their host university and collaborators, sharing their experiences to help mentor and support students and academics. The scheme has now funded 65 placements in 38 universities across the UK since its inception in 2018. 

Read more on the Royal Society website

eNTREPRENEURS IN rESIDENCE IN Medical Sciences

Steve Bates

In February 2022, the Translational Research Office (TRO) welcomed Steve Bates, CEO of the UK Bioindustry Association, as a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence. Steve will be working very closely with the TRO and key teams across the University of Oxford's innovation ecosystem.

Steve will lead an initiative to capture how academic institutions can deliver lifesaving technologies, incorporating learnings from the Covid era. In the recent years, we have seen the Oxford – Astra Zeneca Covid 19 vaccine, and other technologies such as OxVent, being developed and delivered to patients in a record time of one year, which would have been unimaginable prior to the Covid times.

Steve will work with academic teams and organisations to learn from the Covid response and investigate how we apply these learnings for future endeavours, facilitating a sustainable and perennial ‘fast-track route to innovation’ in academic organisations.  

In his role, Steve will:

• Investigate and understand which potential organisational barriers exists but could be bypassed to respond rapidly to unmet needs
• Identify measures and implementable changes in procedures across the university standard business practices.  
• Ensure that the cultural and procedural shockwaves from the Covid19 programmes impacts organisations to be better equipped to support, facilitate, and implement entrepreneurial success.

Biography for Steve Bates

Steve Bates has been the CEO of the UK Bioindustry Association since 2012, representing the UK Life Sciences Industry, as it developed into a key global innovation cluster for the biotechnology industry. Steve sits on the UK Government’s Life Sciences Council (alongside Professor Sir John Bell) and Life Sciences Industrial Strategy Implementation Board, and chairs the Global International Council of Biotech Associations. He worked on advocating for the UKRI Biomedical Catalyst scheme, supporting translational research and bridging the gap between early stage research and industry in the U.K. In 2020, Steve Bates was part of the UK Government Covid19 Vaccine Taskforce Steering Group, supporting the delivery of the UK vaccine through the pandemic. He was awarded an OBE for services to innovation in 2017 and made a fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2021.

Dr Nessa Carey

In January 2020, the TRO welcomed Dr Nessa Carey as a Royal Society Entrepreneur in Residence (EiR). Since then, Dr Carey has been leading the strategic development and implementation of the EiR scheme in Medical Sciences, laying the foundation of a world-class innovation support ecosystem capable of accelerating the translation of world-leading research into innovative therapies, business and commercial products.

• Brings broad, multi-stakeholder and non-sector specific strategic oversight to the MSD EiR scheme
• Works with Oxford's academic community to enrich innovative translational programmes with commercial context
• Develops strategies to enhance the entrepreneurial culture at Oxford
• Leads the development of an enhanced, sustainable translation and innovation support ecosystem, empowering innovation managers with the knowledge and tools to lead researchers through complex translational pathways.
• Works with senior leaders and key stakeholders to identify opportunities to enhance Oxford’s translational research portfolio
• Works with the MSD Business Partnerships Office and Translational Research Office teams, as well as Oxford University Innovation, to facilitate the recruitment of ‘Experts’ with an in-depth sector-specific knowledge
• Leads a series of seminars, sandpits, surgeries and policy discussions 

Dr Carey will continue to work with the TRO as Entrepreneur in Residence until Summer 2022.

Biography for Dr Nessa Carey

As a former academic scientific group leader at Imperial College, where she now holds a Visiting Chair, Dr Nessa Carey has a deep understanding of the academic environment. This has been enhanced by her long-term involvements with the MRC, BBSRC and lately UKRI.  Her 13 years in senior roles in the biotech and pharma industries mean that she is exceptionally well-networked, including in the investment community and also understands the translational space intimately. This experience spans from start-up to multi-national corporation. Since leaving her role at PraxisUnico, where she strengthened her links with the PSRE technology transfer community, Nessa has built a successful business as a consultant, trainer and coach, working both nationally and internationally.  Her consultancy work has spanned from one-to-one support to identify the greatest value in a medical device to creating the business development and innovation strategy for a complex multi-partner PSRE.