Book a 1:1 with an Expert

You are invited to book a 30 minute 1:1 surgery with experts from the water and space industries to discuss your application.

In these one-to-one sessions, the experts will:

• Conduct a thorough analysis to identify any gaps or weaknesses in your proposal.
• Direct you to invaluable support or potential partners to fill capability or knowledge gaps.
• Provide comprehensive answers to both technical and commercial inquiries.
• Offer tailored suggestions for enhancing the value of your proposition.

To secure your spot, simply fill out the form below. If you wish to meet with experts in both space and water, feel free to request two slots. Please share any specific questions or areas of concern beforehand, as this will allow the team to tailor the session to your needs and ensure maximum support. Once your form has been submitted, your request will be triaged to match you with the most appropriate expert.

REQUEST A SLOT

Disclaimer: Please note that the experts available to assist you are not members of the assessment or judging panel. Their role is solely to provide guidance, support, and expertise to help you navigate the subject matter more effectively. The final assessment or judgment will be made independently by the designated panel, and the assistance provided by experts does not influence the outcome.

The Experts

Andy Grey

Andy is an experienced engineer, strategist, advisor and entrepreneur with over 15 years’ experience operating in research intensive industries and advising UK government and industry. Andy has founded four successful startups across R&D infrastructure, telecommunications systems, semiconductor electronics and science & technology acceleration. Andy is Chair of the joint ADS/UKspace Space Export Group and sits on the UKspace Exec committee. He has previously advised the European Commission as an Independent Technical Expert, developed a Space Strategy for the UK’s National Physical Laboratory, and held technical roles at Airbus D&S, Teledyne e2v and Mott McDonald. Andy has been Project Director for UKSA’s Accelerator, Satellite Application Catapult’s Technical Expert Support Programme and UKSA’s Unlocking Space for Investment initiative. He has worked with over 100 entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs in the space sector alone and has experience taking products from the laboratory to market, building £multi-million businesses. Andy is passionate about the space sector, investing in both businesses and the next generation of space talent, funding training and outreach programmes such as the Mach rocketry competitions. He has an extensive international network and is regular public speaker, promoting the activities of Exotopic and its partners.

Caroline Wadsworth

Caroline has worked in the Environmental and Water industries for over 20 years and with a commercial background she has facilitated technology development, adoption and deployment; supported investment; managed teams of talented scientists and engineers; developed strategies; influenced policy and facilitated applied and blue-sky research. She has a strong global network of well-established contacts and has presented nationally and internationally on innovation. Caroline has a comprehensive working knowledge of the water industry and the challenges it faces and brings experience of start-ups, private and public organisations of all sizes and is well versed in the challenges each organisation faces. Prior to joining Isle, Caroline managed the Water Innovation Hub for the TWENTY65 research consortium, bringing together academia, supply chain, industry, policy makers and regulators to re-imagine water, accelerate innovation and secure clean, sustainable water for all in the future. Her work focused on breaking-down the silos traditionally seen in the industry, raising the value of water across society and improving the culture of innovation in order to accelerate responsible innovation and the development of resilient water systems. Caroline’s role and experience cuts across a number of sectors in which innovation plays a key role, including water, rail, steel, agriculture, food and drink, construction and manufacturing. Caroline has developed and delivered a range of large, international collaborative programmes involving a wide range of stakeholders and is experienced at designing and delivering CLEAR IDEAS workshops.

Chris Lee

Chris retired as Chief Scientist from the UK Space Agency in April 2020 and is now a specialist advisor at Exotopic and supports the Space Academic Network (SPAN). Holding a visiting Professorship at the University of Leicester and an Editorial Board position with the ROOM Space Journal, Chris has a distinguished career spanning various roles in the space industry. Beginning at British Aerospace/Matra Marconi in 1980 after earning degrees in Experimental Space Science and Astrophysics from the University of Leicester, he contributed to notable projects such as the Hubble Space Telescope, Halley’s comet interceptor, and Envisat. Subsequently, at SCISYS, he engaged in projects ranging from Telecommunication and Navigation to Space Science, Exploration, and Earth Observation, including the UK Mars Beagle 2 and ESA Exomars Rover and LISA Pathfinder program. Chris also played pivotal roles in the UK Space Trade Association, where he chaired the Space Science and Exploration committees, and later joined the UK Space Agency, initially as the Head of International Space Policy and later as Head of Space Science Programmes and Chief Scientist, steering the Science Agenda across various Agency domains. His extensive contributions include chairing the International Charter “Space and Major Disasters” organization and spearheading Agency-wide initiatives on Sustainable Development and the UK International Partnership Programme until 2020.

Dan Veal

Dan is an experienced Chartered Engineer and leader with an excellent track record of managing large government programmes and engaging effectively with UK government and industry stakeholders. While at the National Physical Laboratory, he was programme manager for the £36m National Timing Centre programme. Dan has spent more than a decade working with the European Space Agency on innovative technology development programmes.

Chris Thomas

Chris is experienced in the built environment, focussed on business transformation and innovation. Chris is the Head of Innovation and Enterprise. He is experienced in working with digital innovators to bring their solutions to the water industry. His work spans across the lifecycle of new ventures, having supported teams seeking investment, piloting and developing new products and implementing mature solutions at an enterprise scale. Chris previously worked at Bristol Water as the Head of Business Improvement and Innovation. He developed the company’s innovation framework and as part of this founded a business incubator to support startups bringing their new solutions to the industry. He was also responsible for transformation activities and set up a number of new digital capabilities around automation and reporting as well as leading organisational and process changes across asset management, operations and the back office. Prior to Bristol Water, Chris worked for Baringa Partners supporting a range of Utility clients across the UK with operating model improvement projects.

Oliver Raud

Oliver is a driven innovation professional with a demonstrated history of working in Programme and Project Management roles for over 10 years across a number of fields spanning the water sector, creative and cultural industries, research and academia, innovation and business start-up. Through this he has developed significant experience and passion for working with communities, practitioners, academics and technical experts to deliver and facilitate innovation and support partnerships to bring forward solutions to some of the pressing environmental and societal challenges we face. Recently he has supported the development of a pollution removal technology from an initial idea through the technical and commercial development journey. His previous role in a water company innovation team means he has an excellent contact of networks and relationships to leverage.

Dr Gregory Gregori

Gregory is a versatile environmental technology consultant and innovator, renowned for his expertise in sustainable and regenerative technologies. With a robust background in both academia and industry, he excels in driving projects from R&D to commercialization. During his tenure at Johnson Matthey, Gregorys impact was profound as an Innovations Scientist and Product Development Chemist, which resulted in several patented inventions.  Here he played a pivotal role in developing emissions control catalysts integrated into thousands of vehicles, showcasing business acumen through external collaborations and efficient team and project management. Other notable roles include Research Associate in the commercialisation of sustainable carbon materials at Imperial College London, securing substantial funding and forming key collaborations, and as IP Manager at BIOHM, where he revamped product development and led successful licensing negotiations.  Holding a PhD in Chemistry, his academic and commercial achievements are complemented by a commitment to systems-thinking, regenerative ecology, and mental health advocacy. Gregory’s wide range of experience and achievements are complemented by a commitment to growing sustainability and the circular economy.  This, coupled with his passion for science and business acumen make him an invaluable asset in steering environmental technology initiatives towards success.

Karyn Georges

Karyn is an environmental specialist with over 20 years’ experience of working in utilities and consultancies in the water sector. She joined Isle Utilities from Imperial College where she was a researcher on a European FP7 project called Globaqua. This project was working to identify and assess techniques, technologies and policies for better managing water bodies facing multiple stressors under water scarcity. Prior to Imperial she was a consultant at Atkins for 12 years where she worked on a range of projects around wastewater treatment and water quality for the Water Companies, UKWIR and the Environment Agency, including the Chemicals Investigation Programme and the PR14 Phosphorus Trials. She has also worked for Thames Water as a research scientist in the clean water R&D department, and for Southern Water and Australian Water Technologies as a microbiologist.

Together this has given her extensive project management experience and particular expertise in the regulation, management and treatment of priority substances, emerging chemicals and phosphorus in the water sector. She also has expertise in resource recovery and biosolids management. An underlying thread through all this work has been the carbon impact and water quality benefits of advancements in wastewater treatment and sludge management. Karyn is also a member of CIWEM’s Wastewater and Bioresources Management Panel.

Dr Naiara Fonseca

Naiara is an experienced chemical engineer with over nine years of experience in engineering and consultancy in water, wastewater and resource recovery. She mainly developed her early career at the R&D department of Thames Water, where she completed her PhD on reactive media based on steel slag for phosphorus (P) removal and developed the technology at full-scale for Thames Water. She also delivered the CIP2 project on the Nereda technology to the Environment Agency, led a coagulant optimisation project and participated in odour-cause analysis at one of Thames Water’s largest sewage treatment works. In Isle, she has delivered projects for many water utilities, technology companies, private industrial clients and investors worldwide both as a technology consultant and project manager. These projects have covered a wide range of subjects, from wastewater treatment (ammonia stripping, hydrogen generation, passive P removal, artificial aeration optimisation and maintenance, membrane filtration, metal/hazardous substance removal, resource recovery, abiotic wastewater treatment) to artificial intelligence, process emissions and accounting, and innovation platform development.

Rob Adlard

Rob is an experienced entrepreneur and industry leader in launch and propulsion, and operations in microgravity environments. Rob founded Gravitilab, a space sector business developing platforms to support microgravity research, including a sub-orbital launch vehicle. He has a background in systems engineering and materials science, and has been developing robotics for operation in low and micro-gravity environments. Rob is Chair of the UKspace Launch Committee.