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Hosted by Converge · 🇺🇸 US · EN · 22 episodes
Established thought leaders with verified media credentials.
This podcast is all about the journey from teaching, research and innovation to real-world solutions. In season 1 we heard from people who embraced the opportunity to combine their academic work with entrepreneurial ventures. In season 2 we are joined by experienced founders who work alongside university staff and students to help create and support a culture of enterprise on campus.
Converge hosts The Academic Adventures Podcast, a business show with 22 episodes published.
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 expe
Nicola McMillan leads the High Growth Spinout Programme at Scottish Enterprise. The Programme provides funding and support to help commercialise research which has the potential to make an impact globally. A core part of
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 expert
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. H
Mark Logan is an entrepreneurship advocate and advisor. Formerly Mark was the Chief Operating Officer of Skyscanner and Chief Entrepreneurial Advisor to the Scottish Government. He now supports entrepreneurship education
Kirsty Thomson is a charity and social enterprise consultant. She has founded several organisations including The Circle and was recently CEO of The Big House. Kirsty is also a Professor of Practice at the University of
Polly is Chair of Converge and the Digital Xtra Fund as well as being a board member of Edinburgh Science. This follows a long career in banking, economic development and digital technology. Polly has an honorary doctora
Mark Zwinderman is a strategic advisor who specialises in helping high-growth technology companies. He is CEO of SAS Environmental Services (which started as a university spinout), runs the Moonshot Factory programme at
Diana Gormley is the Founder of business consulting firm Danu Solutions Ltd, as well as being an Entrepreneur in Residence at Robert Gordon University in Aberdeen. Diana explains why she wants to break down barriers and
Christopher Leburn is the Technology Exploitation Director for the Photonics & Quantum Accelerator (PQA) programme based at the University of Strathclyde, but working across Scotland’s central belt. He focuses on support
Gillian Fleming is Co-Founder and Managing Director of women-led angel investment network Mint Ventures. She is also an Entrepreneur in Residence at the University of Stirling. Gillian shares the rewards and challenges o
Emily Doolittle is a lecturer and research fellow at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland in Glasgow. She is also an independent composer, working on commissions and personal projects alongside her academic work. Emily sh
Kavi Jagadamma is a senior lecturer in physiotherapy at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. He is also one of four directors at Health Design Collective, a social enterprise which co-creates shoes for people with long-
Duncan Graham and Karen Faulds are both chemistry professors at the University of Strathclyde in Glasgow. They were part of the team which founded the diagnostics spin-out company D3 Technologies in 2007. Duncan and Kare
Anne Muir is Director of Portfolio at EOS, an organisation that invests in university spin-out companies. Prior to that she was Head of IP and Commercialisation at the University of Dundee. Anne talks about what she has
Anton is the founder of Quas Drinks, a company he set up in 2021 whilst completing a PhD in synthetic biology at the University of Edinburgh. A serial entrepreneur, he established his first venture while still a Masters’
John Storm is a Senior Lecturer at the University of Aberdeen Business School, as well as being an independent consultant. He lived and worked in China for 10 years and continues to work with companies all over the world
Catriona Liddle is Head of the Scottish Centre for Food Development and Innovation at Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh. Before this Catriona spent over 20 years as a product developer in the food industry. In this
Professor Andy Porter is a part-time academic and director of the Scottish Biologics Facility at the University of Aberdeen. He also holds exec and non-exec positions in several life science and drinks businesses in Scot
Dr Genevieve Patenaude is an environmental scientist (formerly University of Edinburgh) and CEO of environmental mapping company Earth Blox. In this episode Genevieve shares how she evolved from academic to entrepreneur
Chris Jones
Director of the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control · Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
1 appearance on this show
Rachel Connolly
Heriot Watt University
1 appearance on this show
Elad Katz
Navigate Precision Biology
1 appearance on this show
Nicola McMillan
Scottish Enterprise
1 appearance on this show
Hamish McAlpine
Oxentia
1 appearance on this show
Polly Purvis
Converge
1 appearance on this show
Diana Gormley
Danu Solutions Ltd
1 appearance on this show
Gillian Fleming
Mint Ventures
1 appearance on this show
Emily Doolittle
Royal Conservatoire of Scotland
1 appearance on this show
Anne Muir
EOS
1 appearance on this show
Dr Anton Puzorjov
Quas Drinks
1 appearance on this show
John Storm
University of Aberdeen Business School
1 appearance on this show
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The Academic Adventures Podcast is hosted by Converge. The show is categorised under business (entrepreneurship) and has published 22 episodes.
The Academic Adventures Podcast has published 22 episodes.
The Academic Adventures Podcast regularly covers business, entrepreneurship. It sits in the business category, with a entrepreneurship focus.
The Academic Adventures Podcast is accessible for guests with genuine business expertise. A personalised, episode-aware pitch will still outperform a generic one every time.
The Academic Adventures Podcast hasn't explicitly signalled guest openness in recent episodes. That doesn't rule out pitching. your hook just needs to be especially compelling and relevant to their recent content.
Episodes of The Academic Adventures Podcast average 30 minutes. a focused format where a clear narrative arc and tight preparation matter most.
Our data rates The Academic Adventures Podcast's guest bar at 80/100 (Premium tier). Established thought leaders with verified media credentials. Sign in to PitchCentric to see how your own Pod Score compares against this show.
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