Simon Hombersley, Xampla
How To: Embed early stage spin-out success & Connect with your customers
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“What I would urge people to do is to go to the customer, and think like a customer.”
This week on CUTalks we are talking to Simon Hombersley, CEO of Xampla, a startup making natural plastic alternative made entirely of peas. Simon is an experienced technology entrepreneur with a track record in using technology to solve environmental problems. He is the former CEO of Oxford Flow, an energy reducing wealth technology, spun out of Oxford University’s Department of Engineering Science. Simon has more than a decade of experience building cleantech startups with global impact. He shares about what it takes to commercialize a scientific project out of academia, and the change in mindset that researchers need to adopt in order to make such a pursuit successful. Simon especially emphasizes the importance of understanding what the customer needs since early days of the company. Having connections with investors with extensive experience in the field is also a crucial factor in achieving success.
This episode was sponsored by DesignSpark: design tools and resources for engineers to help make their ideas happen. The podcast was produced by Carl Homer, Cambridge TV.
Jump to the following topics:
Quick Introduction to Xampla - 1:20
What is a Cleantech Entrepreneur? - 3:20
The importance of global impact - 5:30
Simon’s learning experience from running startups - 8:40
Common pitfalls scientists face in commercializing research - 13:00
What to watch out for when filing patents - 16:50
The importance of talking to customers - 19:15
How to establish customer relationship - 25:08
Hardware/lab-based vs software-based startups - 29:00
Individuals can drive changes - 31:30