Tackling global inequalities in innovation and entrepreneurship

Perspectives in Global Development Seminar Series: Spring 2022

Oxentia developed out of the University of Oxford’s technology transfer office. Over the last 18 years we have taken experience and expertise in innovation and entrepreneurship and supported others across the emerging economies. We have learnt many things about the challenges in supporting innovation ecosystem development. There appears to be no quick fixes or models to follow, and we have been exploring strategies to ‘jump start’ ecosystems and work beyond the in-country bureaucracies and generation-scale timeframes. From our experiences in operating in >70 countries we have gathered some unique insights, and realised some home truths from the more advanced economies. What has become overwhelmingly apparent are the inequities innovators and entrepreneurs face across the development spectrum. From local to global scales, the rich get richer and developing world innovators, who are often at the coal-face tackling and experiencing some of our planets greatest challenges; simply get stuck. Often this is from a lack of available capital, but also other resources which are in short supply in their own ecosystems. Oxentia’s future focus is in working with partners around the world to help redress the imbalance between innovators and the resources they need, and to support the growing trend all over the world to innovate for people ahead of profit. I look forward to sharing and discussing some of our observations and lessons from our innovation support work around the world.  

About the speaker

Tim leads Oxentia’s Entrepreneurship & Accelerator programs. He has gained >29 years experience in technology commercialization and entrepreneurship work, particularly from university settings, and in the life sciences. He has worked as an academic researcher, technology transfer professional, and entrepreneur, having spun-out and managed two investment-backed life science companies from university research, and advised in the formation and growth of many others. Tim’s experience is truly global, having worked for and with some of the largest technology corporates and leading universities across Asia, Russia, Europe, North and South America, Australia, and Africa. Tim is a founder and director of the Oxentia Foundation where we work to address some of the challenges innovators and entrepreneurs face in the developing world. He is also an active member of the Oxford innovation ecosystem and a Trustee of the IF Oxford Festival.

About the seminar series

The Perspectives in Global Development seminars are held Wednesdays from 12:25 – 1:15 p.m. eastern time during the semester. The series will be presented in a hybrid format with some speakers on campus and others appearing via Zoom. Students, faculty and the general public are welcome to attend. The series is co-sponsored by the Department of Global Development, the Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, the Charles H. Dyson School of Applied Economics and Management, and the School of Integrative Plant Science as part of courses IARD 6960, NTRES 6960, PLSCS 6960 and AEM 6960.