Best Startup
At Best Startup UK we track over 130,000 UK startups and over 500,000 people who hold key positions in these companies. We use this directory of startups to highlight top employees, founders and board members we think deserve more appreciation than they are currently getting.
This list showcases the top Oxfordshire based Founder operating in the Manufacturing space. If you think a Founder is missing from this list, feel free to contact our editor on editor@beststartup.co.uk.
The individuals on this list have been included because of exceptional performance in one of the following categories:
- Innovation – Operating as a key part in an extremely innovative business or startup.
- Growth – Operating as a key figure in the growth and upscale of a market leading business or startup.
- Management – Showing exceptional management skills.
- Societal impact – Putting their business on the map for their positive societal or environmental impact.
Our Data – We source our data from OSINT (open source intelligence) and public directories such as Companies House UK, Crunchbase, SemRush and many more. The data from these sources should be treated with a degree of caution and verified yourself.
Adrian Thomas
Co-Founder & CSO of Animal Dynamics
Adrian Thomas is Professor of Biomechanics in the Zoology Department of Oxford University, where he founded and runs the animal flight research group. Other roles include aerodynamics and design consultancy with Gin Gliders, where he is a sponsored team pilot, and at the FAI (the World Air Sports Federation) where he is Chairman of the Paragliding committee. Key areas of study include Biomechanics, Aerodynamics and Evolution: using aerodynamic theory to predict optimal morphologies for specific aspects of flight ecology (flight missions), and test the predictions with phylogenetically controlled comparative methods, with mechanical model organisms, and with free-flying or swimming animals in the laboratory, or in the field.
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About Animal Dynamics, Lady Margaret Hall, University of Oxford: Animal Dynamics is a spinout company from the Department of Zoology at University of Oxford
Mauro Pasta
Co-Founder of Cuberg
Co-Founder of Cuberg.
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About University of Oxford: Cuberg is a company delivering lithium metal cells produced on existing lithium-ion manufacturing lines for electromobility solutions.
Clement Champion
Co-Founder and Chief Scientific Officer of MoA Technology Ltd
Clément graduated from the French Grandes Écoles with an Engineer’s degree in Agronomy before moving to Oxford in 2012. He was awarded a Clarendon scholarship to work on the genetic control of plant growth in Prof. Dolan’s research group. After completing his D. Phil, Clément contributed to the conception of MoA Technology’s discovery platforms and has since been leading the biology research group.
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About MoA Technology Ltd: MoA Technology Ltd has developed an innovative approach for the discovery of agricultural technologies.
Liam Dolan
Co-Founder of MoA Technology Ltd
Liam came to the University of Oxford as Sherardian Professor of Botany in 2009, from the John Innes Centre (JIC), and was head of the Dept. of Plant Sciences 2012-2017. He studied at University College, Dublin and at the University of Pennsylvania before a post-doc at JIC. Liam is a trustee at The Royal Botanic Gardens Kew and on the board of Oxford University Innovation.
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About MoA Technology Ltd: MoA Technology Ltd has developed an innovative approach for the discovery of agricultural technologies.
Harish Bhaskaran
Co-Founder & Chief Scientific Officer of Bodle Technologies
Harish is the academic founder of Bodle Technologies (with Peiman) and serves as its Director and Chief Scientific Officer, acting also as its founding executive until Jan 2016. He is an Associate Professor of Materials at the University of Oxford, where he leads the Advanced Nanoscale Engineering Group. A former researcher at IBM Research, Harish has worked in both industry and academia over the past 15 years, including in product development under joint development agreements. His research has most recently focused on novel applications of phase change materials and on the manufacturing of nanoscale components.
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About Bodle Technologies, University of Oxford: Developing SRD® technology for a low-power display of vivid colours that doesn’t look washed out in bright conditions
David Fyfe
Co-Founder & Executive Chairman of Bodle Technologies
David is a founder and Executive Chairman of Bodle Technologies. His career spans several top management positions in both Europe and the United States, and he has held board positions in several firms over the years. As Chief Executive Officer of Cambridge Display Technologies (CDT), he took a laboratory-based spin-off to a NASDAQ flotation and a subsequent $285m trade sale. David is also the Executive Chairman of Oxford Photovoltaics. As a resident of Jacksonville, Florida, David also serves on the board of Cambridge in America foundation.
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About Bodle Technologies: Developing SRD® technology for a low-power display of vivid colours that doesn’t look washed out in bright conditions
Peiman Hosseini
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Bodle Technologies
Peiman is a founder and Chief Technology Officer of Bodle. As a postdoctoral researcher at Oxford, he demonstrated the use of ultrathin functional materials in electro-optical applications, setting up Bodle Technologies with Harish to commercialize this invention. He was a member of the RAEng Enterprise Hub in 2014 and has won numerous awards for this technology including the Printed Electronics R&D Academic Award. Pei leads the technology development and with the other management team members helps define business and development strategy.
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About Bodle Technologies, Bodle Technologies: Developing SRD® technology for a low-power display of vivid colours that doesn’t look washed out in bright conditions
Tim Woolmer
CTO and Founder of YASA
Tim developed the unique YASA motor topology as part of his DPhil at the University of Oxford. Tim now works as the CTO at YASA motors, with responsibility for the technical development of the YASA motor. Tim completed a general Engineering degree at Oxford University from 2000-2004.
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About YASA: Yasa develops and manufactures electric motors and generators of high power and high torque density electric.
Darryl Mattocks
Co-Founder & Managing Director of Enistic
Darryl Mattocks is Co-Founder & Managing Director at Enistic.
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About Enistic: Enistic designs and manufactures its own range of smart-meters, software and end-to-end aM&T solutions.
Jolyon Tidmarsh
Co-Founder and Technology Director of Keit
Jolyon has significant experience in establishing technology based start-up businesses and managing technical projects, with previous successes in the fields of online drinks quality measurement, and bio-fuels. With a degree in Applied Physics, Jolyon has a technical background in designing optical systems in the infra-red with particular applications in spectroscopy, telecommunications and optical fibre sensing.
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About Keit: Keit’s microFTS® design is a Fourier Transform Infrared spectrometer that is smaller, lighter and more rugged than any current system.
Alan Finlay
Chief Executive, Founder of Salunda
Alan has spent the past 15 years’ commercialising technology, including as co-founder and CEO at Microsaic Systems plc, where he conceived and launched the world’s first chip-based mass spectrometer products plus led a successful IPO exit. Alan has a MEngSc in Engineering from University College, Dublin.
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About Salunda: Salunda develops robust, contactless sensors for use in very harsh environments.
Henry Snaith
Chief Scientific Officer & Co-Founder of Oxford PV
In December 2010, Professor Henry Snaith co-founded Oxford Photovoltaics to commercialise the solar technology transferred from his laboratory at the University of Oxford. Henry undertook his PhD in organic photovoltaics at the University of Cambridge. Following his PhD, he spent two years at the École Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) as a post-doc, where his research focused on developing the technology behind and understanding of the operation of solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells. In 2012, Henry was awarded the Paterson medal and prize by the Institute of Physics for his important contributions to the field of excitonic solar cells. The following year his discovery of high efficiency metal halide perovskite photovoltaics was recognised as one of the top breakthroughs of 2013 by Science. In 2013, Nature named Henry for its list of ten people who mattered, in recognition of his work on next generation solar power technology and was one of the youngest ever elected Fellow of The Royal Society in 2015. In 2017, he was named a Clarivate Citation Laureate and in 2018 he received the UK Blavatnik Awards Laureate in physical sciences. In addition to his role as Chief Scientific Officer at Oxford PV today, Henry also leads the Photovoltaics and Optoelectronics Device Group at the University of Oxford.
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About Oxford PV: Oxford PV is a provider of perovskite solar cells.
Norman Shaw
President & Founder of ExactTrak
Norman has started and managed a number of companies over the past twenty-five years. His career started with Sony Corporation in Australia and subsequently the UK, marketing and selling newly developed products and commercialising Sony’s IP over a period of 10 years. Since 2008 Norman has been CEO of ExactTrak, developing the products and business of its mobile data security technology.
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About ExactTrak: ExactTrak supplies embedded technology that protects data and devices, giving the user visibility and control over turned off devices.
David Crudden
Co-Founder and Senior Alloy Design Engineer of OxMet Technologies
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About OxMet Technologies: OxMet Technologies develops, licenses, and manufactures proprietary alloys, alloy powders and alloy components.
Fauzan Adziman
Founder and Director of OxMet Technologies
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About OxMet Technologies: OxMet Technologies develops, licenses, and manufactures proprietary alloys, alloy powders and alloy components.
Enrique Alabort Martinez
Co-Founder and Programme Director of OxMet Technologies
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About OxMet Technologies: OxMet Technologies develops, licenses, and manufactures proprietary alloys, alloy powders and alloy components.
Oliver Leisten
Co-Founder & Chief Technology Officer of Helix Technologies
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About Helix Technologies, Sarantel: Helix Technologies is developing a range of compact, high-performance, dielectric-loaded ceramic antennas.
Barry Gillibrand
Chairman/Founder of Low Power Radio Solutions
Barry founded LPRS in 1985 having worked in electronic component distribution for many years. Barry brings with him a wealth of knowledge of electronics and wireless communications.
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About Low Power Radio Solutions: LPRS is a global leader in low power RF solutions for OEMs.
