Five startups chosen to pitch at Cambridge Tech Week innovation showcase

Cambridge Surgical Models, illumion, Kodiaq Technologies, Reclinker and Sqwish have progressed to the final which takes place during Cambridge Tech Week’s Start-up to Scale up Day on Wednesday 17 September. They will pitch to a panel of investors that includes Amy Weatherup (angel investor and exited founder), Isabelle O'Keeffe (Mercuri VC), Richard Lewis (Foresight Group), and Michael Jackson (VC and entrepreneur).

Two awards will be presented – one chosen by the judging panel, and the second by the Cambridge Tech Week audience. The finalists:

• Founded by Dr Senthooran Kanthasamy and Dr Mark Golab, Cambridge Surgical Models is creating next-gen surgical training tools using lifelike artificial organs and AI-powered performance evaluation.

• University of Cambridge spin-out, illumion is revolutionising battery R&D with its patent-protected Charge Photometry technology. It visualises in real time what is happening to battery material during charging and discharging. Founded in 2022 by CEO Dr Christoph Schnedermann together with Lead Scientist Dr Alice Merryweather at the University, Illumion builds on research undertaken by co-founders Professor Dame Clare Grey, at the Yusuf Hamied Department and Professor Akshay Rao at the Cavendish Laboratory.

• Kodiaq Technologies is developing metal-free organic electrolytes for redox flow batteries, boosting ROI in energy storage. The technology is based on 15 years of intensive lab research in the Melville Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. The company was co-founded by Dr David Fyfe – former executive chair at Cambridge Display technology, which he led onto Nasdaq in 2004 prior to the company’s sale to Sumitomo Chemical in 2007. Co-founders Dr Kamil Sokolowski and Professor Oren Scherman (Director of the Melville Lab) invented the Kodiaq technology.

• University of Cambridge spin-out Reclinker is decarbonising cement by producing new material alongside steel in electric arc furnaces, cutting demolition waste. The company has developed the world’s first process for making low carbon, recycled cement, by processing it through the same electric arc furnaces (EAFs) as those used in steel recycling. The company closed a £2.25 million seed funding round last year, led by decarbonisation-focused Zero Carbon Capital, alongside existing investor Legal & General, Cambridge Enterprise Ventures, Parkwalk Advisors, Delph25, and Almanac Ventures.

• Sqwish, an alumni of the Cambridge Judge Business School Accelerate programme, is building the adaptive optimisation layer for the agent economy, so every genAI app can learn from real user signals and improve actual business outcomes, going beyond technical metrics like accuracy, latency or cost. Co-founded by Cambridge-trained AI researchers Ushnish Sengupta and Federica Freddi, Sqwish is working with a number of design partners and has been backed by the University of Cambridge and top AI angels.

Each company was judged on Innovation, Challenge, Influence, Viability, and Memorability by an expert panel including Anne Dobree (Parkwalk Advisors), Christine Martin (Cambridge Enterprise), Emmi Nicholl (Cambridge Angels), Faye Holland (#21toWatch creator), Paul Hughes (BDO) and Chris Keen (Mishcon de Reya).

Christine Martin of Cambridge Enterprise said: “The calibre of entries was nothing short of extraordinary. From deep tech to sustainability, the diversity and quality of ideas showcase why Cambridge remains one of the world’s most exciting innovation hubs. Choosing just five was incredibly tough.”

The Innovation Alley Pitching Competition is sponsored by BDO and Mishcon de Reya, supported by Cambridge Management Consulting, and delivered by Cambridge Wireless.

For tickets and full event details visit CambridgeTechWeek.co.uk