Creator Fund UK 2023/4 Team
Creator Fund backs AI and Deep Tech university founders solving the world’s toughest challenges. We have a unique model to find these founders first, recruiting a team of PhD and other student investors embedded across campuses where the most exciting innovation is being developed.
Our student investment partner programme has trained over 120 people in the last 3 years. Our alumni have gone on to found companies (that we are then proud to back), join our portfolio in senior roles, and work at many of Europe’s top VC funds.
Founders choose to work with Creator Fund because they get to partner with Europe’s smartest PhDs with expertise in what they’re building. Every summer, we recruit some of the most talented technical minds across Europe to join our student investor programme.
We are proud to present the Creator Fund team for the upcoming 2023–4 cohort.
Student Investment Partners
Chris Lu, PhD Reinforcement Learning, Oxford
Chris is a third-year DPhil student studying AI at the University of Oxford. His work focuses on applying evolution-inspired techniques to meta-learning and reinforcement learning. Previously he worked at DeepMind as a research scientist and as a researcher at Covariant.ai. He received a BS in Electrical Engineering and Computer Science from UC Berkeley.
Juliane Weller, PhD Genomics, Cambridge
Juliane is a PhD student at the Wellcome Sanger Institute at the University of Cambridge, focusing on CRISPR genome engineering and predictive modelling of editing outcomes. During her studies, she gained practical experiences in both academia and industry, exploring cancer research, microelectronics, and the application of artificial intelligence in biomedicine. Juliane holds a MSc in Biotechnology and High Throughput Analysis, a MEng in Biotechnology and a BSc in Molecular Medicine.
Daniel Marti Dafcik, PhD Quantum Computing, Oxford
Daniel is a PhD candidate at the University of Oxford working at the intersection of quantum physics and computer science, developing algorithms for quantum computers. He has worked as a research scientist at Microsoft, Zapata AI, MIT and Caltech. Daniel is interested in companies that solve core industrial problems by leveraging breakthroughs in computation and applied physics.
Gautier Dagan, PhD Natural Language Processing, Edinburgh
Gautier is a third year PhD student in Natural Language Processing at the University of Edinburgh. He has worked as a machine learning engineer for several startups, and founded his own company in the predictive analytics space. Gautier is passionate about entrepreneurship, and enjoys the similarities between the exploration of ideas in startups and academic research.
Fernando Acero, PhD Robotics, UCL
Fernando has experience as founding engineer at a drone startup, focusing on control, perception, and autonomy. He has worked as research scientist at Amazon for analytics and insights, at Dyson working on deep reinforcement learning for robotics, and most recently at JP Morgan as an AI Researcher. He holds a MEng in Aeronautics with Spacecraft Engineering from Imperial College London and is currently pursing a PhD at Edinburgh researching machine learning for robot control.
Konstantin Hemker, PhD Computer Science, Cambridge
Konstantin is a PhD student in the Computer Science department in Cambridge, where his research focusses on Multi-modal Machine Learning on Biomedical data. Prior to moving to Cambridge, he worked as a Senior Data Scientist at BCG, focussing on drug yield optimisation for pharmaceutical companies. He holds a Master’s degree from Imperial College London and an undergraduate degree from the London School of Economics.
Louis Marlow, PhD Synthetic Biology, Edinburgh
Louis is a PhD student at the University of Edinburgh interfacing synthetic biology with green chemistry to transform pollutants into compounds of value. Previous to his doctorate he worked as a molecular biologist at Ingenza, an Edinburgh based biotechnology spinout. Louis is currently the president of the European Synthetic Biology Society (EUSynBioS) and has worked at Edinburgh University’s commercial arm, Edinburgh Innovations. He holds a BSc in Biochemistry and an MSc in Industrial Biotechnology.
Kristina Kordova, PhD Computational Biology, Cambridge
Kristina is a PhD student at Cambridge whose research focuses on the use of machine learning in bacterial genomics. She is broadly interested in multiomic approaches to discovery and has previously carried out research in human and non-human species. She has previous experience working with start-ups and investments though the UCL Entrepreneur society, UCL Innovation and Enterprise, the early-stage investment fund Plug and Play and the Included VC programme.
Pedro Lovatt Garcia, PhD Synthetic Biology, Imperial
Pedro is an interdisciplinary synthetic biologist with experience in drug development, materials science and bioengineering. In collaboration with industry, his PhD research seeks to interface synthetic biology with machine learning to accelerate the transition towards an energetically, nutritionally and resourcefully secure future.
Jan Ole Ernst, PhD Atomic & Laser Physics, Oxford
Jan is a physics PhD student at the University of Oxford working with single atoms and photons for quantum information processing. Beyond quantum physics Jan is particularly interested in blockchain technology and cryptocurrencies and won the EthGlobal Hackathon in 2022. Jan did his undergraduate degree in Physics and Philosophy and maintains a general interest in disruptive and upcoming technologies.
Jun Jie Ong, PhD Pharmaceutical Sciences, UCL
Jun Jie (JJ) is a PhD candidate at University College London (UCL), researching on the use of 3D printing for fabricating personalised medicines and medical devices. Previously, JJ interned as an investment analyst at Superangel, an early-stage venture capital based in Estonia, where he focused on the biotech sector. Beyond pharmaceutical 3D printing, he is interested in biosensors and wearables, digital health, and AI.
Associate Student Investment Partners
Rob Elkington, PhD Biotribology, University of Leeds
Rob is a medical engineering PhD student researcher at the University of Leeds developing soft interfaces for a new generation of cartilage preserving knee replacements.
Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering his core research interests span materials science, additive manufacturing, surface engineering and medical devices. He also has extensive lab experience developing innovative enabling technologies including magnetized lubricants, high-pressure liquid crystal imaging techniques, along with an internship developing space-vehicle engine tribology at Mitsubishi in Japan.
Abdul Azam Rajper, Medicine, Hull York Medical School
Abdul is studying Medicine at the Hull York Medical School. He has a deep understanding of medical innovation as an NHS Clinical Entrepreneur, and a 4x founder, with experience in MedTech, Hardware and Impact Startups. He has extensive expertise in analysing startups, and building financial models learnt during his time at Capital Pilot, a startup rating agency. Abdul is interested in medical innovation, hardware, tech for good and just about anything that is solving a really difficult problem in the world.
Leon Gibson, Business Management, Queens University Belfast
Leon is a current business student at Queen’s University Belfast on a year in industry. He’s been with the fund since September 2021 having joined off the back of receiving a CF sponsored pitching prize with his charity fundraising start-up. He recently spent six months with FairGen, a Creator Fund portfolio company where he worked across marketing, commercial strategy and operations. He then spent 6 months interning full-time with the Creator Fund central team.
As he returns to complete his studies, Leon will be supporting the central team on People Operations.
Cherie Wong, PhD Engineering, University of Oxford
Cherie is a DPhil student in engineering at the University of Oxford. Her research interest lies in hydrogen production via ultrasonic cavitation. She is excited to translate scientific innovations, especially in energy and green technologies, into business opportunities that can create a sustainable world.
Nikita Semenov, BSc Economics, UCL
Nikita is an Economics undergraduate at UCL and a Chairman at Blackelm Equity, a $250K AUM ESG Investment Club. He has interned in Growth Equity, Investment Banking and ESG Investment Research. His other professional experiences include Strategy Consulting at McKinsey and JP Morgan. At school, he was a Royal Marine and the founder of the MUN Club. In his free time, he enjoys running, BJJ and table games.
Venture Fellows
Amr Nimer, PhD AI in Healthcare, Imperial
Amr is currently undertaking a PhD at Imperial College London, working on the utilisation of data-driven Artificial Intelligence in Healthcare. Previously, he was a neurosurgeon who specialised in Hannover and Mainz in Germany. He holds a medical degree from the University of Göttingen and a Master of Science degree from the University of Oxford.
Maraleis Sinton, MSc Behavioural Science, LSE
Maraleis studied Economics at the University of Edinburgh and is now pursuing an MSc in Behavioural Science at LSE. Maraleis previously worked at BlackRock and Circularity Capital, investing in the energy transition and circular economies. More recently, she worked in investment banking at Panmure Gordon, covering new energy and clean tech as well as healthcare companies.
Niki Kotecha, PhD Process Systems Engineering, Imperial
Niki is a PhD Candidate in reinforcement learning and graph neural networks for operational research at Imperial College London. Niki is an aspiring entrepreneur with an interest in sustainability and a drive to solve complex problems. She is particularly interested in how technology can further reshape the trajectory for climate change.
Sivaloganathan Kumaran, PhD Semiconductor Physics, Cambridge
Kumaran is a PhD student in Semiconductor Physics at the Cavendish Laboratory at the University of Cambridge. Prior to moving to Cambridge, he trained as a Solicitor at Bristows LLP, with a background in intellectual property, antitrust, and corporate law. Kumaran is passionate about realising sustainable and efficient technology solutions. In his spare time he enjoys debating, discussing technology policy, and playing men’s lacrosse.
Sam Shorthouse, PhD Digital Health Care, Bristol
Sam is a PhD student in Digital Health at the University of Bristol with a background in computer science and artificial intelligence. Currently, his PhD aims to create hardware and software solutions to increase the throughput of 3D cell culture. Beyond academia, he also works freelance as a full-stack developer, digitising the logistics and analytics of a leading distribution business. Outside of work, Sammy enjoys weightlifting, music, and travelling.
Adam Brzosko, PhD Quantum Communications, Cambridge
Adam is a Physics graduate from Imperial College London, starting a PhD in Quantum Communications at Cambridge.
Adam’s primary research interests are in the field of quantum information research. He is also passionate about the space industry. More recently Adam became an advocate for decentralisation of the web after completing a blockchain academy with Polkadot. In his spare time Adam loves doing, watching and discussing sports.
Ed Harris, BA Medicine, Oxford
Ed is studying for his Undergraduate medical degree at Oxford University and has also founded a company using deep learning for protein design. Ed has worked on a range of synthetic biology projects and before university, he co-founded a company in Mexico which now has revenue of over $200k.
Sara Matijevic, PhD Health Data Science, Oxford
Sara is a DPhil student in Health Data Science at the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on improving machine learning approaches for survival analysis. She is excited about the potential of health data science to drive innovation, with the goal of making a tangible difference in the patient lives and outcomes.
Marko Tvrdić, PhD Neuroscience, Oxford
Marko is a first-year PhD student in Interdisciplinary Bioscience with a focus on neuroscience at the University of Oxford. Most recently, Marko worked on circadian rhythm regulation and the neural underpinnings of complex behaviour and won the 2023 Crick Innovation Challenge.
Rohith Devanathan, MEng Robotics Engineering, Heriot-Watt
Rohith is an undergraduate student at Heriot Watt University, where he’s studying Robotics Engineering. Besides his studies, he’s passionate about helping early-stage companies grow and has experience working with startups in different areas from SaaS to Web3.
Saniya Crouch, PhD Parasitology, Glasgow
Saniya is a PhD student at the University of Glasgow with her work focusing on using multiomics and synthetic biology to improve a parasite vaccine crucial to the veterinary industry. Saniya has always been drawn to the transformative potential of commercialising biosciences research and is keen to discover new innovative start-ups eager to push the boundaries and drive change.
John Fitzgerald, BSc Computer Science, Glasgow
John is a third-year Computing Science undergraduate at the University of Glasgow. He is currently a member of both the business development and software teams at GU Orbit, an award-winning satellite launching organisation. In his free time he enjoys sailing and playing squash and he is passionate about making transformative ideas a reality.
Reece Khan, MBBS Medicine, Kings College London
Reece is an Undergraduate medical student at King’s College London. He is the founder of a digital health startup transforming MedEd through gamification and has experience working with startups at Capital Pilot. Reece is committed to supporting ventures poised to transform the practice of medicine through technological innovation.
Connor Farrell, PhD Biological Sciences, Nottingham Trent
Connor is a PhD student at Nottingham Trent University investigating the impact of air quality on both animal and human health. Holding a Bachelor’s degree in Biological Sciences, his core research interests span Immunology, Genetics and Bioinformatics. These interests formed the basis of his investigation of Alzheimer’s Disease Polygenicity which was published in the Journal of Neurology and Neuromedicine. Connor also has extensive social enterprise experience, as both President of NTU’s largest social enterprise organisation and his experience as a founder tackling youth violence in Nottingham. Through this, Connor is deeply involved in organisations throughout Nottingham and strives to better connect talent across the Midlands.
Andrea Balukova, PhD Optical Biology, University College London
Andrea is an interdisciplinary Wellcome-UCL-Crick PhD student working in biophysics and nanotechnology for cancer research. She is part of the committee of the Crick Science Entrepreneur Network and teaches the ‘Digital Health Startups’ module at UCL’s Global Business School for Health. Andrea is passionate about working on innovative technologies for Biotech, Pharma, Healthcare and Digital Health.
Anna Scheeder, PhD Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology, Cambridge
Anna is an interdisciplinary researcher pursuing her PhD in Chemical Engineering and Biotechnology at the University of Cambridge. Her research focuses on designing nano-sized antimicrobial drug delivery vehicles and uses super-resolution microscopy for in-depth evaluation. She is passionate about assisting university startups in translating their research into real-world applications.
Benedetta Gaggio, PhD Nanomaterials, Cambridge
Benedetta is a PhD student at the University of Cambridge, studying the behaviour of materials for brain-inspired devices. Benedetta is passionate about nanotechnology and she holds a MSci in Chemistry from Imperial College London, and a MRes in Nanoscience and Nanotech from the University of Cambridge.
Eléonore Schneegans, PhD Computational Biology, Imperial
Eléonore is a PhD candidate in computational biology at Imperial College London. She specialises in the integration of multi-omics data to enhance the study of complex diseases like Alzheimer’s. Prior to starting her PhD, Eléonore was the Chief of Staff at Dreem, a neurotechnology start-up.
Tom Copeman, PhD BioEngineering, Imperial
Tom is a PhD in BioDesign Engineering at Imperial College London, in partnership with AstraZeneca. His passion for entrepreneurship and startups began when he worked at two Immuno-oncology startups before pursuing his PhD. Tom is interested in how synthetic biology and computational science can merge to produce groundbreaking solutions in personalised medicine.
Guiomar Pescador Barrios, PhD Statistics and Machine Learning, Imperial College London
Guiomar is currently pursuing her PhD at the Statistical Machine Learning Centre for Doctoral Training at Imperial College London and the University of Oxford. Her research focuses on developing robust and adaptive methods for continual learning, addressing the dynamic challenges in the field of machine learning. Previously, Guiomar worked as a software developer engineer at Amazon Business.
Montserrat Vega Gordillo, PhD Synthetic Biology, Manchester
Montserrat is a PhD candidate working on the intersection of synthetic biology and genomics to develop solutions for brain cancer. She has participated in several biotech startup competitions, achieving first runner up in the Bright SCIdea Challenge 2022. Currently, she is one of the co-chairs of The Northwest Biotech Initiative at the University of Manchester.
Jonathan Erskine, PhD Interactive AI, Bristol
Jonathan is a PhD student at the University of Bristol studying within the Interactive AI CDT. He has experience working at a medical startup and at a multinational defence company and is passionate about the potential of AI technologies.
Doruk Üstay, MEng Civil Engineering, Manchester
Doruk is a final-year Civil Engineering Undergraduate at the University of Manchester. He has been working in the leadership team of AccelerateME, one of the UK’s largest student-led startup accelerator programmes for two years and participated in Plug and Play — University Programme in 2023. Outside of education and work, he raced professionally across Europe for 8 years with the National Alpine Skiing Team, representing Turkey.
Ben Stratton, PhD Quantum Engineering, Bristol
Ben is currently studying for a PhD in Quantum Engineering at the University of Bristol. With the quantum technologies space currently undergoing rapid expansion, he is keen to understand what it takes to run a successful start-up in the deep tech sector. When he’s not working on problems on the blackboard he can be found running, bouldering or surfing.
If you are a founder building an AI or deep tech on the edge of what’s possible, get in touch! If you are a founder building a deep tech on the edge of what’s possible, get in touch!
