About this episode

The episode discusses the challenges of translating world-class science into scalable healthcare businesses, featuring insights from Benny Axt on the complexities of healthcare technology and market dynamics.

How does world-class science fail to become a scalable business and what can founders do about it? In this episode of Oxford+, host Susannah de Jager speaks with Benny Axt, Entrepreneur in Residence at Oxford Science Enterprises, about the complex relationship between healthcare technology and the systems it must operate within. They explore why healthcare's apparent inefficiency is often intentional constraint, how reimbursement models and regulatory pathways can make or break a company, and what UK health tech founders consistently underestimate about the US market. Drawing on a recent BCG report highlighting a £20 billion annual opportunity if the UK strengthens its ability to translate research into real-world solutions, the conversation underscores why system fluency is not optional but essential. From the cultural transformation Benny led at DaVita across a dozen countries to the structural realities of NHS adoption and the perverse incentives within US oncology, this episode offers a candid and practical guide for founders, investors and anyone working at the intersection of innovation and healthcare delivery. (00:00) - Welcome to Oxford+ (01:51) - The Biggest…

People in this episode

Host: Susannah de Jager

Guest: Benny Axt

Topics covered

• healthcare innovation
• entrepreneurship
• health technology
• reimbursement models
• regulatory pathways
• market challenges
• system fluency

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Oxford Science Enterprises, NHS, BCG

Products: GLP-1

Places: UK, US, DaVita

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