Oxford+ in Brief with Dr Christiaan de Koning and Michael Collyer, Co-Founders of Founders and Funders
About this episode
In this episode, Susannah de Jager interviews Dr Christiaan de Koning and Michael Collyer about the future of Oxford's innovation ecosystem.
What does success really look like for Oxford's innovation ecosystem, and how do you build something that lasts? In this Oxford+ in Brief bonus episode, host Susannah de Jager puts the same four questions to Dr Christiaan de Koning and Michael Collyer, co-founders of Founders and Funders and the team behind the inaugural OX Tech Week. With UK startups raising $7.8 billion in Q1 2026 alone , the stakes for getting Oxford's commercialisation engine right have never been higher. Looking ahead to 2050, Christiaan and Michael imagine a less fragmented, more collaborative Oxford that is not just a research hub but a global commercial centre for science and innovation. Dr Christiaan de Koning: Christiaan de Koning is an Associate Fellow at Green Templeton College, University of Oxford, and Chair of the Founders and Funders Foundation. He teaches at Said Business School and is a strategic adviser to CIMMYT, the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Centre. He holds a DPhil from Oxford in management research, where his work focused on the commercialisation of CRISPR biotechnology through new ventures. Through Founders and Funders, he has helped build a community of over 4,000 members…
People in this episode
Host: Susannah de Jager
Guests: Dr Christiaan de Koning, Michael Collyer
Topics covered
- innovation ecosystem
- startups
- commercialisation
- collaboration
- science
- technology
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: Founders and Funders, Green Templeton College, Said Business School, CIMMYT
Places: Oxford
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- Healthcare Innovation When Lives Are at Stake
- Oxford+ in Brief with Olga Kozlova, Director of Innovation and Engagement
- Building a More Inclusive Innovation Ecosystem in Oxfordshire
- Oxford+ in Brief with Lord William Hague, Chancellor of the University of Oxford
- Lord William Hague on Talent, Technology, and Capital
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