I think it’s fairly safe to say that technological advances on their own will not reduce per capita use of the Earth’s resources. That requires different ways of doing things, some new regulation and above all, changes in attitudes amongst consumers themselves to what they actually need. The Brookings Institution predicts that the “global middle…
Have you ever wondered about how happy bacteria are? Probably not, but for some industries it’s a critical question. Bactest has combined microbiology and computer science to develop a technique for quickly and accurately detecting and measuring bacterial activity in liquids, outside of a laboratory. The uses for this technology are varied, from testing liquid…
Spotify has just announced reaching a target of 60 million paying users and as a result is now getting ready for a NYSE listing before the end of the year. Although global music sales have started growing for the first time since 2000, music streaming services still have to turn a profit. An example is…
Career Describe your career journey After Cambridge I joined Operis, spending close to three years there building and auditing financial models and advising on PPP/PFI projects. I then took a year off to go to South America, before joining Lightsource at the start of 2015 where I helped close a number of deals at the…
Co-authored by Sophie Maugan, Partner at Cleveland Scott York, and Ian Thomas, MD at Turquoise. What is IP? There is a tendency to equate intellectual property with ‘technology’, as we imagine that any innovative product is immediately surrounded with patents and other forms of legal protection to prevent competitors from copying it. Actually, much of…
Turquoise team members share their thoughts on business issues and give some career insights. Business What has been the most significant technological development of recent years? Although perhaps more in the realm of manufacturing, the reduction in cost of wind turbines and, in particular, solar modules has had a huge impact on the deployment of…
Gatwick has become the first UK airport to announce that it will be Carbon Neutral: http://www.mediacentre.gatwickairport.com/press-releases/2017/gatwick-becomes-first-uk-airport-to-join-global-renewable-electricity-alliance.aspx. I have never been a fan of the concept of Carbon Neutrality. The level of certification required to substantiate such a claim makes the Brexit negotiations look like a tea party. All we really want is to reduce emissions,…
Turquoise team members share their thoughts on business issues and give some career insights. Business What has been the most significant technological development of recent years? Quantum computing because it has the potential to revolutionise the way computers work and how data is stored and transmitted. In terms of process, it’s Blockchain because it…
On February 5th, I had the pleasure of presenting at TEDxOxford outlining my belief that there is no such thing as ‘Cleantech’, arguing that technology which operates efficiently is by its very nature environmentally friendly. My talk, titled ‘Cleantech Changes Everything’, discussed how there is no such thing as ‘cleantech’, just technology. To be efficient,…
(Robert Schumann) At the start of February, I received an invitation from a former colleague, now at the European Commission, inviting me to moderate a panel session at the EU Industry Day. My first reaction was to be flattered at being asked to participate in what was no doubt a long-established fixture on the Brussels calendar. My…