About Us

Founded late in 2017, we have a small but growing team based near Oxford, UK. We are backed by Oxford Technology's SEIS fund (a seed venture fund) and a selection of private SEIS and EIS investors.

Management Team

PHIL TAYLOR – CEO

20 years R&D experience working on diverse projects in materials/aerospace/defence

11 years experience in Industry 4.0 machine design and build

PhD in Materials Science from University College London, BSc in Biotech from Imperial College London

BILL PATERSON – FOUNDER AND CTO

40+ years experience working polymer chemistry and nanomaterials

16 years experience with medical device technology/regulatory

CHARLES SPENCER – CSO

8 years R&D experience working with thin film materials and Industry 4.0 automation.

PhD in condensed matter physics from University of Leeds, BSc in Physics from Exeter University.

PolyCAT Partners (Global Sales and Business Development)

LENNARD VAN SOEST – OPERATING PARTNER (BELGIUM)

Masters of Science (Deflt) and MBA (IESE) – Speaks English, Spanish, French, Dutch.

15 years with Ansell (PPE) as VP Sales and Marketing, 3 years with Schlumberger as Engineering Manager.

RYAN LISIAK – OPERATING PARTNER (USA)

Masters of Engineering Management and MBA (Kellogg).

3 years as Senior Vice President of Operations Practice of Lean Focus
2 years as VP General Manager of MW Industries (Manufacturing)

3 years as Director of Supply Chain of Waste Management

8 years with Danaher (Manufacturing) in operational management, marketing and M&A.

RAFAEL ESCANEZ – OPERATING PARTNER (SPAIN)

Masters of Science (UCL) and MBA (IESE) – Speaks Spanish, English, French, Italian and Catalan.

13 years with Metropolitan Partners (Private Equity) as Associate Director.

3 years with Advisum (Strategy Consulting) as Associate Director, 2 years with Zobele (CPG) in business development.

Investment and Advisory Board

PROF PETER J DOBSON

OBE, BSc, MA (Oxon), PhD, C Phys, F Inst P, Member of the ACS, FRCS. (The Queen’s College, Oxford)

Professor of Nanomaterials at University of Oxford. Published over 190 papers and 32 patents. Spun off 3 companies: Oxonica in 1999, Oxford Biosensors in 200, and Oxford NanoSystems in 2012.

Strategic Advisor on Nanotechnology to the Research Councils in the UK (2009-2013) and sits on several EPSRC panels.

PROF ALISTAIR KEAN

Professor of Medical Nanotechnology at UHI in Inverness, visiting professor at Manchester Met University

Sharp Laboratories of Europe in Oxford, before founding 2 start-ups (Nikaworks Ltd in 2013 and NikaLyte Ltd in 2019).

Strategic advisor to Johnson Matthey PLC, driving ongoing R&D push into PVD materials and nanotech.

JOHN PATTERSON CB

Former Major General, main board member and executive director at UK Strategic Command, responsible for £3.5bn pa tech portfolio including medical technology and special projects.

NED and advisor to a range of tech companies developing out of the national security and wider public sector. Strategic advisor to the UK Innovation & Science Seed Fund. Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology.

DR MIKE BARTLEY

Angel investor and strategic advisor, founded and self-funded global IC design and test company with >400 employees

Exited via trade sale in 2020, currently working with acquirer on upcoming IPO

30+ years in software and hardware industries, BSc, 5x MSc’s, 2x MBA’s, and PhD in Maths/Computer Science related fields

JONATHAN HIRST

25 years experience running EMCO Technologies, a leading fresh produce industry technology supplier

Food industry expertise in fresh produce supply chain, gas measurement, spectroscopy, and dosing technologies

ANDREA MICA

Partner and Investment Director at Oxford Technology Management (OTM), a leading Oxford, UK based early stage VC

Represents OTM’s SEIS and EIS fund shareholders on PolyCAT’s board