—  Dr Amanda Zeffman
—  Dr Amanda Zeffman is a globally recognized leader in knowledge transfer and a vocal advocate for expanding the traditional boundaries of university innovation. As the Head of Consultancy Services and Research Tools Licensing at Cambridge Enterprise and member of the Executive Leadership Team, she leads a team that facilitates over 500 consultancy projects annually, bridging the gap between world-class academic expertise and real-world societal challenges. Under her leadership, consultancy has been transformed from a "side activity" into a strategic pillar of impact, generating over £13 million in annual revenue and fostering deep, sustainable partnerships between the University of Cambridge and global industry.Beyond her role at Cambridge, Amanda is a driving force in the international innovation ecosystem. She currently serves as President of the Board of Directors for ASTP (the European Association for Knowledge Transfer Professionals) and has previously served as VP for Events and VP for Professional Development. Her work with organizations like ASTP, KEUK and AUTM over the years has positioned her as a master educator for the next generation of KT professionals. Amanda is renowned for her ability to "join the dots" across disciplines, advocating for trans disciplinarity as the key to solving complex global crises.Amanda is known for challenging the status quo. She famously champions academic consultancy as the "unsung hero of university innovation," arguing that it offers a faster, more agile route to impact than traditional patenting or spin-outs. Her perspective is grounded in a rigorous scientific and policy background, including a PhD in HIV Research from the MRC Laboratory of Molecular Biology at the University of Cambridge, scientific policy expertise gained at the UK Food Standards Agency, and leadership in research training and development, having played a pivotal role in  interdisciplinary Doctoral Training Centres at the University of Nottingham.Through the consultancy services division, Amanda has demonstrated how the "intellectual might" of diverse disciplines, from the arts to the hard sciences can be harnessed through innovative commercial models. She brings a unique blend of excellence and a practical, global perspective on how to leverage consultancy and research tools to drive innovation-led growth.

—  Prof Bavesh Kana
—  Prof Bavesh Kana directs a research and innovation unit at the University of the Witwatersrand in South Africa. He is a consultant for the Bill and Melinda Gates Medical Research Institute in Cambridge, USA. He obtained his PhD at the University of the Witwatersrand and has worked in several international institutions including the University of Pennsylvania, the Russian Academy of Sciences in Moscow, Texas A&M University, the Public Health Research Institute in New Jersey and Harvard Medical School. He directed the DSI/NRF Centre of Excellence for Biomedical Tuberculosis (TB) Research, a national centre with nodes at Wits, Stellenbosch University and UCT. He also represented South Africa on the BRICS TB Research Network and was an external consultant for the South African Medical Research Council.He studies TB with a focus on developing new drugs, with a shorter treatment duration and fewer side effects. In this context, he has established several clinical cohorts dedicated to better understanding TB treatment response and TB transmission in the household. His laboratory also focuses on new vaccine development. He has translated his research into products that enable quality assurance and verification of TB and Covid diagnostic devices. This has led to spinout a biotech company and currently, these products are being used in over 50 countries around the world.His outstanding contribution to science and the health of people suffering with TB is illustrated by numerous local and international accolades. In recognition for his pioneering approach to research, Prof. Kana was appointed as an Early Career Scientist of the Howard Hughes Medical Institute where he was selected from over 700 applicants from around the world and represented one of only two awards made to the African continent. He was selected as one of the 200 top young South Africans by the Mail and Guardian newspaper and was also awarded the South African Medical Research Council Scientific Merit Award (Silver and Gold) for outstanding scientific contribution to health research. He received the CEO Titan Award, given to influential men who embody the spirit of excellence and have made meaningful contributions to shift the African landscape towards sustainable growth. For health innovations, his team was awarded the Vice Chancellor’s Innovation Award and the National Science and Technology Forum Innovation Award.