Violeta Hvamb is currently the Deputy Director of Credit Risk & Portfolio Management at Innovate UK. Violeta started her career at Goldman Sachs and after business school has worked within private equity at Lloyds Development Capital, Norges Bank Investment management, Tikehau Capital and most recently was at Astra Zeneca. Violeta holds a Bachelor degree from University of Arkansas, and has also attended master studies at University of Virginia and University of Chicago.

Simon Blakey is an angel investor with more than 25 years’ experience and over 100 investments, made through his own vehicle, Avonmore Developments. With a background in biochemistry, he has a particular interest in science-led companies and the challenge of funding them through their earliest stages.

Simon is a Venture Partner and Senior Advisor at Playfair Capital, where he previously chaired the investment committee, and also sits on the investment committee of the Angel CoFund. He is a board member at Cambridge Angels, and a board member and Head of Commercial at Ventrata, a highly successful B2B ticketing SaaS business. He coaches early-stage deep tech founders, most recently through the ConceptionX Raise programme.

Dace is a Dealmaker for the UK Government’s Global Entrepreneur Programme (GEP), advising IP rich and R&D intensive life sciences and technology companies, as well as globally mobile entrepreneurs, on scaling operations in the UK and using the UK as a platform for international growth.

At the heart of her work is driving inward investment into the UK Life Sciences sector supporting founders with UK market entry, expansion, and long term growth, while connecting them with the right investors, partners, and regions.

Alongside her national role, Dace is the Life Sciences Sector Development Lead at Manchester Growth Company, where she shapes and strengthens the Greater Manchester Life Sciences ecosystem. She leads strategic and operational relationships across GMCA, the ten Greater Manchester Local Authorities, universities, business partners, and national and local programmes. Her work supports the delivery of Greater Manchester’s sector development strategies and identifies new growth opportunities for the Greater Manchester Business Growth Hub, aligned with the Growth Company’s wider ambitions.

Dace is also Director of Innovation and Investment Ventures, focusing on building strong innovation pipelines, supporting investment ready businesses, and connecting global capital with high impact life sciences and health innovation opportunities across the UK.

With more than 13 years of NHS operational and clinical research experience across 30+ therapeutic areas, Dace brings strong system level insight across pharmaceuticals, MedTech, digital health, and biotechnology. She works closely with the NHS, NIHR, academia, industry, Mayoral Combined Authorities, and investors to drive R&D collaboration, support NHS adoption, and accelerate commercial scale up across the UK.