Chantelle Bell
Chantelle is the co-founder of Syrona and has a background in Science and Business. She is a graduate of the M.Phil. Bioscience Enterprise at the University of Cambridge. Her experience at P&G and Philips Healthcare gave her a deep understanding of consumer goods and how healthcare and science can intersect to bring healthcare to the masses. She also has recent experience in Scientific, Pharmaceutical and Medical Device consultancy where she has worked alongside top Pharmaceutical companies and specialists at Addenbrookes hospital.
Manjit Gill
Manjit K. Gill, is CEO and founder of the phenomenal UK registered charity, Binti International.
Binti has a vision to create a world where all women have menstrual dignity.
She has amassed over 20 years of international business expertise and has been involved in 7 startups prior to Binti. It was her role as a volunteer mentor for a young lady in Kenya with the Cherie Blair Foundation that led her to start Binti where she found out that some women do not have access to sanitary products.
Her mission is to create a huge, social impact, whilst generating a sustainable organisation, and providing basic menstrual hygiene solutions and education for girls and women across the world.
Manjit has been nominated and won several awards for her work at Binti including: AWAA Social and Humanitarian award where she was highly commended in association with Nat West. In July she won the Lift effects top 100 star award. Last August she was named Woman of the Year through receiving the Asian Achievers Award in association with EY. In December she was recognised as an inspirational Top Ten Sikh woman in the UK.
She has also been profiled in many notable publications including Marie Claire, The Independent, The Metro, The Times of India, Canary Wharf magazine, Thomson and Reuters Foundation.
Manjit says her faith has led her to believe she can accomplish anything that she puts her mind to and that belief has led her to follow her passion and drive to keep going. She says maybe that is why when she found out some women do not have access to sanitary pads it fuelled her fire to create change - because she knows that without a pad she would not have been able to have done half the things that she has done.
For more information please go to binti.co.uk
Paul Hughes
- Director of Enterprise Support, Allia
Paul leads Allia’s “Serious Impact” enterprise support activity, including its accelerators, incubators and Innovation Lab at all Allia locations. Prior to Joining Allia, Paul worked with range of technology businesses (including Agritech, Biopharma, ICT, Cleantech) around the world, primarily in the areas of strategy, fundraising and corporate development. Paul has co-founded a significant biofuels business in the UK and worked in international investment banking in the USA. Paul is on the Advisory Board for a number of exciting ventures and is a Global Judge for the MassChallenge accelerator programme.
Sylvia Lu
- Sr. Engineer, Cellular Technology, u-blox UK & Member of Advisory Board, UK5G, u-blox UK
Sylvia is an award winning Engineer with over 10 years' of industry experience in wireless communications R&D, cellular chipset developments, standards (3GPP), technology strategy and innovation. Currently employed by u-blox (SWX:UBXN), a Swiss company and global leader in wireless & positioning semiconductors and modules for the industrial, automotive and consumer markets, Sylvia has been critically instrumental in the evolution of global standards for the Cellular Internet of Things (a.k.a. NB-IoT & LTE-M) - technologies which have now been deployed globally over billions. Sylvia is contributing to the advanced technology developments that enable “things” to be connected smartly, include 5G NR, NB-IoT, LTE-M, connected cars/V2X and the alike.
Sylvia is an elected Board Member & Director of Cambridge Wireless (CW) Ltd, a leading international community known for its rich mix of companies involved in the research, development and application of the fast moving wireless and related technologies. As part of the Board, Sylvia advises initiatives incl. Tech-for-Good impact innovation to tackle global social challenges (aligned with UN's SDGs) which are close to her heart.
Sylvia also serves on the UK5G Innovation Network Advisory Board, supports the development of the UK as a global leader in the development and adoption of 5G, as well as provides impartial, industry-focused, independent advice to DCMS on its future plans for 5G development.
Sylvia is DevelopHer Tech Star 2017 Winner - an annual award recognising woman who works in the technology sector and helps with promoting gender diversity in tech. Most recently she was nominated as Asian Women of Achievement Awards 2018 Finalist in the Science and Technology Category, an award to recognise and celebrate the phenomenal Asian women across the UK and across industries, who are making a valuable and important contribution to British life.
Abhi has a long heritage with CW having previously founded the CW Handset Special Interest Group (SIG) in 2008, now called Future Devices. Prior to CW, Abhi studied Electronics and Electrical Engineering, has a MBA in International Marketing and interestingly, was approached by Cambridge University Press (alongside a colleague at the time) to write a book on Mobile Handset Design which was successfully launched in New Delhi. 20 years in the ICT industry, it’s fair to say Abhi has built up an enviable network of contacts, to the great fortune of CW! He joined the team in June 2015 as Head of Marketing before landing his current role as CCO. Abhi is responsible for commercial operations, engagement with the start-up community, and is a key driving force behind CW Unplugged; an initiative aimed at the younger generation. A strong advocate of digital inclusion and diversity within the technology industry, Abhi champions this across all areas within CW and actively mentors several young CEO Founders.
Anya Roy
Anya is the co-founder of Syrona and has a background in mathematics and science. She is a graduate of Cambridge University and has diverse experience working in top tier investment banks such as Goldman Sachs and the EIB, the investment banking arm of the EU. She has experience in medical devices and the NHS hospital within General Medicine. She also has recent experience in healthcare venture capital as an Associate and is an advocate for diversity within entrepreneurship.
