SETsquared@20 Investment Showcase 2022

Melanie Goward

Partner at Maven Capital Partners

Melanie joined Maven in September 2016 and manages the team transacting new early-stage and technology growth capital investments across the South and South West of England and Wales. She also sits on the NPIF investment committee and is based in the Bristol office.

Before joining Maven, she was part of the Finance Wales Technology Ventures team and fund manager for the Wales Technology Seed Fund, providing funding to help businesses commercialise and bring innovative products and services across a range of sectors to market. Prior to this, she worked as an Investment Director with Nesta Investments, focusing on early-stage healthcare investments as well as in technology sector finance at Lloyds TSB Corporate, providing debt finance to high-growth companies. With over 20 years experience as a specialist in early-stage investment, Melanie has completed a range of investments in technology, life science and biotechnology businesses. Melanie has a BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences, and a PhD in Genetics from Cambridge University, which included research as part of the Human Genome Project.

James Mawson

CEO of Mawsonia

James was editor of Private Equity News, part of Dow Jones and the Wall Street Journal in London, for nearly four years until May 2010 when he launched Global Corporate Venturing as an independent title from his own publishing company. This was followed by the launch of the second publication, Global University Venturing, in January 2012 to help academic researchers launch or develop their spinouts and work with external peers. The company, Mawsonia’s, third title, Global Government Venturing, was launched in May 2014 and rebranded to Global Impact Venturing in February 2019.

As well as editing Private Equity News, James coordinated leveraged buyout and venture capital coverage for use by other titles in the Dow Jones and News Corporation group, acted as a spokesman on BBC radio and television and chaired awards and conferences for a host of media groups, including the BVCA awards.

Previously, James had freelanced for a host of national and trade media titles, including the BBC, Financial Times, Economist, Independent on Sunday, Sunday Express and Dow Jones Newswires; provided research for Nick Davies‘s book, Flat Earth News; was a foreign correspondent in central and eastern Europe, and was international editor for FT Business.

After graduating from King‘s College, London, James‘s first job was working at the technology publishing house, ComputerWire.

Jenny Button

Founder and CEO of Emm

Jenny has nearly a decade of experience working in SMEs,  having worked with a serial entrepreneur after university in every area of starting, scaling and exiting companies across multiple sectors. She went on to co-found a successful business in private sample sales in 2017. Jenny founded the biotech company Emm in 2020, where she has built collaborations with Google, InnovateUK and University of Cambridge. Jenny has been awarded a Women in Engineering grant for her work in female health innovation, and sits on the advisory board for Digital Health at University of Bristol.

Marty Reid 

SETsquared Partnership, Interim Executive Director

Marty is new to his role as Interim Executive Director, bringing with him a wealth of experience, most recently in his role as Director of Engine Shed in Bristol. He became Director at the Engine Shed at the beginning of the pandemic and led the team as they adapted and strengthened their support for the start-up community during lockdown.

Prior to Engine Shed and SETsquared Bristol, Marty was Centre Director for Bristol Innovation Hub, Future Space, and worked at Rolls-Royce in roles spanning business and technology strategy, global account management and service delivery.