INSIGHTS / News

The University of Bristol is thrilled to welcome three new appointments to the SETsquared Bristol team this month. Caroline Thompson joins as Centre Manager, while Dr Becky Sage and Dr Kam Pooni join as Entrepreneurs in Residence.

Image: (L) Caroline Thompson, (Top R) Dr Becky Sage, (Lower R) Dr Kam Pooni.

The new appointments will join the incumbent team to work alongside Innovation Manager Lauren Ellse and Co-ordinator Sophie Connolly, as well as Entrepreneurs in Residence, Stewart Noakes and Kevin Simmons, who have all been instrumental in SETsquared Bristol’s success.

Caroline Thompson has been Programme Manager at SETsquared Partnership since 2024, and before that, the South West Enterprise Director for NatWest. She has over 10 years’ experience in building entrepreneurial ecosystems, developing strategic partnerships and leading programmes that drive innovation and growth. 

In her role as SETsquared Bristol Centre Manager, she will be responsible for all aspects of business support, member activities, and ecosystem engagement on a day-to-day basis.

Caroline says of her appointment: “I am thrilled to join SETsquared Bristol and become part of its dynamic and impactful team. Supporting high-tech, high-growth startups and scaleups to thrive is a passion of mine, and I look forward to working with the talented founders and emerging ventures from the University of Bristol and the regional innovation ecosystem.”

Dr Becky Sage and Dr Kam Pooni are joining as Entrepreneurs in Residence. EiRs play a pivotal role in supporting SETsquared Bristol’s 75+ companies to commercialise and scale through 1:1 sessions, business review panels, investor readiness, and introductions to advisers, skills and investment networks.  

Becky, a PhD graduate in Chemical Physics from the University of Bristol, is an experienced founder, leadership expert, and communication strategist with a background in science and innovation. She returns to SETsquared Bristol – where her company, Interactive Scientific, was formerly a member – bringing a deep understanding of the founder journey and the challenges of building ventures in complex, high-impact sectors.  

Kam is a life sciences entrepreneur with over 27 years’ experience translating academic research into scalable, regulated, and investable ventures across diagnostics, healthtech and pharma. He has held senior commercial roles at Eli Lilly, Astellas Pharma, and Thomson Reuters, and has supported researchers across leading UK universities and NHS programmes, helping raise translational funding and launch multiple spinouts. Kam brings deep expertise in commercial strategy, product development, regulatory navigation, market access, and investor readiness. 

Innovation Lead at Bristol Innovations, Rosie Bennett, says: “We’re delighted to welcome Caroline, Becky and Kam to the SETsquared Bristol community. They each come with a wealth of experience and complementary skills to support our members and build innovation-rich ventures at scale. We’re looking forward to introducing them to our members.”

More information

SETsquared Bristol is part of Bristol Innovations, the University of Bristol’s catalyst for innovation. It offers innovation-led businesses access to cutting-edge research, technology and talent, creating breakthrough solutions and scalable commercial opportunities that drive growth.