The Academic Adventures Podcast

About The Academic Adventures Podcast

This podcast is all about the journey from teaching, research and innovation to real-world solutions. In season 1 we heard from people who embraced the opportunity to combine their academic work with entrepreneurial ventures. In season 2 we are joined by experienced founders who work alongside university staff and students to help create and support a culture of enterprise on campus.

Publisher

Converge

Category

business

Language

en

Explicit

No

First episode

12 Mar 2024

Latest episode

28 Oct 2025

Latest episodes

22 episodes in the feed.

1. 

   28 Oct 2025

   ‘We need to get clear on what a commercial champion is’ with Rachel Connolly, Chris Jones and Elad Katz

   This special episode was recorded at a live event in Edinburgh on 2 October 2025. We gathered to discuss the role of external experts in commercialising research and how to recruit and support a more diverse pool of experts. Elad Katz is the co-founder and chief technology officer for Navigate Precision Biology, a spinout from University of Dundee. Rachel Connolly is an Enterprise Executive at Heriot Watt University specialising in deep tech commercialisation. Chris Jones is Chair and N...

2. 

   21 Oct 2025

   “Commercial champions are the secret sauce.’ With Nicola McMillan

   Nicola McMillan leads the High Growth Spinout Programme at Scottish Enterprise. The Programme provides funding and support to help commercialise research which has the potential to make an impact globally. A core part of this programme is matching potential companies with commercial champions. Sarah and Nicola talk about Why commercial champions are the ‘secret sauce’ What makes an excellent commercial champion (and why it might not be what you think)The challenges of attracting the righ...

3. 

   22 Jul 2025

   “Their mandate is to be disruptive and that can create tensions.” With Hamish McAlpine

   Hamish McAlpine is Director of Policy & Engagement at innovation consultancy Oxentia. Hamish is working on a report, due out in September 2025, which explores how Scottish universities currently work with external experts to support research commercialisation and what could be done better in the future. Sarah and Hamish talk about The inherit tensions between how entrepreneurs think and how universities operateHow entrepreneurs in residence are recruited, inducted, supported and deployed ...

Who has been a guest on The Academic Adventures Podcast

Names identified in recent episode analyses. Showing up to five guests.

• Nanik Ramchandani
• Zakwan Jaroucheh
• Mark Logan
• Kirsty Thomson
• Polly Purvis

Reach and audience

Public platform figures. Ratings count people who left a rating, not total listeners.

Spotify

5.0 / 5

2 ratings

Podcast Authority Score: 42 / 100

A composite of feed quality, social presence, YouTube performance and engagement. Read the methodology.

Quality

59

Social presence

0

YouTube

0

Engagement

60

Contact The Academic Adventures Podcast

Guest appearances

Does not typically book guests

Based on episode analysis; this does not confirm that the show is currently accepting guests.

Questions about The Academic Adventures Podcast