Susanne Coles

As Head of Investment at Innovate UK KTN, I work across the business and with IUK KTN’s public and private sector clients and partners on value creation via innovation support programmes for positive change.

My team builds communities at the interface of business-led innovation and private investment from pre-seed/seed to growth and scale finance. We create powerful connections between investors and innovative companies to drive positive change for economic, societal and environmental benefit, both in the UK and globally using our deep sector and technology expertise.

We believe a better-connected innovation ecosystem is a stronger ecosystem, which is paramount in realising our ambitions for net zero, global innovation, levelling up, and for a more diverse and inclusive innovation ecosystem.

I hold a PhD in Chemistry and have over 12 years of experience in collaborative R&D and Innovation, including finance pathways, project and programme management at national and international level on topics ranging from ocean energy and raw materials to biotechnology and resource efficient business models, stakeholder management, expert consulting, business development, change management and business transformation.