On Wednesday 9 September 2026, we hosted Oxfordshire Greentech’s inaugural Greentech Masterclass.
The event brought together start-up founders, venture capital investors, angel syndicates and advisers from across the climate-tech ecosystem for an evening of practical insights, honest conversations and valuable networking opportunities.
Attendees heard from David Haines, CEO of Amaryllis and serial founder, who delivered a keynote reflecting on a career spent building and scaling businesses across sectors including medical devices and cleantech. Drawing on his experience, David shared lessons learned from the realities of growing innovative businesses and navigating the challenges that come with scaling.
David was then joined by Kate Ronayne, Investor in Deeptech Chemistry at BGF, and Eleanor Maciver, Partner, Patent Attorney for a panel discussion exploring the realities of building and funding deep-tech businesses. The conversation covered both opportunities and challenges facing founders, alongside candid reflections on the founder-investor relationship and the dynamics that shape successful partnerships.
The strongest message from the evening was that successful businesses are built on more than great ideas alone. Ambition, resilience, execution and strong partnerships all play a vital role in turning innovation into commercial success.
Thank you to everyone who attended and helped make the evening such a success.
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