The ideaSpace Podcast: How Startups Actually Get Built

Oliver Bruce started his first business from his university halls at 19, using university equipment, reinvesting everything he earned and learning how to build a company as he went. What began as a small video production business eventually became PinPoint Media, which grew to around 25 people before a majority acquisition by PrettyGreen at the end of 2025.  In this episode, Oliver talks candidly about the mistakes, risks and lessons behind that journey. He shares the extraordinary story of winning a £20m Amazon deal during the pandemic, only for the deal to unravel - an experience he describes as his most expensive MBA. He also talks about remortgaging his flat, losing money, and why it took years before he could properly view the experience as a learning opportunity.  We also explore Oliver's experience as a founder with ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia, including what he calls the ADHD "magpie effect" - the tendency to move quickly towards the next interesting opportunity. He talks about the advantages that speed and ideas can bring, but also the distraction and challenges that come with them.  The conversation covers leadership, hiring, finance, company culture, boards and advisers, and why founders need to become comfortable saying, "I don't know." Oliver also reflects on burnout, why working 16-hour days isn't necessarily a sign of success, and why real success can simply mean creating a business that can run without you.  Finally, Oliver shares what he would tell his 19-year-old founder self: charge properly, say no more often, hire the best people you can afford, protect your own time - and stop judging your progress by what everyone else appears to be doing on LinkedIn.  It's an open, funny and practical conversation about building a business, getting things badly wrong, learning as you go and becoming a better founder along the way.Listen to Oliver's own podcast "The Unlock with Oliver Bruce" here, or via any major podcast platform. Chapters (00:00:02) - Intro and teaser(00:01:44) - Starting a production company at university(00:03:13) - Early commercialization and economies of scale(00:04:30) - Bootstrapping vs raising capital(00:07:43) - The pandemic pivot and the Amazon deal(00:10:47) - Fallout and lessons from the failed deal(00:12:18) - Building the pivot team during Covid(00:13:30) - Becoming a real leader: buying out a business partner(00:15:38) - Fear, risk and maturity as an entrepreneur(00:17:05) - ADHD, dyslexia and dyspraxia as a founder(00:18:47) - Natural strengths: ideas and sales(00:19:39) - Decision overload as the company scales(00:20:36) - Openness about neurodivergence with teams(00:22:35) - Building the right team and finance hires(00:25:13) - Advisors and formal board governance(00:26:31) - Building company culture from the ground up(00:28:29) - Protecting personal time and avoiding burnout(00:31:00) - The Pretty Green acquisition and staying on as CEO(00:33:16) - Reflecting on success and the exit moment(00:34:39) - Quick fire founder advice(00:36:35) - Final advice and where to find Oliver(00:38:12) - Outro and recap

What happens after you build, scale and sell a start-up - and how does the experience change the way you think about entrepreneurship? Matthew Cleevely returns to the ideaSpace Podcast four and a half years after his first appearance, when he was still building 10to8. Since then, he has exited the company and gone on to work with, advise and invest in other founders. He's also written The Founder’s Map: Volume 1: Building the Machine, which brings together the lessons he's learned along the way. In this conversation, Matthew and Ben explore the realities of life after an exit, why so much start-up advice can be misleading, and the uncomfortable role that luck and survivor bias can play. They also dig into some of the less glamorous, but hugely important parts of building a startup: boards and governance, hiring, company culture, documentation and putting the right foundations in place early. Matthew talks candidly about the mistakes he made building 10to8, including a culture that became toxic, the experience of running out of money, and the “phantom stress” that remained even after selling the company. They also discuss the importance of founder communities, why Matthew describes ideaSpace as a “platform, foundation and lifeboat”, and finish with a deceptively simple question: what does it actually mean to be a successful founder? A candid conversation about the bits of entrepreneurship that don't always make it into the success stories. Chapters (00:00:02) - Introduction and Episode Preview(00:01:52) - Catching Up With Matthew Clevely(00:03:07) - The Road to Selling 10 to 8(00:04:19) - Lessons From Selling a Company(00:07:22) - Life After the Exit and Phantom Stress(00:09:36) - Why Most Startup Advice Is Wrong(00:11:48) - Writing the Book as a Cathartic Process(00:14:34) - Privilege, Risk, and the Role of Luck(00:18:15) - The Underestimated Importance of Boards(00:21:05) - Board Stories and Early-Stage Structure(00:24:28) - Company Culture: Definition and Failures(00:29:12) - Rebuilding Culture at 10 to 8(00:31:18) - Hiring as a System That Shapes Culture(00:35:42) - How the Founders Map Book Came Together(00:38:24) - Practical Advice for Founders Right Now(00:39:59) - The Value of Community and IdeaSpace(00:40:54) - Defining a Successful Founder(00:41:45) - Closing Thoughts and the Matthew Bot(00:42:41) - Ben's Reflections and Sign-Off

Ewan Kirk is a mathematician, programmer, hedge fund founder, investor, and philanthropist - and proof that the most interesting careers rarely go to plan. He set out to be a research scientist. Instead he ended up at Goldman Sachs, founded one of the world's leading quantitative hedge funds, and then walked away to do something more interesting. In this episode, Ewan talks about his first entrepreneurial venture - a CAD software company built in his bedroom in the mid-eighties - and what it taught him about selling. He shares what it was really like to arrive at Goldman Sachs knowing nothing about finance, how he built Cantab Capital Partners from a blank sheet of paper into a multi-billion dollar fund, and what happened when it all nearly fell apart in 2013. We also get into leadership, luck, and why he thinks most successful people dramatically overestimate how much credit they deserve. Plus his philosophy on philanthropy - and why he thinks giving money to safe projects is a waste of everyone's time. If you're a founder, an entrepreneur, or just someone trying to build something that matters, this one's for you.

In this episode of the ideaSpace Podcast, Ben Hartley is joined by Matthew Stafford and Katie Lewis, co-founders of 9others - a global peer network built on a simple but powerful belief: your success requires the help of others. What began as founder–investor dinners in London has grown into intimate monthly gatherings where entrepreneurs come together to answer one honest question: What’s keeping you up at night? Today, 9others spans multiple cities and has supported thousands of founders through trusted relationships, candid conversations, and the strength of community. In this conversation, they explore why founders should build their networks before they need them, common misconceptions about accelerators and fundraising, lessons learned through failure, and why vulnerability may be one of the most underrated leadership strengths. For anyone building something - or considering it - this episode offers practical insight and hard-earned perspective. Matthew Stafford is co-founder of 9others and has spent over a decade working in venture capital and early-stage investing. He supports founders navigating the realities of building high-growth businesses and believes great companies are built not only on capital, but on strong relationships and courageous leadership. He is co-author of Find Your Nine Others. Katie Lewis is co-founder of 9others and has worked across accelerators, venture programmes, and startup ecosystems internationally. She is passionate about helping founders build businesses that solve real problems and create meaningful impact. Katie champions contribution, community, and the power of an abundant mindset. She is co-author of Find Your Nine Others.

Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Dr Jon Moore — a biochemist, entrepreneur, and seasoned biotech leader whose career spans both cutting-edge academic research and the commercial frontiers of cancer therapeutics. Jon is the Chief Scientific Officer and Co-Founder of Epitopia, a Cambridge- and Montreal-based company developing next-generation cancer vaccines using mRNA and immunotherapy technologies. Before that, he co-founded Pheno Therapeutics, an Edinburgh University spin-out focused on remyelination therapies for multiple sclerosis, and held senior roles at Horizon Discovery and RiboTargets, now Vernalis. Jon speaks to ideaSpace director, Ben Hartley about his journey from a science-obsessed teenager and Duke University postdoc to becoming a biotech founder shaping the future of oncology. He talks about the spark that led to Epitopia, the challenges of building transatlantic biotech ventures, what makes Cambridge such fertile ground for life-science start-ups, and the importance of curiosity, persistence, and trust in building great teams. It’s a thoughtful and entertaining Start-up Story so sit back, press play and enjoy!

We're excited to share the latest episode of the ideaSpace Podcast, featuring special guest Scott White. Scott is a true deep tech pioneer — a serial entrepreneur behind nine technology ventures, including Pragmatic, where he led the development of a groundbreaking flexible semiconductor platform. With over 25 years’ experience, 60+ patents, and recognition as Deep Tech Entrepreneur of the Year (2022), Scott has been at the forefront of telecoms, photonics, semiconductors, and AI innovation. In this conversation, we dive into: What it really feels like to build and scale multiple startups The mindset shifts that help founders navigate the ups and downs How semiconductors and deep tech are shaping global challenges, from sustainability to national security Why enjoying the journey matters as much as the end goal

In this episode, we're joined by Sarjeena Maodud, a remarkable entrepreneur whose journey spans continents and industries — from her roots in Bangladesh to founding Sheraspace, the country’s first online interior design platform. We talk about navigating uncertainty, bootstrapping a startup, redefining traditional industries, and building impact at scale. Sarjeena opens up about the emotional highs and lows of entrepreneurship, leading a growing team, and why staying grounded in purpose has made all the difference. It’s an honest, insightful conversation about resilience, innovation, and creating something that truly matters.

In this Start-up Stories episode, Ben Hartley speaks with Lluna Gallego Segrelles, CEO and co-founder of Vector Bioscience Cambridge - a University of Cambridge spinout developing AI-enabled “nano-shuttle” drug delivery technology designed to improve targeting and reduce side effects, starting in oncology. What you’ll learn in this episode: How a university spinout moves from 10+ years of research into a commercial company - and the trade-offs of building a platform technology What “non-dilutive funding” enabled for Vector, and how early grants can accelerate team-building and momentum How Lluna approached commercialisation as a non-scientist: translating the science into what investors, pharma partners, regulators, and patients need What the CEO role really looks like in an early-stage biotech: business development, partnerships, hiring, strategy, and “connecting the science to the outside world” How to choose a lead product when your technology can do many things (the “platform problem”) Why founder confidence matters - and how Lluna manages imposter syndrome while taking on bigger leadership challenges Why founder communities matter, including Lluna’s work co-founding the Cambridge Female Founders Network to reduce isolation and support women-led ventures What’s next for Vector: expanding the team and labs, progressing lead candidates, and preparing for their first fundraise About the guest:Lluna Gallego Segrelles is the CEO and co-founder of Vector Bioscience Cambridge, a biotech spinout from the University of Cambridge. She also co-founded the Cambridge Female Founders Network, supporting a more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystem.

Our guest on this episode is Christian Bunke, a seasoned founder and intellectual property expert with well over two decades in the startup trenches — from launching ventures out of Cambridge to selling tech to Apple. Along with all of that Christian is an advisor and mentor, and an active part of the entrepreneurial ecosystem.In this business basics episode, Christian shares war stories, big wins, and practical advice on everything from trademarks to trade secrets — including the story behind the startup that is quietly helping shape today’s legal tech landscape. If you’ve ever wondered when to file a patent, how to avoid costly IP mistakes, or what happens when you believe somebody might have procured your idea — this one’s for you.

 Faye Whitley talks to Ben Hartley about her start-up journey founding Beevive. Initially trained in fashion, and with extensive experience in design and production management, Faye set up Beevive after a chance encounter out in the beautiful Devon countryside. Beevive is a small company based in the South West that set about creating a series of products based around helping the bee population and spreading the word about their importance to the fragile environmental ecosystem. The company currently has seven employees creating products, such as their bee survival kit, as well as opportunities to engage with schools and global organizations such as the World Wildlife Fund. It's another chance to hear more about the highs and lows of an interesting business founder's journey.