Professor Kylie Vincent, Fellow and Tutor in Chemistry at Jesus College and Professor of Inorganic Chemistry at the University of Oxford, has been announced as the University’s first Academic Champion for Women in Entrepreneurship.

This new 2-year post will work in support of the priorities in the University Strategic Plan 2018-2023 around innovation and entrepreneurship, and forms part of the IDEA (Increasing Diversity in Enterprising Activities) initiative – a University programme that aims to tackle some of the key challenges and inequalities faced by groups who are currently underrepresented in industry and enterprise globally.

The first step in the initiative is to find novel ways to empower, inspire, connect and upskill more women leaders, business founders and pioneers. Globally, women currently hold fewer than a quarter of senior leadership positions, and last year less than 2 per cent of European tech investment capital went to female founders.

Kylie is well-positioned to be able to support this work; she has wide-ranging experience in entrepreneurship and recently spun out a new cleaner chemical technology business – HydRegen – from the University. Chas Bountra, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Innovation) and Professor of Translational Medicine, says,

“Kylie brings a wealth of experience in entrepreneurial activities, including patents, technology innovation, and research commercialisation, and has been an active advocate for women in academia.”

 He adds, “Kylie will spend approximately two days per month in her Champion role, working with IDEA and Enterprising Oxford, Divisions, Departments, researchers and others supporting entrepreneurship, along with supporting the University’s commitment to diversity in innovation and entrepreneurship.”

Kylie (below) says, “I’m delighted and honoured to have been appointed as the University’s first Academic Champion for Women in Entrepreneurship.  I very much look forward to working with colleagues across the University to explore and address the challenges faced by women entrepreneurs, and furthering the work of the University’s Strategic Plan in this area.”