Innovative Leader Speaker: Dr. Andrew Thompson, Founder & CEO of SMi Systems
About the event
Speaker: Dr. Andrew Thompson, Founder & CEO of SMi Systems
Hosted by: Dr. Jim Brozik and Dr. Patrick Carter, Professors
Title: Starting a company: Lessons from a founder’s perspective.
Abstract: How do you turn a scientific idea into a successful life science company?
Drawing on his experience as a researcher, drug discovery scientist and entrepreneur, Dr Andrew Thompson, CEO and co-founder of SMi Systems, shares lessons from building a technology business at the interface of science and commerce.
Andrew will describe the journey from academic research to developing a patented single-molecule imaging platform designed to transform protein analysis through faster, higher-throughput and more information-rich measurements. Using SMi’s development as a case study, he will explore the challenges of commercialising scientific innovation, securing funding, building multidisciplinary teams, protecting intellectual property and establishing operations in the UK and US.
The seminar will also examine the realities that extend beyond the laboratory, including recruitment, regulation, project management, investor expectations and the demands of running a growing business. Combining scientific ambition with practical experience, Andrew will share key lessons for researchers considering entrepreneurship and discuss what it takes to turn promising science into a viable product and sustainable enterprise.
Biography:
Andrew Thompson is a British scientist and entrepreneur whose career spans academic research, drug discovery, project leadership, and life science technology innovation. With more than 30 years of scientific experience, he has built a reputation for addressing challenges in drug development, biomedical research and healthcare.
Andrew received his PhD in Neuropharmacology in 1998 and subsequently worked at the University of Cambridge for approximately 15 years, establishing and leading a research group focused on small-molecule drug screening and drug-target engagement. His research was supported by major funding organisations including the Wellcome Trust and the British Heart Foundation and involved collaborations with scientists in Europe and the US. His scientific work produced 75 peer-reviewed publications exploring the pharmacology of drug interactions and mechanisms of drug action.
During this time Andrew also held visiting positions at the California Institute of Technology and the University of Bern, where he contributed to technology transfer initiatives and helped establish new scientific research capabilities. His expertise in experimental pharmacology and translational science enabled him to bridge the gap between fundamental research and practical application.
Following his academic career, Andrew joined the Department of Medicine at the University of Cambridge (Addenbrooke’s Hospital) as a Project Manager. Managing both national and international research programmes, he helped to secure approximately £12 million in grant funding and oversaw the creation of a rare disease patient database. Working with collaborators in India and Africa, he also contributed to studies on disease epidemiology and healthcare management.
Andrew was subsequently hired to be the Lead Scientist for monoclonal antibody development and Head of External Programs at PetMedix, a Cambridge biotechnology company that was later acquired by Zoetis (in 2023). There he guided the company’s lead therapeutic programme from proof-of-concept through candidate selection for animal clinical studies, while also managing external partnerships and scientific communications.
In 2018 Andrew co-founded SMi Systems, where he serves as CEO. Under his leadership, SMi has secured more than £10m in funding, established facilities in the UK and the US, developed patented single-molecule technologies, and undertaken commercial projects with global pharmaceutical and diagnostic partners. Today, Andrew continues to lead the company’s mission of transforming biomedical research and diagnostics through high-throughput, highly sensitive molecular analysis.