Chair of Raspberry PI Takes Helm at Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub : David Cleevely CBE FREng FIET has been appointed as Chair of the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Committee, which oversees the highly successful Enterprise Hub. David will replace Ian Shott CBE FREng, the founding chair of the Enterprise Committee.
With over 30 years’ experience in engineering and enterprise, David has invested in over 30 leading enterprises in the UK and had many successful exits. He co-founded the UK-leading investor network Cambridge Angels, which provides equity capital for early-stage technology businesses and is Chair of the Raspberry Pi Foundation, the charitable British enterprise behind the world’s most affordable computer.
The Enterprise Hub was established in 2013 and is a national resource for the UK’s most promising engineering entrepreneurs, helping them turn their ideas into reality and become exceptional business leaders by providing funding, training and mentoring from the nation’s leading engineers.
David’s leadership will be significant in helping the Enterprise Hub expand and extend its work to support entrepreneurs to ensure the most promising engineering ideas with benefit to society are realised. Commenting on his appointment, David Cleevely said: “UK engineering leads the world in creativity and innovation, and we need to ensure that early-stage engineering businesses unlock the support required to reach their full commercial potential.
The Enterprise Hub exists to provide the skills and support we know are essential in inspiring belief in engineering enterprise. I am looking forward to working with the Hub to continue supporting today and tomorrow’s engineering world-leaders.”
Ana Avaliani, Head of Enterprise at the Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub, said: “It is not a coincidence that so many of the Hub members we support go on to grow successful, world-leading businesses that solve many of today’s most complex economic and social challenges.
We make sure that we provide our members with the right guidance, access to mentors and training to allow them to hit the ground running. David shares our passion; he is an excellent spokesperson for inspiring belief in engineering enterprise and a trusted guide as the Hub itself looks to scale up. We are delighted to welcome him as Chair.”
David has been a prime mover behind commercial business networks such as Cambridge Network and Cambridge Wireless and has been recognised as a driving force in encouraging government to invest in Cambridge research and enterprise.
He founded the Centre for Science and Policy at the University of Cambridge in 2009 and has advised a number of boards, including the Ministry of Defence Board overseeing information systems and services (DES-ISS), the Ofcom Spectrum Advisory Board and the IET Communications Policy Panel.
In 1998, David co-founded web-based biotechnology company Abcam and continued to act as its Chairman until November 2009. He was the founder and former Chairman of telecoms consultancy Analysys, now Analysys Mason.
Since 2013, the Enterprise Hub has supported over 100 entrepreneurs helping to develop their ideas into investable, high-growth companies and sustained, longer term support for engineering over 70 start-up companies.
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