The TEam

 Jen is a leading agri-tech innovator with over 16 years’ experience spanning academia, biotech, and FTSE100 firms. She specialises in developing and proving scalable systems for plant propagation and monitoring for smooth transfer into other forms of production.

As a proven C-suite leader, Jennifer has raised more than £45M in funding, led major R&D strategies, and built partnerships with global research institutes, growers, and technology companies. Her work integrates plant science, engineering, and sustainability to deliver resilient, high-performance systems, including those designed for application in space.

Jennifer is a recognised thought leader in controlled environment agriculture, frequently speaking on the future of sustainable food production, and serves on advisory boards including the University of Cambridge School of Biological Sciences, UKRI Future Leader Fellows Development Network and LEAF Marque.

Aleks is an experienced engineering leader with a proven track record of taking agri-tech and deep-tech innovations from concept (TRL1) to commercial deployment (TRL9). He specialises in system design, facility commissioning, and lean manufacturing strategies that enable cost-effective scale-up of plant propagation and controlled-environment production systems.

With over £10M in delivered project value, Aleksandar has led CAPEX programmes, NASA- and UK Space Agency-linked initiatives, and multidisciplinary teams spanning software, automation, and manufacturing. His focus on modular design and process optimisation has consistently delivered accelerated timelines and significant cost savings, supporting seamless propagation-to-glasshouse transitions.

 Jenny is a global leader in plant synthetic biology and bioengineering, with over 15 years’ experience spanning academia and government research. She specialises in harnessing biotechnology to design plants for sustainable food, feed, fibre, and bio-based materials production

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As Chair of Plant Synthetic Biology at the University of Adelaide and Node Leader of the ARC Centre of Excellence in Plants for Space, Jenny co-leads large-scale, multidisciplinary research programs at the intersection of plant science, engineering, and space biology. She has secured more than AUD $60M in funding, built international research consortia, and advised governments and global organisations on the bioeconomy and sustainable agriculture. She holds one issued patent and has co-authored 100+ peer-reviewed publications.

Jenny is also committed to training the next generation of bioengineers, embedding responsible innovation, and accelerating translation of research into real-world applications. She regularly contributes to international discussions on synthetic biology and future food systems, speaking on the role of biotechnology in sustainability and space exploration, and serves on a number of advisory boards.