Head of Investment & Business Development, Innovate UK KTN

Susanne is Head of Investment & Business Development at Innovate UK KTN, part of the UK’s national innovation agency Innovate UK, part of UKRI. Innovate UK’s vision is to build an inclusive, vibrant, and successful innovation ecosystem, making the UK a global innovation hub. By empowering businesses to grow, supporting the best ideas and helping innovators access opportunities, Innovate UK is building a better, more resilient future for the UK economy and society. Innovate UK encompasses an ecosystem of deep expertise, funding, and powerful connections driving value through innovation, with this ecosystem including Innovate UK KTN, Catapult and Innovate UK EDGE – all accelerating the innovation journey.  

Passionate about creating sustainable and inclusive prosperity, at Innovate UK KTN Susanne leads her team to create powerful connections between investors and innovative companies that are aligned on driving positive change for economic, societal and environmental benefit both in the UK and globally. Susanne works closely with Innovate UK colleagues on creating platforms for dialogue about opportunities and partnerships, such as the Innovate UK Investor Partnership Programme, an £80 million opportunity, which seeks to stimulate R&D in micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, whilst accelerating equity investment into those companies so that they can grow more rapidly through innovation.

German by birth, Susanne holds a PhD in Chemistry and has over 15 years of experience in national and international R&D & Innovation, funding and finance, project and programme management, stakeholder relations, business growth and transformation.”