James Foote

Background

About James Foote

I’m a DeepTech product leader and translational scientist focused on scaling breakthrough technologies from lab bench to commercial impact.Currently Head of Product Development- Reagents & Consumables at SPARTA Biodiscovery, I lead strategy and execution across the full product lifecycle, from early-stage innovation and validation through to market-ready launch. My focus is on accelerating time-to-market, building differentiated product portfolios, and aligning technical development with clear commercial outcomes.With a PhD in Materials Science from Imperial College London (Stevens Group), my background spans polymeric biomaterials, diagnostics and novel nanoparticle systems development. I’ve generated patent disclosures, secured competitive funding, and helped translate research into venture-backed opportunities.Alongside my scientific career, I co-founded SettleUp Earth, a climate-tech start-up enabling businesses and individuals to measure and offset carbon emissions. We generated funding to allow the planting of trees, participated in Climate Launchpad, reached the semi-finals of the Climate Investment Challenge, and gained national media coverage in The Telegraph and Nature Index. This experience sharpened my understanding of early-stage execution, GTM strategy, capital constraints and customer acquisition.I’m particularly interested in:• DeepTech commercialisation• Climate & sustainability ventures• Translational science at scale• Venture ecosystems bridging academia and industry