Meet the team
Chief Team
Colin Francis
Chief Executive Officer
Colin is the CEO and co-founder of LabCycle. With a background in Entrepreneurship and Innovation Management, Colin has developed expertise in business planning, modelling, and strategy. His achievements have been recognised with the Surrey Business School Award and inclusion in the Surrey 40 Under 40 list, celebrating his impact in the business community.
Before founding LabCycle, Colin gained extensive experience as a sales specialist for leading technology companies, where he excelled in driving growth and building strong client relationships. He has also contributed to the academic field as an associate business lecturer at the University of Surrey, sharing his insights on entrepreneurship and business development.
In addition to his professional roles, Colin serves as a Board of Trustee, guest speaker, and mentor for a local charity that provides inclusive support for aspiring entrepreneurs. His commitment to fostering innovation and supporting new business ventures is at the heart of his work with LabCycle and the community.
Dr Jinghui (Helen) Liang
Chief Technology Officer
Jinghui (Helen) is the CTO and co-founder of LabCycle, bringing a strong background in microbiology, biotechnology, and sustainable technologies. She completed her PhD as a Marie Curie FIRE Fellow at the Institute of Sustainability, University of Bath.
With a decade of hands-on experience in various laboratories, Helen has seen the single-use lab plastics problem firsthand. Driven by her passion for promoting sustainable practices in the research and healthcare sectors, she co-founded LabCycle during her PhD studies. Her innovative work has earned her multiple accolades, including the Foulathi Entrepreneurship and Innovation Award and recognition as a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Fellow.
In addition to her work at LabCycle, Helen is an active advocate for sustainability and entrepreneurship. She has been invited to participate in numerous panel discussions and has spoken at various events, sharing her insights and experiences to inspire change in the scientific community.
Technical Advisory Board
Dr Kajally Jobe
Technical Advisor
Dr Jobe is the head of R&D and Chemical Regulatory Affairs at Aspen Pumps Group. He has extensive experience in research and development, industrial collaboration, technology commercialisation, product and process development.
Professor Edward Kosior
Technical Advisor
Prof Kosior is the CEO and Founder at Nextek Ltd. With 50 years of plastics recycling expertise, he has been instrumental in designing numerous modern recycling plants and has achieved a number of patented recycling breakthroughs.
Professor Matt Davidson
Technical Advisor
Prof Davidson is the Director of the Institute for Sustainability at the University of Bath and is the Executive Director of iCAST. He has decades of experience in chemistry, circular economy, chemical engineering, industrial research and multidisciplinary collaboration.
Growth Advisory Board
Pete Keevil
Growth Advisor
Mr Keevil is an Entrepreneur in Residence at the Bath branch of the SETsquared Innovation Centre. He co-founded Ubiquisys which was sold to Cisco. With decades of industrial experience, he is experienced in product development, growth strategy, sustainability and circular economy.
Professor Edith Sim
Growth Advisor
Prof Sims is Emeritus Professor at both University of Oxford, and Kingston University. She served as Trustee, Board Member, and Chair in higher education research charities and councils, with an extensive international research networks across higher education, charity, pharma, and biotech sectors.
Strategic Advisory Board
Paul Tippins
Strategic Advisor
Mr Tippins is currently the Managing Director at the company Professional Hygiene Ltd, with decades of experinece in the waste management industry.