i-Teams Publications

Held online, chaired from Melbourne, Australia in October 2020

Harnessing Empathy To Scale A Healthtech Startup During The COVID-19 Pandemic: A Case Study Of myICUvoice, A Communication Tool Designed For Critical Care
Authors: Nadya Pohran, University of Cambridge & SympTech Ltd., Timothy Baker, SympTech Ltd., Simon Pulman-Jones, Emergence Now & Amy Weatherup, AJM Enterprises

Abstract: This case study explores the scaling experience of an early-stage healthtech startup company called myICUvoice. During the Covid-19 pandemic, myICUvoice rapidly scaled from a single intensive care environment to being widely used nationally (UK) as well as globally. We explore why and how so many volunteers were motivated to donate their time and expertise to help scale this early stage startup. Specifically, we examine the roles that empathy played throughout the scaling process. There are three distinct types of empathy that we have identified in our story: em-pathos, empathetic understanding, and mass-empathy. These each had a distinct role in driving the startup forward. Importantly, we note that human-centered design (which often focuses almost exclusively on achieving empathetic understanding) will immensely benefit from considering the multiple types, and multi-faceted powers, of empathy.

The full paper is available here, and a recording of the conference talk given by Nadya Pohran is available on the EPIC website along with the full conference proceedings.

Held in Providence, Rhode Island in November 2019

From ‘Cool Science’ to Changing the World: the Opportunity to Support Pre-startup Science Commercialisation Through Ethnography and Human-Centred Design
Authors: Simon Pulman-Jones, Emergence Now & Amy Weatherup, AJM Enterprises

Based on interviews with over 20 i-Teams inventors and participants, this paper explores the i-Teams journey, and links this to best practice in ethnography and human-centred design. A video of the talk is also available on the EPIC website.

Held in Washington DC in March 2018, co-hosted by The University of the District of Columbia, George Washington University & Georgetown University

Cambridge i-Teams: Commercialising Innovation while Empowering Budding Entrepreneurs
Author: Zurina Moktar, i-Teams Deputy Director, Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge

A case study of the i-Teams process and track record, which was awarded joint first place with the University of Twente for excellence in student incubators