Hello! 

I'm Dr Ben. Thanks very much for visiting the site!

I'm a PhD Scientist, Entrepreneur, Investor, and Communicator.

I was born in London, UK but moved to the USA in early 2000 at age 11. I’ve always love science or the art of figuring stuff out - and from around 12 years old had firmly fixated on physics as a beautiful way of finding things out about the universe.

In 2008, I moved back to the UK, to the city of Bristol, to complete my Masters in Physics and then in 2012 started my PhD in Nanophysics (specifically nano-optics).

My PhD was an absolutely fantastic experience. My work focused on developing a new way to study the universe at the medium-tiny scale - where physics, biology, and chemistry all intersect. What I really loved about this process was the interdisciplinary nature of this experience, that taught me the value of where deep expertise over multiple disciplines creates deep and complex breakthroughs.

In 2016, I was very fortunate to join an early stage start-up trying to build a new treatment for diabetes. Very long story short - the company did quite well and was acquired by Novo Nordisk in 2018.

I loved the completeness of this idea - that scientists can not only create impactful breakthrough ideas - but also can launch the companies to get these breakthroughs into the hands of people that need them.

In 2018, I launched my first company called Spin Up Science to support scientists to launch their discoveries. Over the course of a couple of years, I worked with over 4000+ scientists to support their journeys and helped just over 200 new companies; tackling everything from quantum computing, cures for brain cancer, and I even looked at puncture-proof bike tires.

But I started to notice a secondary problem, no one wants to fund science breakthroughs.

Early stage science is difficult to understand and even harder to gain conviction that it will one day work. Backing the next Facebook or Uber feels easier for general investors to get to grips with, but the next cure for cancer or technology to fight climate change all need support.

With help of a lot of people, I launched Empirical Ventures - for investors interested in backing the best scientific teams in Europe to deliver their ideas to the market.

For the work I do on YouTube, I specifically focus to try and showcase the brilliant scientists (both current and past) and celebrate the breakthroughs in humanity's capability. Sharing these stories, I think, is incredibly impactful to inspiring the next generation of scientists and ultimately scientific entrepreneurs. I also think its important that these stories are shared with the world, because we are in a period of significant scientific advancement.

Always our capability to innovate outpaces our wisdom. But society has to understand the technologies at it’s disposal to help them reach the potential for positive impact.

If you’d like to support the work I do, or to follow more closely with some behind-the-scenes updates and access - do consider joining our Patreon or supporting our Merch brand Rockstar Scientists. Both projects support our work helping scientists to put great ideas into action.