Cambridge Cleantech founder Martin Garratt succeeded by new leadership team
Cambridge Cleantech, the UK’s first cleantech innovation network and one of Europe’s leading climate tech innovation enablers, has announced a leadership transition, with founder and CEO Martin Garratt handing over to Sam Goodall, currently head of international projects, effective May 1.
The network hub has firmly established itself as part of the Cambridge Phenomenon since being founded in 2011 as a supporter, mentor and investment channel for clean technology companies in the UK and around the world. Members — there are more than 3,000 — range from smart idea start-ups to multinational conglomerates working to cut their environmental impact.
Start-up founders at the annual Cleantech Venture Day showcase have raised €654m over its 15-year history. More than 220 companies have pitched at the event, which takes place in Cambridge and Helsinki and connects innovators, investors, large enterprises and economic development partners for next-generation climate tech solutions. Other achievements include setting up Desafia London, a series of internationally successful immersion programmes; the International Tech Scouting Programme – a market intelligence programme; and the Cleantech Innovation Exchange, a series of programmes facilitating knowledge transfer and collaboration between cleantech super-clusters across the UK, Europe, the Middle East, Asia, North America, and Latin America.
To ensure a smooth transition, Martin will continue to work for Cambridge Cleantech as executive advisor for a further 12 months until April 2024. In this role, he will provide advice and guidance to the new team, which sees Sam Goodall become CEO and Sylvie Russell, currently the head of operations, become chief operating officer (COO).
“As the founder and original chief executive of Cambridge Cleantech,” said Martin, “I am proud of the achievements the team has accomplished over the last 12 years in creating the UK’s premier cleantech sector network, from organising over 200 events with 8,000 attendees to instigating 20 pilot contracts and £20m of investment by introducing corporates to innovative cleantech start-ups and by influencing government with our cleantech manifesto launch.
“We have grown the network from our base in Cambridge to launch Oxfordshire Greentech and will shortly open an office in Rotterdam to strengthen our European network of cleantech cluster partners from the Nordics to Israel.”
The rest of the Cambridge Cleantech team remains unchanged.
Sam Goodall said: “I’m delighted to be stepping into the chief executive role at Cambridge Cleantech at this important and exciting time for climate tech innovation for the UK and globally.
“Over the last 12 years under Martin’s stewardship, Cambridge Cleantech has grown from a regional innovation network into one that works across both micro and major tech clusters across the UK, Europe and, increasingly, the rest of the world.”
“At a time when climate tech innovation is more urgent than ever, I’m very much looking forward to having the opportunity to lead Cambridge Cleantech into this next exciting phase of development, through initiatives such as the development of the world’s first climate tech supercluster across London, Oxford and Cambridge, our joint programme with Hydrogen East to develop a hydrogen cluster in the region and to growing our Cleantech Venture Day into the UK’s leading climate tech investment event.”
Alison Cavey, chair of Cambridge Cleantech, added: “As the founder and original chief executive, Martin has done a terrific job in setting firm foundations for the network to prosper, from broadening the income base to include membership, public programme management, events and consultancy work, to growing the breadth of membership and to developing and expanding the team.”
