Xavier Parkhouse-Parker leaves Cambridge Future Tech after four ‘thrilling’ years
Xavier Parkhouse-Parker’s departure from Cambridge Future Tech leaves Owen Thompson as the sole co-founder of the original trio who founded the deep tech tech venture builder in 2020.
The exit appears to have been carefully curated, with a new chief operating officer (COO) taking over the role Xavier had occupied for four hugely productive years.
On LinkedIn, Xavier wrote: “The past decade has been a thrilling rollercoaster, filled with the challenges and joys of co-founding companies. As one chapter closes, I’m excited to embark on the next adventure.”
Owen Thompson said in a statement: “We’d like to thank Xavier Parkhouse-Parker for his significant contributions in building CFT from the ground up and his role in shaping our portfolio. His hard work has been instrumental in establishing a strong foundation for our ventures.
“As a serial founder and entrepreneur, this next step is a natural progression for him. We wish Xav all the best as he embarks on his new journey, and we are excited to see his future achievements."
If it is the end of an era, the incoming era looks hugely promising. As reported in this week’s edition of the Cambridge Independent (on sale 6 November), Cambridge Future Tech (CFT), which is based at The Bradfield Centre, has participated in the launch of OmniBuds, the world’s first ear-worn AI/ML computing platform designed to monitor vital signs, including heart and respiration rates, as well as users’ physical activities and audio experiences. OmniBuds Limited is a joint venture with Nokia Bell Labs and Nokia Ventures & Partnerships and is based in West Cambridge.
And the new COO, James Hayward, is already in situ. James joined CFT as research director in 2022: he had emerged through the ranks at Cambridge-based technology research company IDTechEx, latterly as research director.
“As CFT continues to scale at pace, we are delighted to appoint James Hayward as chief operating officer,” said Thompson. “James’s appointment is a recognition of his outstanding leadership and expertise as a venture builder.
“As research director at CFT, James has developed the best tech scouting function in the country, and spearheaded CFT’s new partnership with Nokia Bell Labs. His bold vision for the future aligns perfectly with CFT’s mission: leading groundbreaking technology from lab to market to address the world’s most pressing challenges.”
He added: “This year we have announced the successful close of our $5m funding round, a partnership with CERN [home of the large Hadron Collider], work with Anglo American plc, Cemex Ventures, and a spin-out with Nokia Bell Labs. Our confidence in our team and our shared vision has never been stronger.”
In addition to James’s new role, Cambridge Future Tech has made further appointments, including Katie Underwood as partner “to spearhead CFT’s sister VC fund”, and Sven Winkler von Stiernhielm “to manage the company’s growing portfolio of global corporate partnership”.
Earlier this year, CFT welcomed two seasoned experts to its board as non-executive directors - Michael Beer, whose senior finance roles in Silicon Valley include raising more than $1bn for startups such as FreeWire Technologies, and Jem Davies, former general manager of Arm’s Machine Learning division with a career spanning nearly two decades in AI and advanced technologies.
“This strengthened leadership team positions Cambridge Future Tech for an ambitious future,” concludes Thompson.
