10 July 2014

David Calvert, Warwick Ventures’ longest serving Business Development Manager, is retiring after 14 years working with the company.

David has been instrumental in the growth of Warwick Ventures from a one-man band, when it was launched in 2000, to a fully-fledged company serving the commercialisation needs of the University of Warwick. Over the past 14 years, David has helped Warwick Ventures capture 1100 disclosures, create 47 spin outs and raise £100m in investment.

“The appeal has always been to be involved in new technologies and to help them move towards the market place,” says David, “It has also been a pleasure to help academics achieve their own aims and ambitions in commercialising their work.”

A key success during David’s time at Warwick Ventures has been the development of the innovative loudspeaker company, Warwick Audio Technologies. Warwick Audio, which manufactures flat, flexible loudspeakers, has grown from being a novel idea generated in the University’s School of Engineering, to an SME employing over 20 staff in England and Wales. David helped guide the company through its early stages, from getting a research and development grant through to securing its first investments.

David has also worked hard to develop the heat pump technology company, Sorption Energy. He will continue to work with Sorption following his retirement as it moves towards developing its first commercial products. In addition, he will be busy completing another degree, this time in Politics, Philosophy and Economics at the Open University.

Quentin Compton-Bishop, CEO of Warwick Ventures, says: “David, has been a source of stability and good-sense which has been invaluable to the creation and success of Warwick Ventures Limited; we wish him well in his retirement”