Rupert Baines new chair of Cambridge Tech Week

Baines is regarded as a semiconductor wizard and formerly steered UltraSoc, Codisip and QPT. He left QPT last October, around a month after the startup won the Young Company of the Year category of the Business Weekly Awards.

He said at the time: “QPT has amazing technology that could change the world and help reduce climate change. I have had a fascinating time as CEO successfully bringing the message of this technology to industry leaders. Potential customers and partners are all aligned now so my skillset of finding the right connections is no longer required and I have decided to move on to other business interests.”

Exactly a year ago, QPT – a Cambridge based specialist in developing highly efficient GaN-based electric motor controls – saw its Crowdcube funding round pass the £1 million milestone with three days to go to the official deadline. The company had previously raised £1.69m to fund R & D but was in fast-track growth mode as it pursued a market forecast to be worth $60 billion by 2030.

Rupert Baines appointed Chair of Cambridge Tech Week 2025: A vision for global impact

Cambridge Tech Week has always been a showcase for innovation, but in 2025, it’s set to shine even brighter under the leadership of Rupert Baines, the newly appointed Chair. An experienced tech entrepreneur with a global perspective, Rupert takes on the role with a clear mission: to ensure Cambridge Tech Week reflects the city’s true stature on the world stage.

“Cambridge’s tech ecosystem deserves a showcase that reflects its global importance,” Rupert explains. “We want to increase international visibility and participation further this year.”

A key focus for Cambridge Tech Week will be deepening connections between startups, investors, and established companies, creating an environment where groundbreaking ideas can thrive, and Rupert sees the city as the undisputed capital of Deep Tech in Europe; a place where academia and commercial innovation collide to create world-changing technologies.

Rupert told us: “Cambridge has an incredible ecosystem, producing fantastic companies. Cambridge Tech Week should be their springboard to international recognition.”

For Rupert, the spirit of the event is something special. “The vibe of Cambridge Tech Week reminds me of the Edinburgh Festival – something I’ve never felt at a tech event before. It’s in the city, of the city, but not constrained by it. It’s a global event with local roots, and that’s what makes it so powerful.”

With Cambridge Tech Week set to be more ambitious than ever, Rupert’s vision is clear: to position the event as the flagship deep-tech showcase for the UK and beyond.

CTW runs from 15 - 19 September 2025 and is supported by Cambridge Management Consulting, Mills & Reeve, Cadfem, Frazier&Deeter, HSBC UK, University of East Anglia, HCR Law, Venner Shipley, Rathbones and Wilson Partners.

• You can follow progress on CTW and apply for tickets at https://cambridgetechweek.co.uk.