Rory Miles

Deputy Director, Strategic Growth, Future Worlds

Rory plays a pivotal role in expanding Future Worlds’ reach across campus and beyond, transforming it into a thriving national ecosystem where students, researchers, and innovators can turn bold ideas into real-world solutions. His work focuses on building strategic partnerships, unlocking funding, and shaping the products and services that enable founders to flourish. 

With a career spanning global health, defence, sustainability, and higher education, Rory brings deep experience in delivering high-profile research and innovation programmes. He’s contributed to international innovation standards, advised on national strategies for scaling breakthrough technologies, and served on panels shaping the future of technology development. 

Why do you support the work of The Entrepreneurs Network?

The Entrepreneurs Network plays a crucial role in helping tech startups thrive. We need to break down the barriers that hold back university spinouts: there’s so much untapped potential there. Up-to-date research is key to making sure founders have what they need to start, scale, and succeed.  I really value how The Entrepreneurs Network provides founders with a national platform to share their views. Their voices really matter, and shaping policy around real-world experience is the best way to build a stronger, more inclusive startup ecosystem.

Why is the UK an attractive place to grow a business?

The UK is a brilliant place to grow a business, especially if you're starting out from a university. There's a strong culture of innovation, great access to talent, and supportive ecosystems that help ideas turn into impact. University accelerators like Future Worlds play a huge role in this, giving founders the tools, mentoring, and investment networks they need to get off the ground. Spinouts and student-led ventures are thriving here, and the UK’s mix of research excellence and entrepreneurial energy makes it a natural home for ambitious startups looking to scale.