Sean Butler and Rob Wylie possess expertise in evaluating early-stage companies, blending rigorous academic scrutiny with practical, commercial reality.
Richard Pemberton, Director, Trumpington Estate, Cambridge
Dr Sean Butler – CEO
Sean Butler co‑founded Cambridge Agritech in 2015. He has long experience in agritech, having worked for Nickerson (a plant breeding and seed company owned by Royal Dutch‑Shell) and as Legal Counsel to CGIAR institutes in LATAM, Africa and Asia.
He holds law degrees from Oxford and the LSE, a CPGS in plant genetics from Cambridge, and a PhD from Imperial College London on commercialising new agricultural technologies developed in ag research institutes.
He has chaired several agritech companies, including Meiosis (soft‑fruit breeding) and Lambda (agri‑deeptech), and is a University Lecturer at Cambridge and an Emeritus Fellow of St Edmund’s College, Cambridge.
Dr Rob Wylie – Chairman
Rob Wylie has MA and PhD degrees in Chemistry from Cambridge University and spent ten years in Shell’s agrochemical business.
He has been involved in VC investment in sustainability since 1988 and has founded several investment firms, including WHEB (impact‑focused listed equities, sold in 2025), Five Seasons VC (Paris‑based foodtech fund backed by Nestlé and European financial institutions), and Alpina Capital Partners (German private equity manager of three funds, sold in 2023).
He is investor director of three agritech companies.
Sean Butler was supportive and importantly, challenging, across many conversations which helped with a successful fundraise. We also benefited from more than advice and financing – including our would-be Chair!
Dr Shireen Davies, CEO, Solasta Bio
Cambridge Agritech expertly validated our technology and business at early stage and also provided networks and links, essential for a start-up to thrive.