Wise words and waggishness… June 2025

A selection of notable quotes and comments we’ve come across this month

Marc Ambasna-Jones
Headshot of Mandy Birch.

“I got connected with a16z [Marc Andreessen and Ben Horowitz’s VC firm] and its executive placement portfolio, then I found quantum computing, and I got bit by the quantum bug.”

TreQ CEO and founder Mandy Birch on her journey from working on drones and autonomous vehicles for the US Air Force to joining a Silicon Valley leadership programme for military veterans.

“Our hypothesis is that innovation can happen faster if someone is doing the systems-level design and engineering.”

TreQ CEO and founder Mandy Birch on why the company is positioning itself as a systems integrator, from our article Why this quantum start-up isn’t building a quantum computer.


A headshot of Sir Peter Knight.

“Let’s not be Lord Kelvin. Hype is dangerous, but so is denial.”

Sir Peter Knight, chair of the UK National Quantum Technologies Programme Strategic Advisory Board, talking about the quantum industry outlook while referencing the 19th-century physicist who wrongly predicted that heavier-than-air flight was impossible.


A shot of Robert Sutor, sitting down and looking to his left.

“It’s very easy to say, ‘this company got funding’ or ‘this modality looks promising’. But that’s just one tile in a vast, complex picture. If I fast-forward five years, I’d probably say this field will be about a quarter of the size it is today.”

Robert Sutor, former IBM exec and now CEO of Sutor Group Intelligence and Advisory, who likened the quantum landscape to a jigsaw puzzle where everyone is fixated on single pieces, while few are assembling the full image.


Tom Newby, speaking at a lectern.

“It’s not for government to tell start-ups when to go global. But we know they need access to global talent, funding, and partnerships to survive.”

Tom Newby, head of the Office for Quantum at DSIT, explaining how the UK’s national strategy puts international collaboration front and centre.


A headshot of Dr Simon Fothergill.

“People say, ‘humans need to be in the loop’, and they forget the fact that humans have never been out of the loop. Because where do you think the model came from in the first place?”

Dr Simon Fothergill, AI consultant and founder of Lucent AI, talking about AI ethics and why responsibility isn’t a blocker of AI innovation but a foundation.


A headshot of Dominique Meyer.

“We have a ban on using AI tools for software development. We want everything to be architected fundamentally by the smartest people.”

Dominique Meyer, founder and CEO of Looq AI, on pivoting and building a business focused on solving physical infrastructure problems.


A headshot of Sam Nasrolahi.

“When there is market turbulence, corporate VCs tend to have a bit more stability because they are not so tied to the constant fundraising cycles and risk towards that. Most CVCs are very stable from the capital they receive from the parent company.”

Sam Nasrolahi, principal at InMotion Ventures, talking to Jane Wakefield on the UKTN podcast about the difference between corporate investment arms and standard venture capital.


“It’s fascinating how a simple suction cup, with no electronics inside, can feel, think and act – just like an octopus arm. This could help robots become more natural, soft, and intuitive to use.”

Tianqi Yue, research associate at the University of Bristol and lead author on a paper on an octopus arm-inspired robot that can decide how to move or grip objects by sensing its environment.

Marc Ambasna-Jones
Marc Ambasna-Jones / Editor-in-chief

Working as a technology journalist and writer since 1989, Marc has written for a wide range of titles on technology, business, education, politics and sustainability, with work appearing in The Guardian, The Register, New Statesman, Computer Weekly and many more.

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