Will the next biotech breakthrough be digital before it’s biological with Bibi Ephraim
AI is transforming biotechnology from the inside out. What was once a world of petri dishes and pipettes is now increasingly powered by algorithms, models, and digital twins. But as machine learning accelerates drug discovery and reshapes clinical trials, how far can we go before biology itself becomes the follower, not the leader?In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with Bibi Ephraim, Head of Digital Sciences at Genentech, about how artificial intelligence is redefining the biotech landscape. They explore how data-driven approaches are rapidly compressing timelines in drug discovery, enabling precision medicine, and even simulating virtual clinical trials.They also tackle the cultural and organisational transformations needed to make digital biotech work; from breaking down data silos and fostering collaboration across competitors, to treating data as a product and investing in strong governance. Drawing parallels with digital transformation in other industries, they ask what it will take for biotech to move from project-based to product-based innovation, and why pre-competitive collaboration could unlock the next generation of cures.Episode Highlights:01:40 – What do AI, data science, and digital governance in the biotech landscape look like today?03:06 – Biotech and the data foundations needed for transformation.04:52 – Examples of successful data-driven approaches in biotech.08:10 – Will parts of the medical process be completely handed over to AI?09:39 – David’s thoughts: The importance of sustained, iterative innovation.11:49 – The biggest mistake Bibi sees executives make in relation to data.13:08 – The huge issue of low-quality data.14:59 – Data sharing is critical in this field.19:03 – David’s thoughts: How pre-competitive collaboration benefits everyone.21:17 – Is biotech reaching a standardisation tipping point?24:11 – Can biotech scale digitally and effectively?26:30 – Will the next biotech breakthrough be digital before it’s biological?28:33 – If digitalisation expands, will researchers miss the “happy accidents” of drug discovery?About Zühlke:Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.Links:Zühlke WebsiteZühlke on LinkedInDavid Elliman on LinkedInBibi Ephraim on LinkedInGenentech Website
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27:44
Is net zero even possible without open data with Gavin Starks
The UK’s 2025 Data Act marks a turning point in how data is shared and governed. Just as common standards in telecoms and banking unlocked innovation, trusted data could be the key to credible climate action. But with carbon reporting fragmented and confidence in the numbers low, can open data really help us reach net zero?In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with Gavin Starks, founder of Icebreaker One, about why net zero is impossible without shared, reliable data. They draw lessons from open banking—how standards, governance, and collaboration turned a technical challenge into a multi-billion-pound ecosystem—and ask what it would take to do the same for climate.They also spotlight Icebreaker One’s project Perseus, which is building the data infrastructure to automate SME sustainability reporting and connect emissions data directly with green finance. By cutting friction for small businesses and giving banks numbers they can trust, Perseus shows how shared data can turn compliance into opportunity.Episode Highlights:01:00 – An introduction to Gavin.01:25 – When we talk about open data in the context of climate action, what do we actually mean?04:17 – The parallels between open banking and net zero.06:25 – David’s thoughts: Finding clarity in carbon reporting.07:47 – The current crisis in carbon reporting.11:05 – When it comes to getting this right, 90% of the work is governance.13:37 – David’s thoughts: The power of narrow use cases.15:02 – Why open banking was a success.16:54 – When it comes to sustainability, compliance should really be the floor and opportunity should be the ceiling.19:04 – David’s thoughts: The 2025 UK Data Act.20:43 – Why 2025 is an inflection point for data in the UK.22:57 – What does Gavin think will happen next?25:53 – Is net zero even possible without open data?About Zühlke:Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.Links:Zühlke WebsiteZühlke on LinkedInDavid Elliman on LinkedInGavin Starks on LinkedInIcebreaker One WebsitePersus Website
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28:18
Is the global food crisis a problem that only tech can solve with Illtud Dunsford
According to the United Nations, the world’s population is projected to exceed 9.5 billion by 2050, placing unprecedented strain on our food systems. Climate change, land scarcity, and rising demand for protein mean that traditional agriculture alone may no longer be enough. Could cultivated meat and other food technologies provide the answer?In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with Illtud Dunsford, CEO and co-founder of Cellular Agriculture Ltd, about the promise and limitations of lab-grown foods. Together, they explore whether technology alone can solve the global food crisis or whether the deeper challenge lies in human choices and culture.They also discuss the parallels between scaling in biotech and software engineering. How ambitious visions must be broken into achievable steps, the risks of hype cycles, and why collaboration across disciplines is essential. Just as DevOps reshaped software delivery, cultivated foods may depend on breaking down silos.Episode Highlights:01:49 – What is cultivated meat?02:46 – How cultivated meat may help optimise and reduce waste.04:03 – How the extremities of technology and ideas help us push forward.05:02 – David’s thoughts: What does pushing the boundaries look like in software engineering?06:21 – The story of Cellular Agriculture Ltd and how their technology works.09:53 – Where is the cultivated meat industry today?11:45 – David’s thoughts: Are long R&D cycles necessary for software engineers?12:31 – What challenges are cultivated foods trying to tackle?16:29 – What’s stopping this technology from expanding?18:35 – How long is it going to take for this technology to reach an inflection point?20:13 – David’s thoughts: Why cross-collaboration is so important in software engineering.22:34 – What does the future of cultivated food look like?25:03 – What could we miss about this field if we only concentrate on the technology?27:58 – Is the global food crisis a problem that only tech can solve?About Zühlke:Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.Links:Zühlke WebsiteZühlke on LinkedInDavid Elliman on LinkedInIlltud Dunsford on LinkedInCellular Agriculture Ltd Website
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30:16
Should we trust AI as a creative collaborator with Professor Anjana Susarla
By 2026, Europol estimates that more than 90% of online content could be AI-generated – from music and written work to imagery and beyond. But what does this shift mean for creativity, originality, and the role of human value in the process?In this episode of Tech Tomorrow, David Elliman speaks with Anjana Susarla, Professor of Responsible AI at the Eli Broad College of Business, Michigan State University. Together, they explore whether AI can truly be trusted as a creative collaborator in both work and wider society.Their conversation looks at how the traditional process of drafting and redrafting may change when AI enters the picture, and the rise of so-called ‘AI slop’ – mass-produced, low-quality outputs – in areas such as writing, design, and programming. They also consider whether agentic AI might one day predict our preferences more accurately than we can ourselves, and reflect on the persistent hype and ‘magic’ surrounding new AI tools, asking what this means for the future of creativity, business, and work.Episode Highlights:00:47 – What happens to the iterative creative process when AI is introduced?02:59 – The polarising reactions to AI tools.04:03 – Do we even like the creative outputs of AI?05:16 – David’s thoughts: Can we put a qualitative value on creativity?06:31 – What was the AI-generated podcast based on Anjana’s paper like?10:28 – The homogenising effect of AI.11:45 – Feedback loops and the halo effect.13:04 – David’s thoughts: AI prediction models.16:28 – Human oversight in AI creativity.19:08 – Maintaining the quality of AI-generated outputs.21:05 – David’s thoughts: What happens when AI tools enter the workplace?23:08 – AI creativity, brain drain, and deskilling24:58 – Should we trust AI as a creative collaborator?About Zühlke:Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation at its core. We help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – running smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in technology strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We thrive in complex, regulated sectors such as healthcare and finance, connecting strategy, implementation, and operations to help clients build more effective and resilient businesses.Links:Zühlke WebsiteZühlke on LinkedInDavid Elliman on LinkedInProf. Anjana Susarla on LinkedIn
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Welcome to Tech Tomorrow
Tech Tomorrow is your front-row seat to the conversations redefining the future.Each episode explores a big, thought-provoking question, from how we collaborate with machines to the possibilities intelligent systems could unlock in the future. Created for leaders steering innovation through complexity, the show cuts through the noise, connecting cross-disciplinary trends so you can make confident decisions in a rapidly changing world.Your host, David Elliman, Chief of Software Engineering at Zühlke, draws on four decades of global experience in technology and innovation. An expert in enterprise-scale solutions and emerging technologies, including AI, IoT, blockchain, and cloud computing, David brings clarity and insight to even the most complex topics.Tech Tomorrow, from Zühlke – coming soon, wherever you get your podcasts.About Zühlke:Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation in our DNA. We're trusted to help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – to run smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in tech strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We excel in complex, regulated spaces, including health and finance, connecting strategy, tech implementation, and operational services to help clients become more effective, resilient businesses.Links:Zühlke WebsiteZühlke on LinkedInDavid Elliman on LinkedIn
Tech Tomorrow is your front-row seat to the conversations redefining the future. Each episode explores one big question about data, AI, or emerging tech, giving leaders clear, focused answers they can trust. If you're navigating complex innovation, from AI-augmented delivery to sustainability, this show helps you cut through the noise, connect cross-disciplinary trends, and lead with confidence in a rapidly evolving landscape.
Previously known as Data Today, this podcast has examined how out-of-the-box thinking around data can be used for good in our world. Now, Tech Tomorrow expands its scope, diving into topics like agentic systems, cybersecurity consulting, and AI in product development.
Host David Elliman is Chief of Software Engineering at Zühlke. With 40 years of experience in technology and innovation, David is a global leader and advisor. Specialising in building enterprise-scale solutions and adopting emerging technologies such as AI, IoT, blockchain, and cloud computing, David offers technical consulting worldwide.
About Zühlke
Zühlke is a global transformation partner, with engineering and innovation in our DNA. We're trusted to help clients envision and build their businesses for the future – to run smarter today while adapting for tomorrow’s markets, customers, and communities.
Our multidisciplinary teams specialise in tech strategy and business innovation, digital solutions and applications, and device and systems engineering. We excel in complex, regulated spaces including health and finance, connecting strategy, tech implementation, and operational services to help clients become more effective, resilient businesses.
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