Introduction
In a world where YouTubers are launching venture firms and headlines scream about billion-dollar valuations, Martin Glen is a calm, clear counterpoint. With a background that spans hedge funds, IPOs, and industrial analysis across London and Hong Kong, he now sits at the heart of deep tech investing at Parkwalk Advisors, quietly helping build the kind of companies that actually matter.
In this interview with Inside Success CEO David Sonowo, Martin reflects on his unexpected journey into VC, what makes a pitch memorable, and why the real measure of success isn’t fame or flash, it’s whether a business is making an impact, hiring people, and sticking around.
Martin Glen and his starting journey in VC
David: How do you decide whether to pursue an investment?
Martin: We ask if it’s realistic based on what we’ve seen. If yes, we do more due diligence and meet with the business again. If we invest, I sit on the board, help with strategy, and connect them to people who’ve seen similar issues. We also raise money from individuals, so we attend events and explain why university spinouts are exciting and world-changing.
David: How did you end up becoming a VC? Can you walk us through the timeline?
Martin: Honestly, I didn’t plan it. I was a bad chemist and wanted real training, so I moved into the city and became an analyst in chemical companies. Back then, chemical companies were massive and great for learning about industries.
After 8 years in London, I moved to Hong Kong to analyze Asian industrial firms during their early growth. I came back to London later for family reasons and joined a hedge fund focusing on IPOs.
Eventually, some friends started Parkwalk. I liked their mission, supporting university ideas with impact, and joined them. I’ve been here 8 years now.
David: How do you decide what industries or types of science to focus on? Do you follow market trends?
Martin: We’re different from most VCs; we don’t chase specific tech trends. We back deep tech spin-outs from universities, anything from AI to hardware, as long as it’s not consumer apps or single drug development. What matters to us is the team, commercial potential, and returns. For things like AI, what matters now is not just the tech itself but how it’s used and what value it creates.
Challenges and Successes
David: What’s been your most exciting project and the one that didn’t quite go as planned?
Martin: I’ll start with the last question, there was a company with tech that could swap in local adverts live inside films. You’d see a Taiwanese drink ad on a billboard in Bond movies if you were watching in Taiwan. It was clever and wowed investors, but it never took off; no strong market demand, tech scaling issues, and not enough sales. Disappointing all round.
Then a successful project, a spinout called YASA from Oxford made lighter electric motors by removing the central yoke. Early wins with sports cars like Koenigsegg, then Ferrari, and finally a full partnership with Daimler, who bought them outright. Sold for a couple hundred million pounds. Not a unicorn, but a solid return and a proud journey.
