Beyond the Hype: What Kind of AI Companies Should We Be Building?
Join us for an insightful panel discussion centred around what type of companies we should be building in a world full of generative Ai. Moderated by Sheelpa Patel and featuring Yonghong Peng and Umang Bhatt. We'll discuss trustworthy AI, what it means to build AI-native companies, human agency, and whether AI could enable small teams or solo founders to build billion-dollar companies.
Speakers Bios:
Professor Yonghong Peng
Professor Yonghong Peng is Professor of Artificial Intelligence and Deputy Dean for Research and Innovation at Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge. Recognised among the Stanford/Elsevier World’s Top 2% Scientists, he has more than 25 years’ experience spanning artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science and AI transformation.
His current work explores a fundamental question for entrepreneurs and organisations: how do we move from simply adopting AI tools to building businesses that are truly AI-native?
Professor Peng develops frameworks and operating models around Institutional Intelligence, bringing together people, AI agents, data, knowledge, workflows and governance as an integrated intelligent system. His work explores how organisations can move beyond isolated AI applications towards AI-native operating models that continuously learn, adapt and create value.
He works across academia, industry, healthcare and government, translating advances in AI into practical innovation. Previously, he led the AI-2030 initiative at Manchester Metropolitan University and national research for the UK Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) on cybersecurity risks to AI.
Umang Bhatt
Umang Bhatt is Assistant Professor of Trustworthy Artificial Intelligence at the University of Cambridge, a Fellow in Computer Science at King’s College, and leads the TRACE Lab, where his research focuses on making AI systems more trustworthy, explainable and accountable.
His work sits at the intersection of machine learning, human-centred AI and responsible deployment, examining how we can understand and evaluate increasingly complex AI systems and ensure they operate in ways that humans can appropriately trust and oversee.
His research has particular relevance as AI moves from generating information towards increasingly autonomous systems that recommend, decide and act. This raises important questions for founders around explainability, human oversight, governance and accountability — particularly when AI is deployed in high-stakes or regulated environments.
Sheelpa Patel
Sheelpa Patel is a growth strategist, ecosystem builder and founder of Mavens + Mavericks, working at the intersection of AI, marketing and entrepreneurship. Her experience spans autonomous vehicle AI at Oxa, enterprise AI adoption at Digital Futures, building INFINITI LAB, Nissan’s global startup accelerator, and creating Startup Weekends with Techstars across Asia and North America.
Sheelpa is a Senior Advisory Board member of the King’s E-Lab and spearheaded the creation of the SPARK incubator. She also contributes to the Oxford–Cambridge Supercluster Board’s Science & Technology panel, helping translate the region’s world-class science and technology into commercial growth and global impact.
This event is provided as part of the SPARK Incubator programming however is open to all that wish to join. Please register at the link below.
WHEN: Wednesday 2 September 2026, 17:30-19:00
WHERE: Provost Drawing Room, King’s
Register here to reserve your place.
Please note that there will be photography and recording at this event. Attendance at E-Lab events is strictly ticketed. All guests must have a valid ticket or registration for the event. Entry to King’s College remains at the discretion of the Porters, and registration for an event does not guarantee admission. The college has full right to refuse entry at their discretion.
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