Dave Ronan
Dr David Ronan built his company RoEx based on insights and breakthroughs he made through his PhD at Queen Mary.
We want entrepreneurship to be for everyone, so to mark Global Entrepreneurship Week we’re speaking to founders about the incredible range of journeys they’ve taken.
David, why did you start RoEx?
I wanted to use AI to transform how musicians of all skill levels produce and record new music – removing the need to rely on expensive studio equipment or complex plugins to achieve professional-level sound recordings.
I realised early in my PhD research that the technology we were developing had huge potential. RoEx aims to level the playing field in audio production, striving to achieve for music what Instagram filters did for photography.
We’re growing fast and we’ll be starting a seed funding round in early 2025.
What’s your advice for other academic entrepreneurs?
I already had experience as a startup founder – with a successful exit to Apple. Entrepreneurship as an academic is challenging, more so than I anticipated initially.
I have found it valuable to remember the foundation of the business is a technology with immense potential – one we’ve already seen results from and that gives us a unique advantage.
The move from academia to entrepreneurship demands the rapid acquisition of new skills - embrace this learning curve! My PhD supervisor, Prof Josh Reiss, is a serial entrepreneur so was very supportive.
Queen Mary are invaluable allies. Their support spans all aspects of business, and their vested interest in your success can be a game-changer. Lean on this backing and move forward with conviction.