Samantha Payne
- Open Bionics co-founder, an award-winning company harnessing 3D printing technology to create bionic limbs
- Named one of the top 25 women in robotics you need to know about by Robohub and Marie Claire’s Top Women in Tech.
- Recognised as an entrepreneur to watch by Forbes30Under30, Bloomberg, and Fast Company
- Recipient of numerous awards including the MIT Technology Review ‘Innovators Under 35’ and Wired Innovation Fellow
In 2014 Samantha Payne co-founded Open Bionics with the aim to create low-cost bionic hands that look and feel good. Together with her partner, they focused and perfected the business profile, model, network and raising rounds before pitching the company at the Finals of Intel’s Global Make it Wearable challenge in 2014. With over four-hundred entrants, Samantha and her partner came second taking home a cash prize of £250,000.
With the training and guidance of some very high-profile mentors, Samantha Payne has gained extensive knowledge when it comes to business and leadership. She completed a three-month hands-on training programme in Lean Start-up principles with UC Berkeley’s Haas School of Business. Samantha also received mentoring from the likes of Philip Kongsgaard Døssing, Senior Concept Designer at Lego Group, Pixar’s Ralph Guggenheim, and former Apple marketer Guy Kawasaki.
Open Bionics works with companies like Disney and Edios-Montreal to turn science fiction into reality. The startup builds affordable assistive technologies that enhance the human body. Open Bionics has won the global Robotics & AI for Good award, the James Dyson award for innovative engineering and two British Engineering Excellence awards. Samantha has been recognised as an entrepreneur to watch by Forbes30under30, Bloomberg, and Fast Company. Samantha’s company brings science fiction to life.
Samantha Payne was named one of the top 25 women in robotics you need to know about by Robohub and Marie Claire’s Top Women in Tech. She also made the shortlist for the Entrepreneur of the Year Award. Her business has been named one of the top 50 robotic businesses in the world alongside Google and Amazon.
Samantha Payne has won numerous international awards for her work. Amongst these, she includes the MIT Technology Review ‘Innovators Under 35’ in 2018 and Wired Innovation Fellow in 2016.
Samantha Payne – Speaker
Representing UK Innovation on multiple trade missions, Samantha Payne has presented at numerous global conferences. Amongst these, she includes Founders Forum in Singapore, IFA Berlin, Global Leaders Forum, TechCrunch Disrupt, WIRED Live, Singapore’s Smart Nation, Russia’s Geek Picnic, and Tokyo’s Robotics Week.
Samantha lives in the UK and presents in English.
Speaking Topics
- Business Management
- Leadership & Teamwork
- Open Bionics
- Healthcare Technology
- Innovation & Technology