Professor Dame Clare Grey
Chief scientist and co-founder
Cambridge, UK
My Role
I lead the scientific vision behind Nyobolt’s technology, ensuring that everything we build is grounded in rigorous chemistry and a deep understanding of how materials behave. My work sits at the intersection of fundamental discovery and real-world impact, guiding how next-generation energy systems should function.
What I love most about my role
I enjoy the moment when a complex scientific question becomes clear. Batteries may seem unglamorous, but when you unravel how a material truly works—how atoms move, how structure governs performance—you unlock possibilities that can reshape entire industries. Being able to push that frontier forward is what keeps me engaged.
How I define success
Success is when science not only works on paper but transforms what is technologically possible. When a discovery holds up under intense scrutiny, scales reliably, and opens new pathways we did not have before, that is meaningful progress.
The best piece of business advice I ever received was
Surround yourself with people who think differently from you. Innovation happens when you create space for varied expertise and challenge long-held assumptions. A good team will expand what you believe is achievable.
What would I tell my younger self
Keep following your curiosity, even when the direction feels unconventional. The questions that seem unusual or niche often lead to the breakthroughs that matter most.
What 2B Bolder mean to me
It means backing the idea that the hard problems are worth solving. It takes boldness to commit to long-term science, to pursue questions that require patience, and to insist that rigor and impact can coexist. For me, being bolder is simply choosing not to shy away from complexity and also the less glamorous and sometimes more risky problems – but ones that ultimately need solving to drive fields in different ways.
Years of Experience
More than three decades in energy-storage chemistry, materials characterisation, and scientific leadership.
I recommend you focus on developing these 3 skills to succeed in a role like mine
1.Seeing structure and behavior in a way that reveals opportunity - My background in solid-state NMR spectroscopy and materials characterization methods more broadly allows me to understand energy materials at a fundamental level and identify where performance can realistically be improved.
2.Connecting fundamental science to industrial-scale solutions - Translating research into technologies that perform under real-world pressures is a skill I have built throughout my academic and collaborative work.
3.Building and leading multidisciplinary research ecosystems - I have spent my career bringing together chemists, engineers, and industry partners to accelerate progress in energy storage.