Margherita Sepioni is the CEO and Co-founder of SmartIR, a University of Manchester spin-out developing advanced graphene-based thermal and signature management technologies for space and defence. With fifteen years in graphene and 2D materials, she combines deep scientific expertise with commercial insight. Previously, she was Scientific and Technical Manager at Graphene Enabled Systems, supporting start-ups based on university IP. She began her career at 2-DTech Ltd, advancing graphene applications in collaboration with industry. Margherita holds a PhD in Condensed Matter Physics from Manchester and is recognized for translating frontier research into impactful, real-world solutions in space and defence sectors.