Ilian Iliev

Ilian Iliev

Job title – Investment Director

Bio –

Ilian Iliev founded EMV Capital in 2018. Following its acquisition by NetScientific PLC (now EMV Capital PLC), he became Group CEO. Prior to this, he co‑founded and served as CEO of CambridgeIP Ltd, which he built into a leading provider of IP strategy and patent‑data analytics. Ilian has also worked as a strategy advisor to a range of blue‑chip corporate clients and public‑policy organisations. Earlier in his career, he founded and co‑led a family business in industrials and electrical engineering in Southern Africa.

He serves as a Board representative for the Group at multiple portfolio companies, including Glycotest Inc. (Chair), Sofant Technologies, PointGrab, Q‑Bot, Martlet Capital, DName‑iT, Vortex and Wanda Health. In addition, he is a Board member of NASDAQ‑listed PDS Biotech Inc.

Ilian holds a PhD from Cambridge University’s Judge Business School, specialising in venture capital and science‑commercialisation models. He also holds a Master’s in Economics and a BA in Politics, Economics and International Relations from the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. He was an Associate Fellow at Chatham House, focusing on sustainability and renewable‑energy policy, and has authored numerous academic, policy and industry reports.