Reuben completed an electronics degree from the University of Southampton in 2001, and went on to study for a PhD in microchip design, which he completed in 2004. During his PhD, he started a company, Custom Idea Ltd, to design niche market consumer products, which marked the beginning of a journey working simultaneously in academia and industry.

Academically, he has over 50 publications, in areas ranging from chip design to genetic algorithms and micro electro-mechanical systems. However, he is most passionate about consumer electronics and has designed products including the GeoPic II, a geotagging device sold in the world’s largest photographic retailer, and Tiger mountain biking lights, judged best in their class in 2009 by Mountain Biking UK magazine.

In 2012 Reuben merged his experiences in academia and industry to start an initiative that commercialises ideas from research. His activities in this initiative earned him a Royal Academic of Engineering Entrepreneurs Award in 2013. One of the spinout companies he created, called Joulo Ltd, uses a USB device and web analysis platform to give homeowners advice on how to save money on their heating bills. Joulo won first place at the 2013 British Gas Connecting Homes competition and the company was acquired shortly afterwards.

“I asked a lot of questions at secondary school, perhaps too many, but there is no doubt in my mind that questioning everything around us is essential to understanding the world and our place in it. I discovered early on that I loved trying to solve problems through design and to create solutions better than those that already exist. I have no doubt that the help teachers gave me to work on my projects after school was fundamental to starting such an interesting and enjoyable career.”