A deep understanding of the fundamental operation of our world ought to enable us to do good and make our live better – this is what attracted me to scientific studies and discovery. In this talk I will illustrate how deep scientific understanding can lead to impact by examples of work done in my lab in the areas of nanomaterials, surface chemistry and diagnostic devices. I founded the Impact Centre to enable the movement of scientific discovery to societal impact, and I mentored over 140 science-based startups over 10 years, some of which are now quite successful.