Grantflare

Grantflare helps founders get their projects funded. Our services include grant writing, commercialisation support, innovation coaching, mentoring, proposal reviews, and business design.

• Won £3.7m+ of grant funding for multiple SMEs as lead writer
• Outsourced Project Manager on AI-related feasibility study funded by Innovate UK
• Business Coach on the EIC Accelerator programme (6x call-offs)
• Bid Coach and Concept Development Mentor on Norfolk CC framework (5x call-offs)
• Retained consultant for grant funding landscape review and strategy for spacetech SME
• Proposal template development for for spacetech drones scaleup
• Proposal reviews, coaching, and QAQC for startups, scaleups and other SMEs 
• Sectors supported include cleantech, spacetech, deeptech, computer vision, video games, accessibility, fintech, quantum, smart home, biomass feedstock, SaaS, construction, nanotechnology, materials, battery software, ESG data, medtech, games, recycling and more

Freelance Grant Writer and Innovation Advisor

Capital Enterprise

Mentor on the Barclays Eagle Labs Funding Readiness Programme for innovative UK-based startups. 

I provide advice, feedback, and signposting on innovation grant funding, early-stage business development, and market validation.

Mentor - Funding Readiness

European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA)

I support applicants to the EIC Accelerator as they develop their Step 2 proposals.

Selected directly through the application portal, applicant SMEs receive a package of coaching, bid writing advice and proposal review/QAQC that is tailored to their individual needs and proposal development process.

This service is provided at no cost to the applicants themselves as it is included as part of the application process (paid for by EISMEA directly).

6x call offs to date with SMEs across various sectors (construction, spacetech, battery software, parking & EV software, ESG data, composites) and nations (UK, Ireland, France, Poland, Sweden, Hungary).

EIC Accelerator Business Coach

SatVu

SatVu is a British spacetech SME with a mission to capture the highest resolution thermal data, from space, for a safer and more sustainable Earth. SatVu is building a constellation of the world's highest spatial resolution TIR satellites, imaging in the MWIR band.

I was contracted on a retained basis to help grow and manage the company's innovation funding strategy and pipeline of projects. The engagement was 1 day per week in addition to any call offs for individual grant writing projects.

Funding was successfully secured from multiple grant funding agencies and will be posted here when public knowledge.

Innovation Finance Advisor

Abaton

Abaton's mission is to accelerate the commercialisation of intangible assets and intellectual property. We are developing a new digital platform to identify, manage, and exploit assets in innovative businesses.

• Hired 4x new team members for our first in-house technical team
• Built first partnerships with Professional and Financial Service providers to support growth
• Led design of prototype and scoping full PRD for MVP build

Co-Founder 

• Co-founded the business and recruited the initial team
• Won £120k Smart Grant from Innovate UK for a feasibility study of our platform focussing on university spin-outs
• Won £408k grant from Innovate UK to develop our product with support from Strathclyde Business School
• Evaluated technology options and worked with interim CTO to design initial roadmap
• Sourced advisors and university collaborators
• Selected as 1 of 12 participants in the Forward Partners Funding Lab in July 2022

CEO and Co-Founder

Enian

Enian is providing intelligent deal management software for the global infrastructure market. Our B2B platform is data-driven giving commercial investment and development teams a faster, more secure and efficient way to reduce inefficiencies in the deal cycle. 

Our technology has been designed by and for infrastructure professionals with experience of multiple asset classes. Virtual data rooms and other cloud storage products lack the sophistication and ease of use that we pride ourselves on. We make investing in the real economy easy.

• Advised on business development strategy
• Attended board meetings and strategy workshops
• Facilitated introductions to potential investors, users and customers

Investor and Advisor

QuadSAT

QuadSAT is a Danish company that is revolutionising the antenna diagnostics and measurement industry. Founded in 2017, QuadSAT has developed a world-first system that uses a custom RF payload mounted on a drone to test antennas on site instead of transporting them to a test range or anechoic chamber. 

The system is transported directly to your location and flies in a pattern that simulates the movement of a satellite. This results in a cost-effective, operationally flexible, and time-saving solution to test telecommunications infrastructure in the space, military, and commercial sectors.

• Technical roadmap development alongside senior management
• Commercialisation, value proposition and business design 
• Grant writing strategy (UK, Denmark, EU)
• Technical writing and proofreading (website copy, marketing materials and press releases)
• Development of user manual
• Business development support (including proposal writing)

Innovation Management Advisor

Sustainable Venture Development Partners

SVDP works with investors, entrepreneurial managers and corporate partners to originate, build and grow sustainable companies. SV is a venture builder, accelerator, innovation advisor and workspace provider.

• Delivering the business design of 2x new ventures in the EV and clean energy sector
• Leading the delivery of a new EV charging product at SV's newest project company, Agile Charging
• Developing commercial roadmap and product management of the EV charger product
• Supporting technical development of products from prototype to field trial
• Engaging with potential partners and customers to develop a go-to-market business model
• Monitoring progress of prototyping and product development processes
• Project management of a collaborative blockchain feasibility study
• Leading techno-economic and commercial modelling, financial planning and business plan writing
• Evaluating technology markets, identifying and quantifying new opportunities
• Developing relationships with key stakeholders and securing partnerships

Venture Manager

Agile Charging

Agile is developing an innovate electric vehicle chargepoint. Our flagship product is an Electric Vehicle (EV) fast charger with integrated battery storage that is easy to install and transport.

• Secured £120k of SEIS pre-seed investment from Sustainable Accelerator
• Leading the delivery of a new EV charging product
• Developing commercial roadmap, including full rebrand
• Product management of new battery-enabled EV chargepoint
• Supporting technical development of products from prototype to field trial
• Engaging with potential partners and customers to develop a go-to-market business model
• Monitoring progress of prototyping and product development processes
• Project managed industrial development and collaborative feasibility studies funded by BEIS Energy Entrepreneurs Fund and Innovate UK
• Leading techno-economic and commercial modelling, financial planning and business plan writing
• Evaluating technology markets, identifying and quantifying new opportunities
• Developing relationships with key stakeholders and securing partnerships
• Team management and recruitment

Commercial Director

Highview Power

Highview Power are the long duration energy storage experts. Highview's expert engineers design bespoke Liquid Air Energy Storage (LAES) plants ranging from 20MW/80MWh to 200MW/2.4GWh to serve utility and industrial clients in a growing multi-billion dollar global market.

• Won £2.0m of revenue and grant funding (including Innovate UK, SBRI, and BEIS)
• Led the new Build Own Operate strategy seeking to deploy a commercial LAES plant
• Originated new project opportunities in countries around the world
• Project managed a £50k feasibility study for a hybrid LAES plant (flywheels and supercapacitors) and won £1.5m for subsequent project deployment
• Led the grant application process and ensuring alignment with our Innovation Roadmap 
• Managed a portfolio of international channel partners and project developers
• Evaluated, prioritised and explored new geographical markets and applications for LAES
• Represented Highview as a speaker at conferences and trade missions (Hello Tomorrow, UKTI, Energy Institute)
• Contributed to development of new marketing resources and processes
• Built relationships with partners, EPCs, investors and international financial institutions

Business Development Manager

Grant Writing | Venture Building | Commercialisation | FRSA

I contribute to a more sustainable, resource efficient and socially equitable future by helping to commercialise innovative technologies for people around the world.

Within my lifetime I want 100% of the global population to have access to an appropriate level of electricity that is from sustainable sources and at a cost that they can afford.

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