Problems I solve
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- Do you need to bring an outsourced MVP in-house?
- Are you struggling to scale an MVP?
- Do you have lots of client requirements and don’t know what to prioritise?
- Are you unsure how to meet new client requirements in the best way?
- I evaluate your existing solutions and get projects back on track
- I create compelling technical and product roadmaps and then work with your existing team to meet these goals
- I evaluate build vs buy decisions for new features and collaborate on technical architecture and implementation plans
- I am an expert in making sure your solutions meet tough enterprise compliance. Need a 1-pager on your security or privacy compliance? No problem!
“Our product isn't where I need it to be”
How I help
“Our product needs to scale”
- Do you need to prioritise client requirements, product features or new initiatives?
- Do you worry about your burn or route to profitability?
- Do you need to decipher market signal from noise?
- I help you make the most of your existing capital, building revenue generating features in scalable ways
- I help you hire for the skills you are missing. I have hired 100s of people and are experts at assessing team suitability and culture fit
How I help
I need more from my team
- Do you feel a disconnect between tech and product or product and sales?
- Do you struggle when technical team members are brought into sales calls?
- Do you need to distil lots of technical goodness into something that Product understands or Sales can use?
- I work with Sales and Marketing to explain the technical benefits of your solution in compelling ways
- I coach/mentor technical staff to be more commercial in their outlook
- I make technology a force for business change and a value bringer
- I have helped businesses like yours raise £400m+ in capital.
- I work with you to create powerful pitch decks that really resonate with VCs
- I advise on the benefits and pitfalls of raising venture capital
How I help
We need to fundraise
HI. I’m Andy.
Skills
CTO / CTPO
Advisory
Investment
Technology build
Public speaking
Biggest successes
- Startup veteran (3 startups). The first was a Fintech that we successfully exited 5 years later for about £60m (inflation-adjusted).
- I was first-hire at Europe’s leading GovTech venture firm. As an Investment/Operating Partner, I helped build a portfolio of 50 investments in tech-for-good companies and exit 2 venture studio companies.
- I’ve held senior technology leadership roles at some of the world’s largest technology companies.
- I‘ve been a startup founder (commercially unsuccessful but personally transformative).
- I’ve done ‘hyper growth’ by helping a new corporate division increase revenue 5x over 3 years.
Interim and fractional
I do interim (full time for several months) and fractional (several days a week) engagements.
I can take the role of CTO, CTPO role or Head/VP of Engineering.
I most often do:
- Project rescue
- Re-platforming
- New project creation
- Setting of strategic technical direction
- Setting of Product roadmap with tech alignment
- Investment and business strategy
Advisory
I advise many startup and scaleup businesses.
I help with technology, product, operations and investments.
I have also advised the UK government and the EU Parliament on technology and investment matters, including:
- UK Data, AI and ethics - review committee for the NHS AI proposals.
- UK NSI (National Security and Investment) bill - expert panel appointee
- EU Parliament Short term rental policy - technology advice
Investment
Over the last 7 years, I’ve helped create a portfolio of 50 investments:
- 43 investments from our accelerator programme
- 3 direct investments
- 2 venture studio startups (both acquired post-launch)
- 1 acquisition-relaunch-and-exit
- I’m an experienced board member and non-exec
- I acquired several startups when working on the corporate side
Corporate CTO experience
- I’ve led global technology teams for large publically listed organisations
- I’ve been responsible for a significant technology P&L
- I’ve represented technology at C-level
- I’ve grown technology organisations from <20 people to >200
- I’ve sponsored several 0 to 1 product builds and overseen their development and go-live
- I’ve championed Diversity & Inclusion and employee wellbeing
- I can be a key strategic advisor that bridges the gaps between Technology, Product, Sales and Operations.
- I can make technology a source of business value
Startup CTO experience
- I’ve been part of 3 startups, with both failures and successful exits
- I’ve been a startup founder
- I’ve advised over 30 startup businesses
- I’ve created 0 to 1 builds of new software products
- I’ve helped lead teams through massive growth
- I understand the journey, the constraints and the pace
- I can act as a trusted advisor to the CEO, CTO and CPO
- I can help avoid mistakes when scaling, when seeking investment or when releasing your first product
Security and compliance
I advise on Data Protection, Security and Compliance.
- I’ve been a Data Protection Officer (DPO) for many years and advise on the technical implementation of products to meet the requirements of the GDPR and UK-GDPR.
- I’ve helped organisations gain Cyber Essentials and Cyber Essentials Plus certifications.
- I’ve helped orgainsations gain ISO 27001 certifications.
- I have a specialisation in helping HealthTech orgainisations with their data compliance needs in the UK.
Public Speaking
I enjoy public speaking and have recently done talks such as:
- CogX on data privacy in healthcare
- Public School of Technology: faculty speaker on:
- Building for the Public Sector in the UK and Germany
- Use of Open Source in the Public sector
- Percy Hobart Fellowship on ‘The history of technology’
Technology I‘ve built
- Financial messaging system used by major Investment Banks and Stock Markets
- One of the world’s most used Anti-money-laundering systems
- One of the world’s most used Regulation platforms
- Next-generation Procurement platform
- UK government’s Open Regulation Platform
Client Feedback
I am a huge fan of Andy’s work who was our hands on advisory for 6 months. Andy comes with an enormous playbook of experience from advising many start ups, but delivers it in a way that is sympathetic to individual needs. He helped us navigate some critical technical challenges; like security and API strategy to business challenges like our go to market strategy and also product roadmap. Highly recommended
Jamie Gannaway
Deployed
