The intersection of biotechnology and wearable devices is quickly becoming one of the most exciting frontiers in health-tech. As chronic conditions rise, populations age, and demand grows for real-time, personalised health insights, the global wearables market is projected to surge over the coming decade.
My hardest lesson from fundraising? You probably don’t need to fundraise. Or at least as much as you thought you did. Fundraising itself is hugely distracting. And once you get a big raise done, now you have investors to manage, board meetings to prep for, and major decisions are now a negotiation. And if you raise money – trust me, you’ll find a way to spend it. After every raise, your monthly costs will step up. That’s fine if revenues rise nicely in line. But it’s a problem if something unexpected happens – and it normally does.
It’s been a tricky two years for the deals market here in the UK and the FT’s recent article really emphasises how frustrated founders are feeling. I review and comment on the quarterly data for KPMG’s Venture Pulse reports (KPMG Private Enterprise quarterly global report on venture capital trends) and honestly, even as a glass half full type of person, it’s been hard to stay positive when looking at the stats. How many times can you say ‘there’s still plenty of dry powder which needs to be deployed, we’re just waiting for this period of uncertainty to pass’ before it starts to sound disingenuous?
To onboard early users as a founder, start with direct, personal outreach. Message potential users through LinkedIn, Twitter, or email. Not with a hard pitch, but by asking for feedback and involving them in the journey. Focus your efforts on a very specific niche or ICP (ideal customer profile) so your messaging resonates deeply and you can be efficient with your time. Be laser-focused on speaking to the right people in the right levels of seniority so you can get higher conversions and stronger product-market fit.
I never set out to follow a traditional career path. In fact, I’ve spent most of my career doing the opposite—questioning the way things have always been done, stepping into stretch roles, and making bold career moves that didn’t always make sense on paper. Every defining moment in my career happened because I ignored the typical playbook.
I remember my first “job in tech” well. It was my final year of high school, and a friend of my father needed his printing machine fixed. All I had to do was preinstall some drivers. Simple enough. But that small task unexpectedly landed me my first real job as a programmer at a small Bulgarian company owned by my father’s friend.
Adopting a beginner’s mindset and sense of curiosity is a good place to start. Recognising that we are never the finished product I am always striving to surround myself by those more talented than me and those who inspire me to be better. That can take the form of informal mentors / advisors as well as peer communities of entrepreneurs to share experiences and learn from. Also being open to feedback and creating opportunities for colleagues to share openly, whether it be in a 121 or through a regular semi-structured feedback process is a great way of addressing any blind spots.
Introduction: The Employment Law Landscape in the UK
Introduction: The Funding Landscape
I am a lawyer. Give me a set of rules. Give me a problem. Understand the problem. Apply former to the latter. Understand the client, the business, the industry and the technology. Horizon scan, be commercial, flex communication style. Deliver. I am good at it, and I enjoy it. 
