Testimonials

Stephen serves as a Mentor in the Northern Triangle Mentorship programme. We had ten sessions together, aiming to build a pitch deck and value proposition for microbubble mediated carbon capture and purification, being explored through the University of Sheffield Commercialisation Journey.

Stephen was instrumental in helping to distil the very large envelop of potential propositions and customer segments into a narrower focus that should form at least a starting point.

The essential issue is that in the current political climate, CO2 as a license capture service, the original idea, is unlikely to be very profitable. There are a wide range of competitors in a crowded, but actually dysfunctional market. We have many possibilities for utilisation of the CO2, but all have hurdles to overcome. Charting a path through to one is quite encouraging.

I met Stephen Tunnicliffe Wilson through the Help to Grow programme, and since January we have worked closely together on funding opportunities, refining my value proposition, identifying market segments, developing marketing strategies, and building a stronger sales funnel. He has also generously introduced me to several valuable contacts within the ClimateTech and startup ecosystem.

Stephen’s experience in commercialising hard tech, combined with his deep understanding of the startup world, has been incredibly valuable and impactful for me. Working with him has helped me organise my thinking and develop a clearer strategy for navigating the highly complex challenge of commercialising an innovative water reuse system within the traditionally conservative construction and water sectors.

It has been a genuine pleasure working with Stephen. I’ve learned a great deal from his guidance, insight, and practical advice, and I would highly recommend him as a mentor to anyone developing innovative technology solutions.

I met Steve at the Innovation Sprints and had the privilege of working with him through a series of mentoring sessions, covering deep insights into IP strategy, go-to-market planning, competition, and pitch skills. Steve is an exceptionally practical and structured mentor with deep experience in the printing industry, and a real talent for translating technical concepts into clear business value. Every session was fun, focused, and genuinely insightful. I’d highly recommend Steve to any founder working on deep-tech commercialisation.

I’ve been really lucky to have Stephen Tunnicliffe-Wilson as a mentor since May. He’s been a huge help across pretty much every aspect of building SwitchDye, from pitching for funding and the following challenges, to working through valuation models and investment agreements (and plenty of other random challenges along the way, often dumped on him with zero notice).

Stephen’s experience and perspective have been invaluable, he has a rare mix of commercial experience, scientific acumen, patience, and the most genuine enthusiasm for early-stage tech and business, I think I have ever encountered. Having his support has made a massive difference over the past few months, and I’m very grateful for it.

Steve’s been a real help to AENi. He asks the awkward-but-necessary questions that make you rethink assumptions and come back with a sharper plan. He challenged our hydrogen-first bias and guided a sensible move into electricity grid planning, without losing sight of a clear beachhead and where we fit in the value chain. He worked with us on the business model, made us prioritise a working demo to collect user feedback, tightened our investor story and deck, and that helped us get through our Northern Gritstone pitch. He pushed our delivery plan (ArcGIS integration, user testing, and what to build next), kept us honest on hiring (commercial lead vs NED), and made useful introductions, including Lily at Advanced Infrastructure. Practical, calm, outcome focused. Highly recommended. Thank you, Steve!

Alliance Consulting was a huge help to us under serious time pressure of negotiating a Proof of Concept trial. Stephen quickly got to grips with the background, brought additional knowledge of industrial markets and technologies, and added fresh thinking at a critical point in the deal process. The proposed business agreement was reviewed, the commercial position of key parties was explained, potential scenarios and options were outlined, and negotiation tactics were advised upon. The focused work added real value with direct impacts on our POC deliverables—we wouldn’t hesitate to work with Stephen again.

Since last autumn, Stephen has consistently guided me through both business and technical challenges. His feedback on my pitch decks, business model, and go-to-market strategies has improved my decision-making. He has a rare ability to anticipate challenges and align planning with real-world execution. His mentorship has been thoughtful and has made a clear difference, and I highly recommend him.

Stephen was great to work with. His expertise covers everything from hiring the right staff, to planning Research and Development, to mechanical and product design and architecture and sourcing components. I highly recommend Stephen.

I’ve had the absolute pleasure of working with Stephen, and he’s truly a game-changer.

Stephen helped us at TAKES to refine our startup vision. His strategic insights and ability to turn complex ideas into clear, actionable steps were invaluable. What really sets Stephen apart is his genuine care for our success. He’s incredibly easy to work with, always friendly, and went above and beyond our expectations.

If you’re looking for someone who not only over-delivers but also makes the whole process enjoyable, Stephen is your person. Can’t wait to work with him again!

One of the highlights of attending the Accelerate program at Cambridge Judge Business School has been regular meetings with Stephen Tunnicliffe-Wilson. He is hands down one of the best mentors I have ever had. Over the past year, he has helped me with Pitch Decks, IP Strategy, Product Architectures, Business Planning and Grant Applications. He has this amazing knack of simplifying things and getting to the point very quickly. I would recommend Stephen to any start-up requiring first-class support and his expert opinion.