Meet the Founder:
Viola Hay

I have 19 years of experience in technology, innovation and European and international programmes management.  

My original background is in Humanities and Arts. I am used to dealing with high-performing individuals, who are specialists at what they do. I am a generalist myself with a keen attention to detail. I am sector and technology agnostic and, therefore, able to ask the tough, strategic questions providing an independent and impartial viewpoint without any bias towards any specific domain.

Through my jobs at a Research and Technology Organisation near Cambridge, Innovate UK's Knowledge Transfer Network (now Innovate UK Business Connect) and Anchored In, I was able to build my knowledge of the UK's innovation ecosystem and gain specialist expertise in Innovate UK / UKRI and European Programmes and funding schemes (from FP7, ERDF, H2020 to Horizon Europe). I provide mentoring, coaching, training and grant reviews to UK applicants wanting to access Innovate UK or Horizon Europe funding. I was involved in managing and delivering numerous EU projects as interim Coordinator, Work Package and Task Leader, which allowed me to provide hands-on experience of what it’s like to be part of international R&D collaborations and the value and benefits they bring. 

I am currently a Monitoring Service Provider to Innovate UK for Horizon Europe projects covered under the UK government guarantee.