Tom Charman

Global Entrepreneur in Residence

I started my first business at the age of 16, after discovering my passion for sales. With a £1,000 investment, I created a small cosmetic product line and got my first taste of entrepreneurship and how to build a company. I sold my products across London and really got to grips with the fundamentals behind customer service and product feedback. Although this was not a hugely profitable business, it gave me the passion for building further companies. After becoming president of the Entrepreneurs Society at the University of Exeter, I started a technology company, which made it through to the national finals of the Microsoft Imagine Cup. During this time, I advised the UK government on young entrepreneurship at Downing Street and started mentoring for Virgin StartUp and Startup Weekend. I was also named Student Enterprise Champion by my university. Although the business was later unsuccessful, I learned the necessary skills to build a strong team, and develop a product. Perhaps most importantly, I recognized my passion for behavioral analysis and pattern recognition.

3 years on, and since then I’ve given a TEDx talk on the ‘Future of Technology’, specifically focusing on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, and biohacking. I still mentor for previous organizations, including Stanford University and was named one of the young entrepreneurs to watch 2017 by startups.co.uk. I’ve represented the UK at three startup world finals across the world, and have placed in the top 5 in all cases. I was named one of the finalists for the future business leader of the year by FMCG company MARS and was invited to join both Kairos and Founders of the Future, as one of the world’s most innovative young entrepreneurs. I’ve been featured in Success Magazine, Disrupts Magazine and the TATA Consultancy Report of 2016. For me, building companies, is about solving real world problems, to create solutions that affect large parts of society and have a meaningful impact. In the long term, I have ambitions to create solutions to problems such as mental health, homelessness, and cultural differences. Most recently, I’ve been shortlisted for the UK’s future face of innovation and technology. I believe I’m well suited to help with ideation, analysis, and strategy, as well as analyzing when it’s necessary to raise money.