Growth Forge Accelerator

Jon Sparkes

Jon is a Tax Director at Westcotts, based in Exeter, with nearly 30 years’ experience advising owner-managed businesses, larger corporates, and charity and not-for-profit organisations. His expertise covers corporate tax, corporate reorganisations, acquisitions and sales, and assists businesses in securing valuable reliefs such as R&D tax credits and in achieving tax-efficient funding and employee reward.

Matt Melksham

Matt is a Partner at Westcotts and Head of Digital Services, leading the firm’s digital and AI agenda across the South West. He works with founders and leadership teams to turn technology into stronger performance, improving visibility, control and decision-making through better data, reporting and systems.

Richard Tyler

Richard is a Tax Partner at Westcotts, based between the firm’s Plymouth and Exeter offices, where he advises businesses and their owners on a broad range of corporate tax matters. His work spans tax compliance and planning for businesses of all sizes across a wide range of sectors and their owners. He particularly enjoys working with founders, helping them maximise tax available tax reliefs, raise funds using the EIS and SEIS investment schemes, implement share-based employee incentive arrangements, and structure tax-efficient reorganisations and transactions.

Simon Tutton

Simon has a decade of experience spanning hardware, medical technologies, software integrations, and renewable energy. His career is defined by a passion for driving innovation in climate, health, and marine sectors. A keen kayaker and climber, the environment and water are personal passions. Simon started Steampunk as a collaboration with a team of like-minded innovators to tackle the funding challenges faced by early-stage ventures. Combined, they have successfully raised and deployed over £150 million, empowering transformative ideas and fostering a global network of investors.

Will Hannan

Will is a commercial leader with senior experience at Revolut and as the CCO of multiple high-growth start-ups, including a German AI start-up acquired by Dropbox. Through his company Fairborn, he works directly with founders on go-to-market strategy, revenue growth and building scalable sales functions.

Rupert Clerey

Rupert Clerey is the Branch Director of Howden’s Padstow and Exeter offices as well as being a Commercial Account Executive looking after a longstanding client base. With over 20 years industry experience, he works closely with customers and insurers, both existing and new, to develop bespoke insurance solutions to protect their businesses. He believes in a client first approach, thorough and open conversations, and building strong long-term relationships.

Ian MacIver

Ian MacIver is Client Director at Howden, based in Exeter. With a background in the marine industry, having started his career as a hydrographic surveyor, Ian offers broad technical experience around emerging technologies, with a particular focus on unmanned vehicles. Ian has worked with developing insurance programmes for a range of technology companies and can provide hand-s on support through all stages of the start-up process.

John Terry

John is a Professor of Digital Health Innovation at the University of Plymouth, and part of its CIDER (Cornwall Intellectual Disability Equitable Research) network. He is also the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Neuronostics Ltd, a spinout company developing the technology behind novel digital biomarkers of neurological conditions.

As such, he brings a unique combination of academic excellence and entrepreneurial expertise at the intersection of mathematics, computer science and medicine. He helped Neuronostics win accolades at the Tech South West Awards in 2022 and 2024, and was elected as a Fellow of the Academy of Medical Sciences in 2025.

Claire Wallace

Claire is the University of Plymouth’s Enterprise Manager, responsible for leading the design and delivery of inclusive, high-impact entrepreneurship and innovation support for students, graduates, staff and partners. She oversees enterprise programmes that support individuals from early idea exploration through to launch, growth, and investment readiness, and works across disciplines including the creative industries, business, health, science, marine, law, and social enterprise.

Claire also manages The Cube and The Cube2, which offers support through workshops, competitions, mentoring networks and funding opportunities that translate ideas into viable, responsible businesses.

Becky Moore

Becky is an Innovation Manager at the University of Plymouth, responsible for enabling external organisations to access the University’s world-class research expertise, facilities, and talent to drive innovation and growth. She engages directly with the business community – from startups to established companies – with a focus on understanding their needs and aspirations and identifying the means through which the University can enable them to make the most of growth opportunities.

Tom Coates

Tom is the Future Capabilities Director for Babcock with responsibility for technology and innovation coherence across our global footprint focusing on collaboration and integration with SMEs and R&D projects. Prior to joining Babcock, Tom was in the Royal Navy where he also worked in roles for NATO, Head Office, DE&S and Innovation/Technology secondments to industry.

Solid Solutions, part of the TriMech Group, provides engineering, design and manufacturing technology to more than 30,000 organisations globally. The company supports innovators with CAD, simulation, data management, manufacturing workflows, training and consultancy, helping teams move from concept to prototype to production with greater speed, clarity and confidence.

Connor Smith

Connor supports engineering and technology companies across the Southwest, helping them access the tools, expertise and guidance needed to scale their product development. With a strong understanding of the challenges faced by early stage and high growth founders, Connor connects startups with specialist support across CAD, simulation, data management, and manufacturing workflows. He is enthusiastic about helping innovators in UAV, HealthTech and CleanTech progress from concept to prototype efficiently. Connor plays a key role in helping companies navigate the Growth Forge partnership and access tailored support from the Solid Solutions and TriMech Group teams.

Margaretha Samuels – SOLIDWORKS for Startups Programme Manager

Margaretha Samuels leads the SOLIDWORKS for Startups programme at Solid Solutions, supporting early stage and scaling hardware companies across the UK. She specialises in helping founders build strong design foundations, adopt efficient CAD workflows, and avoid common early-stage engineering challenges. Margaretha collaborates closely with teams in UAV, HealthTech and CleanTech, providing guidance on modelling best practice, design validation and preparing for manufacture. Her focus is on giving innovators the confidence, tools and support they need to accelerate product development and bring high quality prototypes to life quickly and effectively.