About Easol
Interesting ideas and amazing people.
Easol started in 2020, when our founding director Mike Oliver worked out what made him tick. Every project he’d loved came back to the same two things: interesting ideas and amazing people. That’s still the brief.
Our experience
We know what it takes because we’ve done it.
We’ve worked with governments and UN organisations, helped multinationals break into new ventures, and backed researchers and start-ups with ideas that could genuinely change the world.
Along the way we’ve watched people make some of the hardest decisions in the toughest circumstances: activists, military personnel, police, medical teams and engineers. It taught us that anyone can make a difference, at any stage, once they take the first step.
And we’ve done it ourselves. We’ve chased funding, been turned down, tried again and won, and taken ventures from research to funded company.
The team
A small senior team, working in the decision with you.
Trailblazer
Mike Oliver
Founder and director, Mike has worked across innovation, product development, operational and policy defence, data analytics, predictive modelling and business development. His personal mission is to empower and positively transform everyone he works with.
Writes about
Innovation under uncertainty: why ideas stall, what fails, and venture and government experience
Tech Jedi
Matt Collins
A seasoned entrepreneur and innovation leader with 25+ years in software development, product management and business strategy. Matt has built and scaled companies and led game-changing tech projects, from AI-driven solutions to automated operations, usually without needing the Force.
Writes about
AI decisions in plain English: should we, where and why
Innovation Weaver
Rose-Sharon Chin
Rose-Sharon connects the threads between the technical and non-technical to weave user-centred design. With an MSc in Innovation and Entrepreneurship from the University of Bristol and a background in gamification, consulting, design thinking and entrepreneurship, she brings a modern, empathetic approach to innovation.
Writes about
Working with founders, incubators and early ideas
Chief Artificer
Shakeb Deane
A craftsman and scientific problem-solver, Shakeb earned his PhD pioneering active thermographic non-destructive testing with specialised UAVs. As an AI and automation engineer he turns complex research into practical applications, from intelligent inspection at international airports to quality assurance on wind turbine blades.
The Cartographer
Alex Sika
With experience across NPD, NPI, manufacturing and process design, Alex brings clarity and direction where none exists. As an Innovation Engineer he charts the path from early ideas to real-world delivery, bridging emerging technology and day-to-day production.
Master of Chaos
Ash Fairhurst
With a background in logistics management and people development, Ash has led multiple teams and hundreds of people. Flexible, reliable and detail-oriented, she keeps Easol’s paperwork, finances and people organised and on the ball.
Work with people who’ve built it before.
Bring us a real decision. We’ll bring structure, challenge and a team that rolls its sleeves up.
Take the next step