Ian Brookes

Founder

The founding father of tsf.tech

Ian has spent the last decade working as a co-founder, investor and board member/advisor with a number of tech businesses and startups, with hands-on fundraising experience of c£64m via PLUS, AIM, FTSE and VC/PE.

After eight years with PW, he was founder CFO at an IT Services business, taking the business to an FTSE listing and latterly spent five years as CEO. In this time, the company grew from an £18m private company to a £200m turnover plc.

As a Lean Startup practitioner, Ian mentors entrepreneurs, guiding their innovative ideas into disruptive tech products and successful high-growth, scalable businesses.

Ian has curated and delivered entrepreneurial learning programmes at Manchester, Lancaster, Sheffield and Aston University Business Schools. He is curriculum designer and lead deliverer of the Roadmap Innovation Optimiser programme at Manchester University, for PhD students seeking to commercialise their academic research and build a tech product business.

He is a Member of the Worshipful Company of Information Technologists, and a Freeman of the City of London.

With a passion for personal development, Ian graduated from Sheffield University with a degree in Financial Management & Mathematics, followed by an MBA. He is currently studying for a PhD in entrepreneurship where his focus is on entrepreneurial learning behaviours, and how this informs opportunity recognition and new venture formation.

Outside work

Ian’s passions are Burnley FC and visiting all of the UK’s 200+ lighthouses, walking and talking to his collie dog, Mollie. Before losing his hair and teeth, he’d like to make a living playing the bass guitar role of Paul Hook in a Joy Division tribute band.

We’re ready to talk...

Wherever you are on your startup journey, get in touch and let’s unpack your thinking together and see where we can help turn your idea into a reality.