Our mentors

Our mentor community includes leaders from across the AI ecosystem: AI practitioners, data scientists, product leaders, entrepreneurs, researchers, technology executives and responsible AI specialists.

Each mentor contributes their expertise to help ensure the future of AI reflects the diversity of the communities it serves.

Mark is based in Birmingham and has spent 25+ years in marketing, with a strong focus on brand, audience growth, and practical execution. Over the past year, Mark has been working as a freelance fundraising manager for small local charities—writing and submitting grants, shaping cases for support, and building simple, sustainable processes for small teams. “AI has become central to how I work day-to-day: from prospect research and bid drafting to content planning and data tidying, I’m particularly interested in responsible AI adoption for small charities—helping them save time, communicate clearly, and make better decisions with the limited resources they have.”

Stephen believes in the power of marketing to move people, companies and culture. It is the common thread in a 25+ year career which has taken in music and entertainment brands, mobile start-ups, tech and advertising, as well as launching two companies of his own. Stephen is the founder of Too Many Dreams, a growth-obsessed communications agency that breathes life into B2B tech brands with marketing strategies that create impact and drive value. He was recently named one of Performance Marketing World's PowerList100 2025 and is a Campaign 40 Over 40 winner. When not working alongside some of the most extraordinary tech founders, or spending time with his family, Stephen is a trustee for Rhythm Studio Foundation, an avid record collector, enthusiastic chef and bad golfer.

Martin is a business founder, accredited mentor, PR & comms advisor to C-suite and a proven social justice campaigner.He started, ran, grew and sold the B2B PR, content and growth agency Propeller Group. The agency’s clients included tech giants Google and Samsung and ad agencies from WPP’s Group M to independent players such as Total Media (now Mediaplus). It has been listed as top place to work in The Sunday Times Best Places to Work reports for two years running.Martin successfully exited the agency he set up in 2023 via an MBO funded by specialist corporate bank Triple Point Ventures.Outside of work, he was awarded an OBE in the first King's Birthday Honours List for chairing (2015-2020) the successful Equal Civil Partnerships Campaign. This pro bono work helped achieve a law change that made Civil Partnerships available to all as an alternative to marriage (initially in England & Wales).He enjoys going to gigs, paddle-boarding, golf and tournament-level chess.

Darya Motornova is the CEO of Itealist.co.uk a software development company pioneering AI and predictive analytics solutions across healthcare, sustainability, construction, e-commerce & more. With over a decade of leadership in tech and corporate innovation, Darya is passionate about using AI to solve real-world problems and promote equitable access to technology. Her work spans developing conversational AI for healthcare access, building tools that democratise personalised wellness, and supporting underrepresented voices through user-centric software design. Darya is a vocal advocate for inclusive tech development and actively mentors early-stage founders and mission-driven teams. She believes AI should be designed for all—guided by empathy, ethics, and impact.

Nataliia is the founder of a nonprofit organisation with over 10 years of experience leading charitable initiatives and working with communities in complex and high-impact environments.In parallel, she is a product leader in fintech and AI, specialising in building practical systems, automation, and scalable digital solutions.As a mentor, she brings both perspectives — social impact and technology — helping founders and professionals structure ideas, make decisions, and turn them into solutions that work in practice.

Dino Myers-Lamptey is the Founder of The Barber Shop, a strategy-led creative company that aims to solve the biggest business problems through data, distribution and disruptive ideas. They work with businesses that are driven by a purpose and which strive to enrich culture through the pleasure that they bring. Their clients include Odeon, Triumph, TikTok and Parkinson’s UK. Dino is Co-Chair of CAN (Conscious Advertising Network) and is also a board member of the UK Effies, Marketing Society and a Trustee for the Brixton Finishing School. In 2022 Dino was recognised as a Top 10 Media Planner by Campaign, for the 5th year, and also became a Marketing Society Fellow. Dino is also a founding member of MEFA (Media For All), and has recently founded Diverse Speakers.

Simon’s work sits at the intersection of creativity, systems thinking, and purposeful technology. Over the years, he’s helped all sorts of teams — from scrappy nonprofits to forward-thinking product labs — get clearer on their ideas, sharpen their strategies, and build things that matter. His focus is always on people first: how we work, how we organise, and how we tell stories that move things forward. Whether it’s mentoring a founder through a complex decision or helping a team rethink their approach, Simon brings energy, curiosity, and care to the process. Currently, he advises teams building next-generation creative tools and systems — with a strong interest in visual intelligence, humane tech, and inclusive design. As a mentor with The Different Foundation, he’s especially excited to support charities working on inclusion and equity — and to learn alongside them in the process.

Dan has been a specialist in the AI Field for the last 3 years having developed Successful AI Applications across the Finance and Energy Sectors. Dan has a passion for ensuring the benefit of AI is shared across society.

With over 20 years of experience leading commercial, publishing, and marketing teams, Sophie has built her career at the intersection of creativity and commercial strategy. More recently, spending two years launching a social commerce startup, bringing together partnerships, brand storytelling, and audience engagement in new ways. Partnerships have been a consistent thread throughout her career, from media and publishing to startups, helping organisations grow through collaboration and shared value. She is particularly passionate about building real-world experiences and communities, creating spaces where people feel connected, inspired, and able to participate. Whether through events, partnerships, or content, Sophie’s focus is always on meaningful engagement that delivers both cultural and commercial impact.

Ayesha's background is in ethical AI and UX to help translate complex AI and safety research into accessible insights for policymakers, designers, and community organisations. Examples of her work are available at:The Ethical AI DesignerAyesha’s Take on AI