Michael

Michael Kohn

Helping innovators and entrepreneurs navigate public funding strategy to win competitive grants
Agent Build Club at University of Surrey

Areas of expertise

I help innovators navigate the complex world of public funding to secure the resources they need for breakthrough research and commercialization. - Misalignment between funding opportunities and business strategy that wastes time on unsuitable applications - Weak collaborative partnerships that undermine bid competitiveness in team-based competitions - Poor understanding of funder priorities and evaluation criteria leading to rejected proposals - Inadequate positioning of innovation impact that fails to demonstrate real-world value - Timing mismatches between funding cycles and development roadmaps that create resource gaps I work with you to build a strategic funding roadmap that aligns with your goals and connects you with the right partners to win.

About Me

I'm Michael, and I help innovators - both academics and entrepreneurs - align their public funding strategy with their business roadmap to win funding competitions. As an Innovation Adviser and through my work with Agent Build Club, I specialize in collaborative project design and turning complex ideas into fundable proposals. I deliver clarity on how public funding actually works and what you need to do to submit competitive bids. More importantly, I help you identify the right partners and build stronger collaborative teams that evaluators want to back. I spent 4 years as Innovation Adviser at University of Surrey and know how to consistently score 90% in Innovate UK funding competitions. My expertise in university-business collaboration means I understand both sides of the innovation equation and can bridge that gap for maximum impact.

Available for one-off sessions, project-based work, workshops or group sessions, and on-call advisory

Send Me a Message
Intro Call

30 minutes

A quick introductory call to discuss your needs and see if we're a good fit to work together. No commitment required.

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Details

Country

United Kingdom

Qualifications
BArch, Architecture The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL 1995 - 1997
Diploma in Professional Practice & Management (ARB/RIBA Part 3) The Bartlett School of Architecture, UCL 1998 - 2000
MSc, Computing and Design University of East London 2004 - 2005
BA, Architecture University of Nottingham 1990 - 1993
Foundation, Art Foundation Birmingham City University 1989 - 1990
Digital Marketing General Assemb.ly 2012 - 2013
AI Agent Builder Bootcamp Maven 2025 - 2025
Fundamentals of Agentic AI: Business Implications and Ethical Insights LinkedIn 2025 - 2025
Architect's Register Architects Registration Board 2001 - 2001
Social Links

  • Innovation Adviser at University of Surrey

    I support SME-led collaborative R&D funding applications which include University of Surrey as pr...

  • 4 Years Innovation Adviser at University of Surrey

    Established expertise guiding academic and commercial innovators through funding landscapes.

  • Founder at Choirfarm

    On a mission to grow the global choir and singing economy. At Choirfarm, we’re building an ecos...

Specialties and Expertise

Areas of Expertise

Advisory

Product & Innovation

Specialties

Innovation workshops Concept testing Innovation sprint facilitation Stakeholder alignment Prioritisation frameworks Review fundraising strategy Refine investor narrative Prepare pitch deck

Sessions

Intro Call

A quick introductory call to discuss your needs and see if we're a good fit to work together. No commitment required.

30 min
Book Now

Common Questions

I help innovators and entrepreneurs who struggle to navigate the complex world of public funding, often submitting unsuccessful bids because they don't understand what funders really want or how to build competitive proposals.

This is a good fit for academics looking to commercialize their research and entrepreneurs developing innovative solutions who need public funding to scale but lack the expertise to win competitive grants.

A clear public funding strategy aligned with your business roadmap, significantly more competitive grant applications, and the knowledge to consistently score high in funding competitions like I've done with 90% success rates at Innovate UK.

We assess your current funding challenges, review your innovation roadmap, and determine which public funding opportunities align with your goals and timeline.

I work hands-on to design your funding strategy, help you build collaborative teams with the right partners, and guide you through the application process to maximize your chances of winning competitive grants.