© Copyright 2024 The First Element
About Us
The First Element Group is a team of experts from the fields of Technology, Science and Engineering: we bring a wealth of experience in Commerce and Industry and in Innovative and Sustainable Design Thinking.
We bring a complementary skill set, a proven track record and a commercial and results-driven approach to a shared vision.
BENG ROBOTIC ENGINEERING
Founder and CEO of software company Edgenexus since 2001, Greg has been producing tools that power and secure application services systems for high profile international institutions, including the European Space Agency and the United States Navy. An active and experienced CEO, he is involved in every area of the business from sales to product development and has broad experience of setting up international offices in line with country-specific legal and accounting practices.
He continues to maintain a number of non exec and advisory positions, including some pro-bono.
OBE FRENG FRS
Dean of the Faculty of Engineering, Imperial College London, Nigel’s research is focused on electrochemical devices for low carbon energy applications, with a particular focus on fuel cells, electrolysers, and batteries.
He is:
- Director of the UK Hydrogen and Fuel Cells SUPERGEN Hub.
- Chair of Imperial’s Sustainable Gas Institute.
- Founder of Ceres Power, an AIM listed fuel cell company spun out from Imperial College in 2000.
- Founder and Director of RFC Power, a flow battery company spun out from Imperial College in 2018.
- Partner in Galvanic Energy, which offers specialist Consultancy services in the electrochemical technology space.
BA MANDARIN/FRENCH
Beginning her career in PR and Communications for consumer brands, Amy has latterly consulted at C-Suite Level across Asia, Europe, and North America for brands including Apple, LVMH, Nokia, Orange and H&M. She has helped these brands understand global consumer trends and how to apply innovative design thinking and sustainable practice to their brands, products, and services.
Amy has also consulted on both a paid and pro-bono basis, for a number of SMEs, start-ups, and charities.
BENG MATERIALS SCIENCE
Consultant at Nigel Brandon Consulting Ltd, James deals with all forms of energy storage solutions, with a focus on electrochemical energy. His career has been focused on building essential collaborations between academia and industry to develop next-generation energy storage. His previous work includes as a Project Engineer at Warwick University where he led the ‘Battery University’ with a focus on cell assembly.
Skills and industry knowledge include:
- Lithium-ion battery research, manufacturing, and testing
- Developing hydrogen and solid oxide fuel cells
MEng Artificial Intelligence and Cybernetics (Head of Software and Control Systems)
Founder of Think Engineer Group Ltd, Steve develops Internet of Things products with a focus on wireless communications, scalable cloud software and intelligent analytics. His experience has primarily been developing cyber-physical systems and products for startups and scaleups. His previous engineering roles are varied, including; Satellite Communications Designer with the European Space Agency, Senior Research Engineer at Thales and Software Developer with Sopra Consulting.
Skills and industry knowledge include:
- Design and development of wireless sensing solutions
- Design and development of scalable software systems
- Data analytics and Artificial Intelligence
Our Supporters
Beyond our core team, we are supported by Innovate UK, a highly experienced advisory board, and several academic, industry and commercial partners and collaborators across the UK.
