Set scientific direction, and keep it forward-facing - scouting relevant innovations before they become urgent rather than after.

Turn commercial requirements and project milestones into R&D plans that are actually deliverable, grounded in what the team and equipment can support.

Make robust technical decisions with limited information; assess risk and prioritise the highest-value work.

Embed into teams to understand how work really happens, then build just enough structure (without bureaucracy!) including test methods that are affordable, doable in-house, and reliable enough to trust.

Take ownership of the most cognitively demanding technical calls, freeing up founder headspace for everything else; mentor junior staff as part of that.

Sit at the intersection of science, strategy and lab operations, keeping the three in sync as priorities shift.

Identify funding that accelerates the company's existing R&D priorities - not funding that bends the roadmap to fit a call.

Align company goals with funder requirements and shape a staged, risk-appropriate technical narrative.

Bring in the right partners e.g. academic, industry, or RTO, to strengthen a bid's credibility.

Review and steer proposals technically, with minimal hands-on writing.

Stay on for delivery where it makes sense, as work package lead or materials science advisor.

Deep-dive troubleshooting on specific materials problems that need real expertise, not just hands.

Sounding board for big decisions when you need to share the load.

Due diligence on technical claims, IP, and manufacturability.

Fluency across disciplines and sectors - translating between chemistry, engineering, manufacturing and commercial teams that don't naturally speak the same language.