CognitionX
Editorial Committee
Advise on content for CognitionX’s mission to radically improve the understanding of and access to skills and knowledge of transformational technologies (AI, blockchain, IOT etc).
Martin Adams
Founder/CEO/Growth Lead/Growth Coach who has been through 3 exits, £400m in investment and £500m in revenue
New York, United States (-06:00 UTC) Englishfrom London, United Kingdom
Usually responds in 1 day
$200 / hour
Price per hour
60 min
Time Blocks Available
5.00
25 reviews / 34 sessions
Tue
13
Next availability
Bio
I know how hard it is to build an organisation with growth at its spine, putting — and keeping — growth at the centre of what everyone does in your organisation. And I know how hard it is to drive that growth while maintaining BAU, managing complexity, leading teams, or running a fundraise. I’ve dealt with most of the issues you have to face when starting, growing and scaling a business. I’ve built, advised, scaled and exited businesses myself, including AI and data-led companies, and have worked closely with boards, leadership teams and investors on growth, innovation and transformation. This includes Metaphysic.ai, part of a company recognised in the TIME100 list of the world’s most influential companies, and work as an inventor on patents in generative video and neural animation. I also serve on the governing body of UCL (a global top 10 university), where I help oversee strategy, management and innovation at one of the world’s leading universities, and sit on a number of other boards and advisory boards at the intersection of technology, leadership, creativity and growth. A growth mindset is having the fundamental and unshakeable hunger to ask, “Can this be done better?” and the unquenchable thirst to find out “How?” It is about challenging conventional logic — and yourself — to achieve more with less. None of this is easy. But the rewards, professionally and personally, can be exponential. I’ve taken growth courses and led them as a coach. I’ve built and managed growth teams as a Growth Lead and kept growth at the centre of my own businesses, even when investors or team members did not fully understand the approach at first. I can help you draw on that experience whether you want to move faster, create more clarity, justify decisions across your team, find creative solutions to difficult problems, scale growth more systematically, prepare for fundraising, or simply become a more effective growth leader.
Expertise
Advice on funding
I have worked with companies to achieve 3 exits and over $40m in investment I have run funding rounds myself and I have set the strategy and worked on materials for dozens of others I know how to setup, present and pitch a business in a way that investors want to back
Building a team
I have built dozens of teams from small lifestyle businesses to large international, venture-backed businesses. I know what works and what does not – and I can share this with you to help you save time and energy, and to achieve growth quicker.
Content marketing
I am the CEO of a world-famous Content Marketing business and understand how to build content and content strategy that really works My experience of what works and doesn't can save you money and time. And my knowledge of how to setup and scale this part of growth can give you outsized results, quickly.
Go to market strategy
I can help you build a GTM strategy that works for your business and your specific needs. I've helped launch different types and sizes of business and products, from startups to the world's most successful brands.
Idea validation
I have launched, invested in and advised dozens of entrepreneurs in validating and building out their ideas from first ideas I can help you see the challenges, but also the opportunities to take advantage of in exploring your idea and early business.
Mindset coaching
A growth mindset is when you have the fundamental and unshakeable hunger to ask 'Can this be done better?' and the unquenchable thirst to find out 'How?' None of this is easy. I have been through growth courses as a Founder and CEO, led growth programs as a Coach, setup and managed growth teams as a Growth Lead and managed to put, and keep, growth at the centre of my businesses, even when investors and team members didn't understand why. I can help you with this experience.
Social media
I setup one of the world's first social media agencies 15 years ago- I understand how the platforms work and how you can use them for business results or personal branding.
Venting frustration
I can empathise with your situation as a Founder, CEO, Growth Lead or marketer. I know how hard it is to build an organisation with 'growth' at its spine, putting (and keeping) growth at the centre of what everyone does in your organisation. And to try and drive this growth while maintaining BAU, or running a fundraise. I can help you find a creative way out of your frustration, because I've worked successfully with coaches to do the same!
Toolkit
HubSpot
Setup and run sales organisation (B2B) using Hubspot, scaling it to multiple millions in revenue annually, building sales and nurturing pipelines and using for projecting and pipeline building etc
Industries
Brand Marketing
Codec is the winner of the Best Artificial Intelligence Product in Marketing at the CogX Awards, a Top 29 A.I. Scale-Ups in the UK (Tech Nation), one of the UK's 50 most Disruptive Businesses (Real Business), a Top 100 E-commerce trailblazer (BusinessCloud) and is recognised as one of the 'Hottest Artificial Intelligence Startups in Europe' (TechCrunch). I founded the business and have established a leadership team and recruited a succession CEO before it's acquisition in 2023.
Angel Investment
Raised £30m across Angel, Venture Capital and Venture Debt, structuring all arrangements and negotiating term sheets. Knowledge on building 'Use of Funds' for investors of all types and actually deploying capital to be effective and efficient.
Enterprise Software
Building, funding, launching and exiting software businesses in numerous markets around the world, focused on different business areas and technologies.
Artificial Intelligence
Co-Founder of Metaphysic.ai (Time Magazine 100 Most Influential Businesses 2023) and Codec.ai (acquired), plus ran ML data-driven approach for Songkick (acquired by Warner Music).
Experience
Totus Education
Co-FounderTook family business to digital IP business that drives a smarter, less 'Victorian' approach to education: - Nominated for an Education Innovator Award - Created global IP portfolio through the ideation, production and publication of a suite of 60+ books and courses which are now sold through e-commerce channels online - Secured international partnerships with pioneering digital companies like Quiz Up (mobile trivia app with 14 million users) and Primo (programming tools for children) Company continues to grow successfully after delivering my succession plan.
Digital Leadership Council
ChairmanGiving back, given my own background made it very unlikely that I would ever become a successful tech/AI entrepreneur. The DLC connects future leaders with current leaders. It was created with one primary aim: to make the world of digital and tech more understood and more accessible to help Founders from less privileged backgrounds bring their ideas to life. To create the DLC, we listened to the views of school-leavers, university students, entrepreneurs, investors, tech platforms, digital agencies, brands, lawyers and policy makers. This eclectic range of parties connect around DLC Events and Digital Transformation Workshops in order to create the most striking (and surprising) transfer of knowledge for current and future leaders alike. Members include Meta, Spotify, Mars, Gymshark, Diageo, and Unilever.
ThinkTech Policy
Board AdvisorThinkTech Policy helps clients navigate complex technology policy and regulation to gain a strategic edge. With deep experience as in-house experts, lawyers, and policy advisors, TTP supports companies working with innovative technologies and operating in demanding regulatory environments—where understanding the rules isn’t just an advantage, but a business imperative.
Clerkenwell Health
Board AdvisorGiven my passion for human development, I work with the team at Clerkenwell Health to advance their innovative model for mental health and personal flourishing. Clerkenwell Health is building the clinical research expertise and care delivery platform to advance the next wave of mental health and neurological treatments and help patients access them. They have already opened Europe's first commercial facility for psychedelic clinical trials, and the first public/private partnership with the NHS focused on innovative mental health and CNS trials.
Milestone Advisory
Board AdvisorMy experience across tech scaleups, AI and IP allows me to offer the board of Milestone strategy and support as they deliver on their mission of delivering the finest M&A and fundraising advice to businesses in the AI, Marketing Services and Technology sectors. With Sell-Side, Buy-Side, Capital Raise and Growth Advisory practices, and run by a team of successful entrepreneurs and operators, Milestone is the leading specialist advisory firm in its space.
The Marketing Society
AI Advisory BoardThe Marketing Society is the world's leading community of marketing and creative industry leaders. Founded in 1959, it has hubs across the UK, Asia, the Middle East and New York, and offers a rich year-round programme of events, learning and awards for it's 3000+ CMOs and company members. I was appointed to the inaugural AI Advisory Board to help shape the future of AI adoption across the creative and commercial industries. Focus on guiding responsible, effective use of AI to drive brand trust, scale intelligent content, and navigate emerging IP, ethical, and regulatory landscapes. Supporting the Society’s mission to transform marketing leadership worldwide in an age of exponential technological change.
London Speaker Bureau
Global Keynote SpeakerI help people reimagine what is truly possible, now and in the future. I have worked as an innovation and technology advisor to some of the world’s most high-profile individuals and organisations and bring this experience to play as a keynote speaker and workshop leader on topics including Generative AI, machine learning, digital transformation, future of work, marketing and trend prediction. I work with boards of directors, companies and governments who want to create impact but know they will only do that by understanding what technology makes possible, and how to change. I have worked in manufacturing, technology, financial services, marketing, telecommunications, fintech and many more spaces and recent talks have included keynotes to the European Commission, Oracle, British Film Institute, SXSW, The National Lottery, Telefonica, Aegis Insurance, Men's Health, Unilever, Deloitte and Google.
Appointed to the governing body of UCL, one of the top 10 universities in the world. UCL is recognised for its bold, progressive ethos and its global impact in research, education and innovation. Having celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2026, UCL has entered its third century with a renewed commitment to openness, inclusion and academic ambition. UCL has always been defined by radical thinking and real-world impact- as the first university in London, the first to welcome all faiths, and the first to welcome women to university education. It has over 50,000 students, 16,000 staff, $3bn+ in annual income, and 33 Nobel Prize winners. I contribute to oversight of strategy, management and innovation across the institution globally. As an alumnus (of UCL Laws), I am extremely proud to support UCL's mission to transform how the world is understood, how knowledge is created and shared, and the way that global problems are solved.
BiotechnologyHigher Education
Metaphysic.ai
Co-Founder & COO (acquired)Martin is a Founder and COO of Metaphysic, which has been named by Time Magazine as one of the 100 Most Influential Companies in the world and Fast Company as one of the 50 Most Innovative Companies. Metaphysic is a global leader in ethically sourced AI-generated photoreal content and has advanced principled and ethical innovation in the field of AI creativity as a founding member of the C2PA (Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity), setting global standards for transparency and authenticity in digital content- an essential step in building an internet that respects truth, creativity and human agency. Metaphysic is analysed at Harvard Business School as a case study in ethical innovation and outsized business impact. The C2PA has subsequently been joined by Google, the BBC TikTok, etc. As a Founder and Chief Operating Officer, I lead the company’s strategic growth and operational execution. I also work at the intersection of AI, intellectual property, and digital identity, ensuring that individuals retain control over their AI likeness while enabling groundbreaking storytelling for major film studios, global brands, talent and individual storytellers. I have also developed the company's intellectual property strategy & portfolio & led its partnership, fundraising and acquisition. I am a co-inventor on foundational patents covering real-time neural rendering and latent space editing, and I oversee the company’s operational infrastructure, scaling AI-powered solutions that redefine the future of content creation. From spearheading industry-first agreements with Hollywood studios, and developing legal principles that protect actors' and talents' personal data right to setting ethical standards for AI in media, I drive innovation that balances technological advancement with human rights, privacy and control. Metaphysic has picked up dozens of awards including a 2026 EMMY for Engineer, Science & Technology. Now part of Brahma and valued at $2bn.
Formant Advisory
FounderStrategic advisory for commercial leaders and founders navigating exponential change. We help clients cut through complexity, place the right bets, and turn consequential decisions into measurable outcomes.
I am a regular keynote speaker on a host of topics including entrepreneurship, innovation, marketing, media, the future of work and Artificial Intelligence. I work with companies and governments who want to create impact but know they will only do that by understanding what technology makes possible, and how to change.
E-CommerceDigital AgenciesSaaSB2BB2COtherBest Artificial Intelligence Product in Marketing at the CogX Awards in 2017 and 2019/ Top 29 A.I. Scale-Ups in the UK (Tech Nation),UK's 50 most Disruptive Businesses (Real Business), Top 100 E-commerce trailblazer (BusinessCloud)/one of the 'Hottest Artificial Intelligence Startups in Europe' (TechCrunch) Codec uses AI to identify hidden market opportunities that help companies grow. Our ‘Cultural Audience Intelligence Platform’ provides GDPR friendly segmentation, and enables creative and media decisions to be driven by data and evidence, and not simply gut and instinct. We are backed by some of the top investors across Silicon Valley and Europe (500 Startups, Telefonica etc.). Our technology creates value for strategic and creative decision-makers from the boardroom down. By providing a real-time, highly sophisticated analysis of the content consumption behaviours of anonymised target audiences, the Codec platform generates content and media recommendations that empower brands to create value through relevant, valuable and impactful communications. And it does all of this in a GDPR friendly. way. We are trusted by the world's best brands including Unilever, L'Oreal, Proctor and Gamble, Pepsico and many others. This is not another data analytics platform- it's compelling, creative intelligence for storytellers that dramatically improves the online experiences of audiences around the world.
E-CommerceDigital AgenciesSaaSB2BB2C
TLDR Global
Partner and Chief Strategy OfficerGlobal consultancy business for blockchain ready companies: - Responsible for building out international presence of global fintech & blockchain firm across advisory, strategy and investments for the group. - Opened new business operations across eight markets and won major strategy and consulting clients - Responsible for building out company culture for rapidly expanding team (2 to 30+ people), ran hiring and talent acquisition and retention.
Digital Future Council
Executive AdvisorDigital Future Council was formed by a star-studded collection of leaders across the creative industries with the aim of bridging the gap between media and technology. Members of our community were invited to quarterly events hosted across the globe, with each event centered around the impact of a different emerging technology from blockchain to AI to synthetic media. Huddled under one roof, in anything but ordinary settings around the world, the DFC ignited meaningful debates and conversations, formulated tangible advice, and promulgated best practices for the global marketing and advertising communities when integrating new technologies.
The Inspire Movement
Board AdvisorNGO for entrepreneurs and innovative thought leaders who have been through adversity and emerged transformed for the better with a deeper sense of purpose, passion, and the desire to inspire others to do the same.
The SMU was created to foster more practical debate about the complex business and legal issues raised by the emergence of Social Media. Speakers from the EU, Spotify, Meta, WME and more met behind closed doors to provide actionable answers to important questions.
BiotechnologyHigher Education
Second Screen
Chief Executive OfficerRaised investment funds, recruited management team and successfully delivered succession to new CEO. Second Screen connects audience communities around festivals, events and interests for global clients like the BBC, Notting Hill Carnival and One Direction. Second Screen's apps have been used by millions of people across the media, music, health, wellness and live event industries, using content and live streaming to build communities and open up novel advertising opportunities.
Brought in to consult Songkick on strategy and Business Development: negotiated partnerships with range of parties (including international media platforms and live event partners); supported the ideation and implementation of a partnership strategy that expanded operations from a single city (London) to 11 cities and positive coverage in The Economist,
SaaSB2COther