About us
We are driven by the genuine need to make a positive impact to our communities and environments.
We are subject matter experts with a pedigree of invention and improvement established over 2 decades of learning. Our enduring goal is make technology relevant, helpful, and critical for decision making where lives matter.
We balance technology with human insight to deliver systems that support the increasing convergence of Human and Machine.
We are based in Cornwall, UK, and work globally.
Our Team
Innovative minds, purpose driven hearts.
Our team benefits from experience, expertise, and diversity.
Lead Behaviourist
Suzanne Bailey
As a Psychotherapist Suzanne's experience has enabled her to lead our mental health capability and development, building and validating AI models for emotions, cognition and behaviour.
Suzanne has extensive experience from her Counselling service which she runs locally.
Researcher
Grace Cloke
Working with the Research & Development team, Grace is pivotal in supporting the translation of our thoughts and findings into our capability.
Grace writes white papers and guides research.
Grace has extensive knowledge of psychological therapies practice for children young people and families and works full time in this area.
Her infectious enthusiasm to improve our community sees her volunteering for a surf therapy charity where she helps young people reduce anxiety and build resilience.
Language Analyst
Rosie Greensmith
Rosie supports development of our healthcare ontology by exploring new keyphrases and mapping to our complex AI model.
As a nurse, Rosie has experience frontline with patients and understands the importance of them to share their personal experience to help shape the service and deliver excellence in outcomes.
Software Development Director
Myke Challacombe
Myke is a Physics graduate from the time before personal computers existed who has programmed in many languages right down to machine code.
Together with Paul right from the start of Akumen, they have been able to turn ideas rapidly into code for the last 20 and more years.
Spare time activities for Myke includes being an amateur guitar player and an awful singer. Myke is a connoisseur of fine beers and spends time refining his taste buds!
Consultant
Andy Crouch
As a generalist fascinated by new technologies and their development & deployment to solve existing and emerging challenges across multiple markets, Andy finds purpose the key to success.
He has a diverse skill-set garnered over a diverse life, which he's used in recent years to support, build, and found several companies
Andy loves working with cool people to solve problems. He's always up for a chat.
Chief Executive
Rob Horton
With 23 years of clinical experience within the NHS, Rob has built and led teams of healthcare professionals across various service innovations.
He leverages this expertise, insight and network to guide the design and implementation of Akumen's healthcare products while also leading the company as CEO.
As a charity Trustee and active volunteer, Rob remains deeply connected to understanding people. In his spare time, he enjoys beekeeping and gardening.
Research & Development Director, Founder
Paul Howarth
Paul is an expert in lived experience. Having personally read and manually themed the comments of several hundred thousand patients, employees, and people with mental health challenges, coupled with his own personal lived experiences in healthcare, this is the fuel behind the work delivered by all at Akumen.
Adding to Paul's extraordinary story is his background as a farmer. Although his farming days are behind him, he and his partner now keep bees and grow trees on a 5-acre field near the cliffs of North Cornwall.
Consultant Insights Analyst
Tori Rosevink
Tori finds people and their behaviours fascinating, which is why she has spent her career understanding why people choose the products they put in their baskets. Tori's favourite thing is bringing together lots of different pieces to create something beautiful.
Professionally, this manifests through consumer insight storytelling – drawing together lots of pieces of information to understand what customers in the marketplace want.
Personally, it comes from dressmaking and jigsaws. Each of these things is essentially the same – pieces coming together to make something more than the sum of their parts.
Lead Language Analyst
Mark Towers
Mark is our enigmatic Lead Language Analyst. For over 7 years, Mark has been at the forefront of Akumen's mission to revolutionise how organisations understand their audiences.
With a keen intellect honed by years of linguistic analysis, Mark guides the development of Akumen's advanced software, which uses cutting-edge AI to accurately identify emotions, sentiment, themes, and behavioural indicators in text data.
His work powers a new generation of evidence-based insights, though the details of his groundbreaking methods remain a closely guarded secret.
Chief Technical Officer
Tim Naylor
Working with ICT for 40 years, Tim also has extensive commercial experience. He join the two worlds to ensure that the technology we use is the very best fit, guaranteeing the best outcomes for both business and clients.
Always active in the outdoors, whether in the sea, the hills or the woods. His deep knowledge of how to stay healthy in the modern world doesn't prevent him in indulging in the occasional chocolate biscuit.
Head of Collaboration
Elouise Ross
Elouise masterminds Akumen's marketing efforts, fostering strong partnerships that resonate.
With over fifteen years of experience in delivering community-based NHS healthcare campaigns, Elouise is a champion for patient and public voices.
Her passion for empowerment continues through volunteer work with The Prince's Trust and Unfold charities.
A lone Kentish voice in the team, Elouise enjoys tending her allotment, practicing yoga, and helping others reach their full potential as a career coach.
Developer
Dean Wronowski
As Senior Software Developer Dean is responsible for design, coding, testing, and integration.
Dean is continually developing expertise in new technologies, bringing innovative ideas to reality.
He is innovative, imaginative, and resourceful, with a keen determination to experience new challenges.
Our Commitment
1
Our People
Our people are the backbone of our business. We practice what we preach, therefore it is essential to us that we have created a flexible, open working environment where psychological safety and excellence is the status quo. Flexible working, cliff top walks, beach BBQ's. At Akumen we bring our full authentic selves to our work. We wouldn't want it any other way.
2
Our Community
Our business is built on understanding human narrative, and that begins with working with communities. Our team are enthusiastic volunteers, each of us supporting our own worthy causes. At Akumen we make sure that our people have time to dedicate to charity so that we can flourish personally & professionally.
3
Our Planet
Being based on the rugged coastline of Cornwall in Bude we have an abundance of nature right on our doorstep. With a common background in farming running throughout the team, our people love nothing more than being in the great outdoors. For us that means playing our part in helping the planet. We keep bees, we clean our beaches and we plant trees.
