UNLESS YOU
LIVE HARDCORE

VERSION:7

The Creative Catalyst Node

I'm Harry. I'm a 28 y/o startup founder based in the UK.

Right now I'm on a quest to build a stack for homecooked software, so that computers can feel like helpful companions rather than domineering overlords.

I don't identify with tech bros. I don't have a CS degree. Before I was 21 I didn't know what "participating preferred stock" was. I find more to admire in Anna Wintour than Elon Musk.

I love these things about myself. I love that I get to build technology from a new angle. I'm betting that the breakout companies of the future look very different to those of the past, and I want to build a company that succeeds because it honours creativity at its core.

I have a philosophy that's served me and my teams well:

Lean into the creative process
Be honest
Don't quit

It sounds simple because it is simple. There are no silver bullets for mastering a craft. Success takes persistence and timing. You have one life. Make it count!

Special skills

I've worked with outstanding people from world-class institutions. I asked them for feedback on why they kept coming back to work with me:

Energy catalyst - I'm not a 10x engineer but the teams I work with feel their ambitions multiply. In that reality distortion field, we've achieved what normally seems impossible.
Creative problem-solver - I frame audacious ideas clearly, ground them in user empathy, spot growth hacks and craft stories that resonate.
Social gravity well - I root out exceptional people across technology, design & commerce and network them with opportunities to amplify their impact.

Past projects

My pre-seed startup, Tonk, is building a stack for homecooked software. We were one of the first teams in the world to build ZK state channels; we also won a major grant to build a verifiable gaming engine. We won backing from the best investors and advisors either side of the Atlantic - from the kinds of people who probably built the software you're using right now. My cofounder is a world-class engineer with deep Bay Area experience at Yahoo, Airbnb and startups (1x exit).
On day one of COVID lockdown I started a food delivery service (before Gorillas existed). We grew into a hospitality platform and partnered with nationwide chains.
When my friends and I were getting depressed about the climate crisis, I cofounded a multimedia cliamte publication. We were featured in The Telegraph and published writers from The Guardian, gal-dem and Vice.
As a product manager I supervised a global rollout of Fortnite's child safety features. We built humane safeguards for the world's biggest games, at the frontier of tech regulation & identity infrastructure.

People who inspire me

My relationships are my best intelligence and spiritual guide. I work hard to find good people and support them. Are you one of those people? Reach out!

My dad is a legend in the marketing world. He's been subconsciously training my intuition for media and marketing since I was in nappies.
I read philosophy at Cambridge and topped my year in logic. Sparring with professors in those seminar rooms gave me a clarity of thought that helps me make decisions and win support for them at speed.
While I was at Cambridge an elite ballerina taught me to dance; we went on to compete at a national level. This was when I learned to love hard work.
I've somehow ended up in the orbit of people shaping the next era of Hollywood and media. They've taught me a huge amount about creativity, grit and authenticity.
Working at Epic Games during their battles with tech giants taught me that you can create & capture more value by growing the pie instead of taking a bigger slice.
I play a supporting role in the UK's most promising innovation ecosystems - with funds, politics, entrepreneurship and academia. I'm an advocate of the builder ecosystems at Oxford, Cambridge & Imperial, and I recommend Entrepreneur First to anyone looking for a cofounder fast.

I will always be a theatre kid, craving the rush of a captive audience. Thankfully I get invited to speak at conferences from Paris to Bangkok. The theatre kid lives on.