We’re a collective of innovation experts: entrepreneurs, engineers, community builders, architects, design thinkers and programme directors.
As specialists across multiple disciplines, we design and operate the most effective places and programmes to support innovators and entrepreneurs.
Obsessed with driving positive change
Our dream project involves big challenges. We care deeply about providing impact-focused services to our clients who dream of positive change: industry transformation, diversity and inclusion, economic resilience, and democratic access to entrepreneurship.
World-class experience
Need quality results fast? With our track record of delivering major innovation projects for globally recognised brands, we’ve got the skills and expertise to deliver them.
As the saying goes, it’s not what you know but who you know. Having set up tech industry trade bodies, corporate consultancies, co-working accelerators and more, we have a diverse and powerful network in the innovation arena—and we love to connect people.
Network Snapshot
- Innovate Finance
- Tech UK
- London & Partners
- DIT & BEIS
- Smart London Board
- Tech North
- Tech Nation
- LEP's
- BBC
- Tech Crunch
- Forbes
- Oxford
- Cambridge
- Imperial
- UCL
- John Lewis
- CITI Group
- Publicis
- Intel
- Microsoft
- Tech for good
- Founders for schools
- Welcome Trust
- Code Club
- Scale-up Institute
- Tech London Advocates
- The Entrepreneur Network
- We are the City
- Divercity
- Bitz and Pretzels
- Wired
- Tech Crunch Disrupt
- World Economic Forum
- Catapults
- Start-up Bootcamp
- Tech Stars
- Eight Roads
- Index
- Accel
- Passion
- UKBAA
- UKVCA
- Innovate UK
Claire Cockerton
Founder and Managing Director
Claire is a specialist in designing and operating innovation centres, having advised, set-up and run a number of the world’s most famous technology clusters such as Level39, Plexal, LORCA, Nexus, Schwartz Reisman Innovation Campus, Cambridge Innovation Centre.
She is passionate about creating the most iconic, differentiated and impactful spaces, services, programmes, and communities that drive the 4th industrial revolution.
Lee is the founder of District Technologies, a community and smart buildings platform. The app provides an innovative tenant experience that saves time and money for owners of large commercial and residential portfolios.
Before this, she worked on building large co-working spaces for Market Tech, including Factory Berlin and Interchange London.
Ebrahim Mohamed is an innovation expert and formerly Director of Executive MBA programmes at Imperial College, where he worked for over 20 years.
He has mentored executives, young professionals and entrepreneurs for over two decades from the elite institutions of the UK and Europe. Ebrahim has contributed regularly to the Financial Times, Independent, Times, Guardian and other media channels.
Margaret-Anne is the co-founder of Spice Startups and is an experienced startup growth programme designer and facilitator.
Her focus and specialty is on early stage funding, working alongside founders to expedite access to the right investors. She also works with scaleups and corporates who are wanting to expand their reach in the startup ecosystem and is passionate about expanding access to entrepreneurship in the tech sector.
Kassandra is an experienced placemaking and economic development practitioner, working collaboratively with public and private sector partners to support positive socio-economic outcomes for stakeholders. Kassandra has worked in the public and private sector for 20 years, leading teams and a diverse cohort of voluntary, public and private partners in the delivery of major programmes. Her work has included the delivery of large-scale regeneration developments, city/town centre regeneration and inclusive growth strategies and sustainable transport capital programmes.
Business strategist and all-round disruptor Ketan Makwana has been working on business growth, strategic management and talent development for over 20 years.
Ketan has extensive expertise in Tech, Electronics and Healthcare. With a passion for people and processes, he has worked across all business levels within enterprise eco-systems including economic policy advisory to governments and ministries across the globe.
Ketan is also an energising and inspirational international speaker on the subjects of mindset, growth, innovation and the power of disruption; he has engaged audiences across 5 continents and 42 cities.
Focused on innovation, product structuring and investment in the property sector. Evolution of the real estate services sector: co-working, crowdfunding, shared ownership, help-to-buy and Build to Rent. Delivered at all levels of the capital structure.
Qualified lawyer specialising in private equity and property funds. IMC and FCA SMF authorised functions. Founder Freeman of the Company of Entrepreneurs and a Freeman of the City of London.
Perdie Alder is serial entrepreneur, and co-founder of Spice Startups. She is an experienced Head of Programme and Partnerships, and a specialist in spearheading growth programmes that elevate technology startups and scaleups.
Her passions include designing and delivering world-leading accelerator programmes for early stage startups UK wide, and working alongside corporate partners such as BT, Hiscox and Deloitte to develop and implement their innovation and startup engagement strategies.
Andrew started his career in the City working as a commercial property solicitor for two leading UK / US real estate practices. He specialised in complex development projects with a particular focus on mixed use retail schemes.
He has extensive experience advising clients on the roll out of retail platforms, including the introduction and commercialisation of the trade park concept. In addition, he has advised on the ongoing management of large-scale property portfolios including business parks.
Andrew retrained as a real estate economist and professional manager by undertaking an MBA at Imperial College in 2010.
Frank is a diversity and inclusion specialist. He is the Founder of Variety Pack, a consultancy helping organisations like CNN, PressPad and PinkNews to learn from opinions that were previously ignored, anticipate change, and create environments full of trust and cultures full of confidence.
Frank also acts as a London Enterprise Advisor to the Mayor of London. Previously, Frank was Director of Operations for The Brixton Finishing School, a digital accelerator helping young people from disadvantaged backgrounds to enter the creative industry, which went on to win Inclusion Initiative of the Year.
Adam is founder of re:curate and has spent the last 10 years repositioning, delivering and operating mixed use regeneration projects working with local authorities, property funds and development businesses. Adam has a vast suite of long-time associates and collaborators and is able to combine their expertise and experience to provide clients with a complete package; from concept through to a successful live operation.
“I’ve been thoroughly impressed by the collaborative approach and the quality of work delivered by C&C. From the start to end, they have been part of our team, providing creativity, agility and importantly on time on budget execution.
The team have helped us tackle some big challenges within our innovation ecosystem and have approached this with integrity, empathy and intelligence.”
“Claire is a phenomenal entrepreneur and an inspiring individual. She has both vision and the ability to make change happen, and she has demonstrated this several times. She is also a compelling communicator, and she has made important and sustained contributions to Imperial as an alumna.”
“I’ve always been impressed by Claire’s ability to, not just create and articulate bold visions, but also to execute on it. I bought into her vision of Plexal as a vibrant technology and innovation hub when it was just a set of blueprints and to no one’s surprise, she delivered on it and more. During our time at Plexal, she created numerous opportunities for us to meet useful and high-profile individuals. She also led the successful bid for the London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement (LORCA) a UK Government-funded cybersecurity centre.”
“Claire is a true visionary who really thinks differently. Not only has she created two high quality clusters of entrepreneurship and innovation in London (Plexal and Level 39) she’s created them in areas where a lot of people doubted it could be done, she’s pulled many top quality Cybersecurity, AI and VR startups further east, to a place not even on the tube map and persuaded many fintechs to move into stuffy Canary Wharf next to the big banks they compete with! Working with Claire it becomes apparent why she’s been able to make such a huge impact: she’s quick, determined, and calculated. She isn’t afraid to bring novel ideas to traditional industries and can inspire a team to join her in the, often difficult, pursuit of change and innovation.”
“Claire is a change maker. She creates a vision of a possible positive future and forms a team around her to execute that vision. Driven, determined and resourceful, Claire is a true Entrepreneur with the ability to both innovate and scale.”
“Claire is a highly adaptable professional with exceptional expertise in leadership, entrepreneurship, design and innovation. Claire’s dynamic and detail orientated approach is always with an inclusive lens. Claire’s a bold visionary with a passion for business growth, community eco-systems and the future of work, which contributes to her unique and valuable perspectives.”