In today's rapidly evolving business landscape, the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) is no longer a luxury, it’s a necessity. Yet, as a serial entrepreneur who has dedicated my career to fostering innovation across disciplines, I can’t help but notice an alarming trend among UK startups and scaleups: a glaring lack of board-level AI expertise. This shortage threatens not only business growth but the entire ecosystem’s ability to compete on a global scale.
The Data Behind the Crisis
Recent research from Think & Grow paints a sobering picture for UK startups. Less than one-third (32%) of tech startups and scaleups currently have AI expertise on their board. To put this in perspective, nearly 40% of FTSE 350 tech firms already recognize the value of having board members adept in AI strategy. Why does this matter? Because these companies are leading the pack. FTSE 350 firms with AI leadership generate an average revenue of £6.8 billion, while those without it lag behind at a modest £953 million. It’s clear: AI expertise is directly correlated with financial success.
Moreover, scaleups with annual revenue exceeding £50 million are twice as likely to have AI-savvy individuals on their boards compared to smaller startups. Half of these larger scaleups leverage AI expertise, while only 15% of companies with revenue under £50 million have made similar commitments.
Why AI Expertise at the Top Matters
AI expertise at board level doesn’t just signify technical competence, it demonstrates an understanding of how AI transforms business models, operations, and product offerings. More importantly, it positions companies to adapt fluidly to emerging challenges and capitalize on growth opportunities.
For startups in particular, lacking this kind of leadership could mean falling behind competitors who are using AI to optimize everything from customer experience to resource allocation. Investors understand this, which is why firms with board-level AI expertise consistently outperform their peers when it comes to securing funding and driving innovation.
How Startups Can Prioritize AI Integration
Here’s a step-by-step guide to addressing this gap, inspired by my journey as a founder who has adopted AI into multiple startup projects:
1. Hire Strategically
Startups must actively recruit board members experienced in AI strategy, not just technical implementation. Platforms like Think & Grow specialize in connecting businesses with growth consultants knowledgeable in AI applications.
2. Upskill Existing Leadership
For startups unable to make new hires, upskilling current board members is a viable option. Workshops and certification programs provided by organizations like Tech Nation allow leaders to grasp AI’s potential impact on their industry.
3. Leverage AI Tools for Board Processes
Introducing AI-powered decision-making platforms into board meetings can offer immediate benefits. Tools like Convoboss AI's canvas generator enable strategic discussions rooted in AI-generated market data.
4. Collaborate with AI Research Institutes
Engage with academic and governmental AI research organizations such as the AI Opportunities Action Plan. Partnering ensures a crucial inflow of expertise and mentorship.
5. Align AI with Business Goals
AI expertise at board level is not about chasing trends; it’s about aligning technology with core company values and objectives. AI strategies should focus on customer acquisition, operational efficiency, and long-term scalability.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
While integrating AI expertise into your board is critical, it's important to tread carefully:
- Mistake 1: Focusing on Tech Alone: AI shouldn’t be siloed as a "technical tool." Board members need to understand its business applications and strategic implications.
- Mistake 2: Over-reliance on Consultants: While external consultants can provide guidance, the real value comes from embedding AI knowledge within the team itself.
- Mistake 3: Ignoring Cultural Buy-In: AI strategies risk failure if key stakeholders, employees, customers, investors, don’t see their value clearly demonstrated.
Deep Insights from Personal Experience
As an entrepreneur with a background in AI and deeptech, I’ve launched multiple startups that integrate cutting-edge technology into their operations. One of the most transformative lessons I’ve learned is that AI, when introduced thoughtfully, can redefine a company’s trajectory overnight.
For example, during my work on CADChain, integrating AI into intellectual property protection allowed us to automate processes critical to small business scalability. Similarly, as the creator of Fe/male Switch, I’ve witnessed how AI tools, when structured into leadership-level practices, can facilitate gender inclusivity in STEM startups.
What has consistently struck me is that the absence of board-level AI expertise isn’t just a missed opportunity, it’s a liability. Companies without it face stagnant revenue growth and diminished investor interest.
Looking Forward
This isn’t just a challenge. It’s an opportunity for startups to pivot before the gap widens further. Companies that prioritize AI literacy now will be the ones driving innovation, securing funding, and dominating their industries as AI reshapes the global market.
Final Thoughts
As startups and scaleups racing to carve out their space in the UK’s bustling tech scene, it’s time to rethink what makes a board fit for the future. The insights from Think & Grow’s 2025 research should act as both an inspiration and a warning. Adding AI experts to the board isn’t just advisable, it’s essential.
If you’re ready to embrace AI but aren’t sure where to start, focus on hiring, collaboration, and consistent learning. The clock is ticking, but the tools and strategies are already at your fingertips. Don’t let this be another missed milestone in a startup’s journey. A well-equipped, AI-literate board is your gateway to success, and, quite possibly, survival, in the competitive tech world.
FAQ
1. Why is it important for startups to have AI expertise at the board level?
AI expertise at the board level is essential as it helps companies harness emerging technologies for growth, adapt to market changes, and secure investor confidence. Learn more about the importance of AI expertise in startups.
2. What percentage of UK startups and scaleups currently have AI expertise on their boards?
Only 32% of UK startups and scaleups have board-level AI expertise, as reported by a Think & Grow study. Find out more about this study.
3. How does revenue correlate with AI expertise at the board level?
FTSE 350 companies with AI experts at the board level achieve an average revenue of £6.8 billion, compared to £953 million for those without. Read about the revenue impact of AI expertise.
4. How are larger scaleups embracing AI expertise?
Approximately 50% of scaleups with annual revenues exceeding £50 million have AI-savvy board members, while only 15% of smaller scaleups have done the same. Discover insights on larger scaleups.
5. What challenges do startups face without AI expertise at the board level?
Startups without AI expertise risk lagging behind competitors, failing to leverage growth opportunities, and facing reduced investor interest. Uncover these risks for startups.
6. What steps can startups take to integrate AI expertise into their boards?
Startups can hire AI experts, upskill existing leadership, use AI-driven decision-making platforms, collaborate with research institutes, and align AI strategies with business goals. Explore ways to integrate AI expertise.
7. Why is cultural buy-in important for AI integration?
AI integration may fail if key stakeholders like employees, customers, and investors do not grasp its value. Properly communicating AI's benefits is critical.
8. What industries are seeing the most significant challenges from a lack of AI expertise?
The tech scaleup sector in the UK faces major challenges, with many describing AI adoption as critical yet underprioritized. Learn how it affects UK tech scaleups.
9. How does a lack of AI expertise on the board affect investors' interest?
Investors tend to favor companies with AI-literate boards, as these companies are more likely to secure funding and drive innovation. Read more about investor preferences.
10. What is the UK government doing to support AI adoption?
The UK government offers resources like the AI Opportunities Action Plan and collaborates with research institutes to enhance AI integration. Read about the AI Opportunities Action Plan.
About the Author
Violetta Bonenkamp, also known as MeanCEO, is an experienced startup founder with an impressive educational background including an MBA and four other higher education degrees. She has over 20 years of work experience across multiple countries, including 5 years as a solopreneur and serial entrepreneur. Throughout her startup experience she has applied for multiple startup grants at the EU level, in the Netherlands and Malta, and her startups received quite a few of those. She’s been living, studying and working in many countries around the globe and her extensive multicultural experience has influenced her immensely.
Violetta Bonenkamp's expertise in CAD sector, IP protection and blockchain
Violetta Bonenkamp is recognized as a multidisciplinary expert with significant achievements in the CAD sector, intellectual property (IP) protection, and blockchain technology.
CAD Sector:
- Violetta is the CEO and co-founder of CADChain, a deep tech startup focused on developing IP management software specifically for CAD (Computer-Aided Design) data. CADChain addresses the lack of industry standards for CAD data protection and sharing, using innovative technology to secure and manage design data.
- She has led the company since its inception in 2018, overseeing R&D, PR, and business development, and driving the creation of products for platforms such as Autodesk Inventor, Blender, and SolidWorks.
- Her leadership has been instrumental in scaling CADChain from a small team to a significant player in the deeptech space, with a diverse, international team.
IP Protection:
- Violetta has built deep expertise in intellectual property, combining academic training with practical startup experience. She has taken specialized courses in IP from institutions like WIPO and the EU IPO.
- She is known for sharing actionable strategies for startup IP protection, leveraging both legal and technological approaches, and has published guides and content on this topic for the entrepreneurial community.
- Her work at CADChain directly addresses the need for robust IP protection in the engineering and design industries, integrating cybersecurity and compliance measures to safeguard digital assets.
Blockchain:
- Violetta’s entry into the blockchain sector began with the founding of CADChain, which uses blockchain as a core technology for securing and managing CAD data.
- She holds several certifications in blockchain and has participated in major hackathons and policy forums, such as the OECD Global Blockchain Policy Forum.
- Her expertise extends to applying blockchain for IP management, ensuring data integrity, traceability, and secure sharing in the CAD industry.
Violetta is a true multiple specialist who has built expertise in Linguistics, Education, Business Management, Blockchain, Entrepreneurship, Intellectual Property, Game Design, AI, SEO, Digital Marketing, cyber security and zero code automations. Her extensive educational journey includes a Master of Arts in Linguistics and Education, an Advanced Master in Linguistics from Belgium (2006-2007), an MBA from Blekinge Institute of Technology in Sweden (2006-2008), and an Erasmus Mundus joint program European Master of Higher Education from universities in Norway, Finland, and Portugal (2009).
She is the founder of Fe/male Switch, a startup game that encourages women to enter STEM fields, and also leads CADChain, and multiple other projects like the Directory of 1,000 Startup Cities with a proprietary MeanCEO Index that ranks cities for female entrepreneurs. Violetta created the "gamepreneurship" methodology, which forms the scientific basis of her startup game. She also builds a lot of SEO tools for startups. Her achievements include being named one of the top 100 women in Europe by EU Startups in 2022 and being nominated for Impact Person of the year at the Dutch Blockchain Week. She is an author with Sifted and a speaker at different Universities. Recently she published a book on Startup Idea Validation the right way: from zero to first customers and beyond, launched a Directory of 1,500+ websites for startups to list themselves in order to gain traction and build backlinks and is building MELA AI to help local restaurants in Malta get more visibility online.
For the past several years Violetta has been living between the Netherlands and Malta, while also regularly traveling to different destinations around the globe, usually due to her entrepreneurial activities. This has led her to start writing about different locations and amenities from the POV of an entrepreneur. Here’s her recent article about the best hotels in Italy to work from.
About the Publication
Fe/male Switch is an innovative startup platform designed to empower women entrepreneurs through an immersive, game-like experience. Founded in 2020 during the pandemic "without any funding and without any code," this non-profit initiative has evolved into a comprehensive educational tool for aspiring female entrepreneurs.The platform was co-founded by Violetta Shishkina-Bonenkamp, who serves as CEO and one of the lead authors of the Startup News branch.
Mission and Purpose
Fe/male Switch Foundation was created to address the gender gap in the tech and entrepreneurship space. The platform aims to skill-up future female tech leaders and empower them to create resilient and innovative tech startups through what they call "gamepreneurship". By putting players in a virtual startup village where they must survive and thrive, the startup game allows women to test their entrepreneurial abilities without financial risk.
Key Features
The platform offers a unique blend of news, resources,learning, networking, and practical application within a supportive, female-focused environment:
- Skill Lab: Micro-modules covering essential startup skills
- Virtual Startup Building: Create or join startups and tackle real-world challenges
- AI Co-founder (PlayPal): Guides users through the startup process
- SANDBOX: A testing environment for idea validation before launch
- Wellness Integration: Virtual activities to balance work and self-care
- Marketplace: Buy or sell expert sessions and tutorials
Impact and Growth
Since its inception, Fe/male Switch has shown impressive growth:
- 5,000+ female entrepreneurs in the community
- 100+ startup tools built
- 5,000+ pieces of articles and news written
- 1,000 unique business ideas for women created
Partnerships
Fe/male Switch has formed strategic partnerships to enhance its offerings. In January 2022, it teamed up with global website builder Tilda to provide free access to website building tools and mentorship services for Fe/male Switch participants.
Recognition
Fe/male Switch has received media attention for its innovative approach to closing the gender gap in tech entrepreneurship. The platform has been featured in various publications highlighting its unique "play to learn and earn" model.
