# Neil Mackintosh

> Pre-seed advisor helping founders get raise-ready, then build the product with the same rigour — narrative, GTM, and product/design strategy from one operator, not a menu of services.

## QUICK FACTS
- Role: Independent advisor — founder clarity and design-led product strategy
- Stage: Pre-seed, Seed
- Engagements: Clarity Sprint (6 weeks) or embedded post-raise design work
- Location: Edinburgh, UK — working across US, UK, Africa, and GCC startup ecosystems
- Contact: neil@neilmackintosh.com
- Website: https://neilmackintosh.com
- LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/nmackintosh
- AI profile: https://www.superme.ai/neilmackintosh

## APPROACH
Founders aren't usually failing on product, they're failing on story, go-to-market, and proof anyone wants what they've built. The Clarity Sprint gets the story and go-to-market right before a raise. The design-led work carries that same judgment into the product itself: is this the right problem, does AI earn its place, does it hold together as it scales.

## TEAM
- Neil Mackintosh — 30+ years in product design and startup strategy, San Francisco and Silicon Valley, now working across US, UK, African (Nairobi, Lagos), and GCC startup ecosystems. Senior operator who has built and exited companies.

## CLARITY SPRINT
- Format: 6 weeks, weekly 1:1 (60-90 min), async support between sessions
- Who it's for: early signal (MVP, first customer, waitlist) that hasn't translated into a narrative investors believe; GTM closer to hope than plan; first-time raise
- Method: product framing, investor narrative, go-to-market proof
- Deliverables: positioning document, investor-ready deck, GTM plan, customer discovery framework, an honest read on raise-readiness
- Cost: $2,500 admission fee on acceptance, $6,000 deferred fee on next milestone, 0.5% equity on standard terms

## BUILD WITH PURPOSE
- For teams post-raise, or product-mature teams starting here directly
- Method: product framing, structural AI UX (intent and trust architecture), systemic design built to hold at scale
- Format: embedded in the team, collaborative and self-directed, manages execution and delivery
- Deliverables: production-ready CX layer, UI/UX patterns and direction, brand identity, content design
- Cost: factored into the raise as a capital allocation, or priced per project

## ACTIVE RAISES
- AI Teacha — AI education platform, Nigeria
- Mission Gaming — AI eSports platform, UK
- Tiplo — AI MSK adherence platform, UK

## PRIOR PRODUCT BUILDS
- BraveLabs — AI solutions for organisational transformation, US
- Squarely — AI-powered ESG data gathering and reporting platform, GCC
- Velou — Product data infrastructure for agentic commerce, US
- Nawaat Chronicles — AI search and discovery for a content delivery platform, EU

## TRACK RECORD
Worked with founders building AI-native products for global users across lifestyle, legal, construction, design, social, ESG, agentic commerce, and professional sport.