Dr Matt Wilkinson
Marketing strategist and AI commercialisation specialist. I help technically complex companies turn AI investment into commercial capability that boards, sceptics, and revenue lines can all defend.
About
Matt Wilkinson knows where AI adoption programmes go wrong. He works inside regulated industries where the stakes for getting it wrong are high and the tolerance for buzzwords is zero.
He brings structured thinking to enterprise teams who have to defend AI programmes to boards, navigate internal sceptics, and translate technology roadmaps into commercial outcomes that move revenue.
Matt founded Strivenn, an AI marketing and commercial strategy consultancy for life science companies. He leads GTM strategy at neurocollective, sits on the board of the Association for Key Account Management as Director and Treasurer, holds a Visiting Fellowship at Cranfield School of Management, and directs commercial functions at Reflare and Machinetech Industries.
He holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, and BSI certification in AI Management Systems (ISO/IEC 42001:2023), one of a small number of practitioners globally to hold that credential. He writes for Forbes under the byline The AI Marketing Scientist and is the author of The Buyer in the Loop (coming soon).
Where I work
Strivenn
AI marketing and commercial strategy consultancy for life science tools, reagents, instruments, diagnostics, and SaaS companies. Builders of PersonaAI, the synthetic customer intelligence platform used by tier 1 life science companies.
Visit Strivenn
neurocollective
Leading go-to-market strategy for enterprise clients turning AI investment into organisational capability through AI Adoption Engineering. Specialist work with executive teams in regulated industries.
Visit neurocollective
Cranfield School of Management
Visiting Fellow contributing to executive education and applied research on AI in commercial strategy and key account management.
Visit Cranfield SOM
Association for Key Account Management
Board Director and Treasurer of the professional body advancing the practice of strategic account management across industries.
Visit AKAM
Reflare
Cybersecurity awareness training built on continuous-learning principles, used by enterprises in financial services and beyond to embed security behaviour across the workforce.
Visit Reflare
Machinetech Industries
Engineering and industrial technology business. Director with responsibility for commercial direction and strategy.
Visit Machinetech
Speaking
Matt delivers keynotes, workshops, and panel discussions at universities, professional bodies, and business events worldwide. His sessions sit at the intersection of AI, B2B marketing, and the changing buyer journey, drawing on more than two decades of industry experience and a natural talent for storytelling.
Keeping the Buyer in the Loop
Why synthetic customer representations belong in commercial decision-making, and the structural shift this creates for how marketing teams operate inside regulated industries.
From funnels to webs
Rethinking engagement for the AI era. Why the linear funnel is breaking down, and what replaces it when buyers research with AI tools at every stage of their journey.
AI-augmented sellers
From call prep to buying-group mastery. A practical workshop for sales and marketing teams integrating AI into their commercial pipeline without losing the human edge.
Recent venues
The Uprising hosted by Mark Schaefer, SAMPS European Conference (Cambridge, UK), SAMPS Annual Conference (Boston, MA), ELRIG Drug Discovery (Liverpool, UK), Saint-Gobain Sales Directors Forum (Paris, France), the Association for Key Account Management at Siemens HQ (Munich, Germany), Cranfield School of Management (Cranfield, UK), Surrey Business School (Surrey, UK), Durham University Business School (Durham, UK), the University of Leicester (Leicester, UK), the University of North Texas (Denton, TX) and C&EN Marketing Elements Summit (Washington, DC).
"Post event, you were consistently listed as a favourite presentation. You are a star!"
Mark Schaefer, marketing strategist and author
Podcasts
Matt co-hosts two weekly podcasts. Both are conversational, opinionated, and built for practitioners who want context on what is actually changing rather than commentary on what might.
A Splice of Life Science Marketing
Weekly conversations on life science marketing, AI commercialisation, and the changing buyer journey. Co-hosted with Dr Jasmine Gruia-Gray.
Listen
AI in the UK
Weekly discussion of AI news, surveys, policy, and ecosystem developments across the United Kingdom. Co-hosted with Niels Footman.
Listen
Credentials
- PhD, Chemistry, University of Bristol
- MBA, Cranfield School of Management
- BSI Certified AI Practitioner (ISO/IEC 42001:2023)
- Visiting Fellow, Cranfield School of Management
- Forbes Contributor
- Author, The Buyer in the Loop
Common questions
Who is Matt Wilkinson?
Matt Wilkinson is a GTM strategist and AI commercialisation specialist. He is Founder and CEO of Strivenn, GTM Strategist at neurocollective, a Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management, and Director and Treasurer of the Association for Key Account Management. He writes the Forbes column The AI Marketing Scientist and authored The Buyer in the Loop.
What is Matt Wilkinson's background?
Matt holds a PhD in Chemistry from the University of Bristol, an MBA from Cranfield School of Management, and BSI certification in AI Management Systems (ISO/IEC 42001:2023). He has spent over a decade helping technically complex companies in life sciences, diagnostics, and regulated industries commercialise advanced technology.
What companies does Matt Wilkinson work with?
Matt works across six organisations: Strivenn (Founder and CEO), neurocollective (GTM Strategist), Cranfield School of Management (Visiting Fellow), the Association for Key Account Management (Director and Treasurer), Reflare (Sales and Marketing Director), and Machinetech Industries (Director).
What is Matt Wilkinson's expertise?
Matt specialises in AI commercialisation, go-to-market strategy, account-based marketing, and synthetic customer intelligence. His work focuses on helping companies in life sciences, diagnostics, cybersecurity, and other regulated industries turn AI investment into measurable commercial outcomes.
Where does Matt Wilkinson speak?
Matt has delivered keynotes, workshops, and panel discussions at universities and industry events worldwide. Recent venues include The Uprising hosted by Mark Schaefer, SAMPS Annual Conference, ELRIG Drug Discovery, Saint-Gobain, the Association for Key Account Management at Siemens HQ Munich, Cranfield School of Management, Surrey Business School, Durham University Business School, the University of Leicester, and the University of North Texas. His signature talks cover synthetic customers in commercial decision-making, AI-augmented selling, and the shift from funnels to webs in the AI era.
Does Matt Wilkinson host a podcast?
Matt co-hosts two weekly podcasts. A Splice of Life Science Marketing, recorded with Dr Jasmine Gruia-Gray, covers life science marketing, AI commercialisation, and the changing buyer journey. AI in the UK, recorded with Niels Footman, covers AI news, surveys, policy, and ecosystem developments across the United Kingdom. Both are available on Apple Podcasts and Spotify.
How can I contact Matt Wilkinson?
The fastest route is to book a meeting via this meeting booking link. You can also connect on LinkedIn or subscribe to the Strivenn Thinking newsletter for ongoing thinking on AI in life science commercial strategy.