BEN FOGARTY

Founder and applied-AI executive. Four notable exits. Building Amplifi, Matter AI, and Boot Room Ventures.

$ initialising benfogarty --mode=career > loading career highlights...
> 2026
· Weighted pipeline at record levels
· DMG Media signed as enterprise client
· Series A raise in progress
> 2025
· Led Amplifi to official Palantir Services Partner status
· Team delivered Amplifi's first major Palantir engagements
· Matter AI pilots launched across three verticals
· 194% revenue growth since buyback
· Morson Group engagement grew around 9x in 11 months
· 100% of clients beyond proof of value expanded their engagement
> 2024
· Management buyback of Amplifi completed
· CEO, Chief AI Officer, and CPTO at Peppermint Innovation (ASX:PIL)
· Led fintech partnership deploying to 1.6M members across 343 cooperatives
> 2023
· Promoted to Co-CEO of XPON Technologies globally
· UK operation grown around 7x, 80% recurring
> 2021
· Part of executive team that took XPON Technologies public on the ASX
· Joined XPON as CEO of UK and EU operation following Focal Labs acquisition
> 2020
· Focal Labs and Holoscribe acquired by XPON Technologies
· Focal Labs at acquisition: 40% of revenue from SaaS licensing
> 2018
· Interim CTO at World Television Limited
· Restructured pre-sales technical support across London and Geneva offices
> 2016
· Founded Holoscribe alongside Focal Labs
· Clients include BBC, EA Sports, Tottenham Hotspur FC, Amnesty International
> 2015
· Founded Focal Labs
· First clients include BBC, Informa, News UK, Amnesty International
> 2012
· Co-founded Shorthand in Brisbane
· Multi-million dollar funding round secured
· Six-figure monthly recurring revenue within 12 months of launch
· Clients include BBC, The Guardian, Financial Times, ESPN
> 2010
· Sold Gizmo
· Built to 1,500+ customers
· Largest in-home IT provider on the Sunshine Coast
> 2006
· Founded first company at age 17
· Founded Gizmo, a B2B and B2C IT services company
SCROLL
My obsession to build
I have been part of building businesses and products since I was 17. I have never wanted to do anything else.
I have built across multiple continents. There have been failures. But also real successes, including multiple exits.
Most of what I have built has revolved around data and technology. More recently, also AI.
What I love most is not the idea. It is building the team around it. Watching people grow. Creating something together that none of us could have built alone.
To put it simply, I want to be part of building things that matter. Things that last. Things that do genuine good in the world.

Currently building

Tap to read more
Amplifi

Applied AI and data consultancy helping data-rich organisations move AI out of pilots and into measurable commercial revenue. We led Amplifi to official Palantir Services Partner status.

amplifi-impact.com →
Tap to read more
Matter AI

A data commercialisation platform that helps businesses turn proprietary assets into recurring revenue by connecting them into the AI environments their customers already use.

matterai.ai →
Boot Room Ventures
Tap to read more
Boot Room Ventures

Advisory practice for early-stage founders building AI and data businesses. Helping founders establish commercial positioning, stress-test go-to-market, and build the credibility needed to enter larger partner and enterprise relationships.

What's next?
Tap to read more
What's next?

Open to senior AI and commercial leadership roles, permanent or fractional. And if you are building something that matters and think I should be part of it, I would like to hear from you.

Email me

Career highlights

These are some of the moments that shaped the story. For the full picture, find me on LinkedIn.

Amplifi & Impact Bought Back
2024 – Present

Bought back the business I founded in 2015. 194% revenue growth since buyback. Led Amplifi to official Palantir Services Partner status, with the team delivering its first major engagements. 100% of clients who progressed beyond proof of value expanded their engagement.

Peppermint Innovation (ASX:PIL)
2023 – 2024

CEO, Chief AI Officer, and CPTO of ASX-listed fintech. Led the commercial partnership that unlocked a fintech platform deployment to 1.6 million members across 343 cooperatives in the Philippines.

XPON Technologies (ASX:XPN) IPO'd
2021 – 2023

Co-CEO of ASX-listed technology group. Grew UK revenue around 7x, 80% recurring. Part of the executive team that took the business public on the ASX in 2021.

Focal Labs / Holoscribe Both Acquired
2015 – 2020

Founded and grew two businesses from scratch. At acquisition, 40% of Focal Labs revenue was SaaS licensing, an early proof of the services-to-IP model. Clients included BBC, EA Sports, Amnesty International, Informa, and Tottenham Hotspur FC.

Shorthand Exited
2012 – 2015

Co-founded a digital publishing platform. Multi-million dollar raise. Six-figure monthly recurring revenue within 12 months of launch. Clients included BBC, The Guardian, Financial Times, and ESPN. Platform still used by 500+ brands globally today.

Gizmo Acquired
2006 – 2010

Founded a B2B and B2C IT services company. Built to 1,500+ customers and became the largest in-home IT provider on the Sunshine Coast before selling in 2010.

Want to know more?
Get in touch at ben.fogarty@bootroomventures.co.uk