Find Out About Us
Who We Are
Our Track Record
Our Expertise
How We Work
Two PhD scientists and experienced project managers who have delivered Innovate UK projects from the inside. We founded The Project Managers because we lived the challenge ourselves.
Over 25 years of combined experience across deep tech start-ups, SMEs, and global corporations. More than £15m delivered across 50+ Innovate UK, EU, and commercial projects. Every grant claim paid in full and every grant funded project delivered successfully.
We bring deep technical understanding of the projects we support alongside hands-on, current knowledge of how Innovate UK funding works in practice. We have direct relationships with Monitoring Officers and Innovation Leads.
We are a genuine partnership, not a large firm where your project gets passed around. When you work with us, you get both of us on your project. Two experienced heads, full visibility, nothing missed.
Meet the Founders
Dr Amy Charbonneau
PhD Microbiology, University of Cambridge
Before co-founding The Project Managers, I spent seven years working in high-growth deep tech businesses, leading grant management, project delivery, and business operations. Across my career I have worked on 20+ Innovate UK projects, from small single-partner projects to large collaborative programmes spanning R&D SMEs, universities and other partners such as businesses, farmers, and NGOs.
Most recently, I worked for Xampla, a Cambridge-based materials science company developing plant-based alternatives to single-use plastics. As Head of Operations I led the day-to-day business operations and the end-to-end management of their Innovate UK grant portfolio.
Having spent my career in fast-moving, resource-light environments, I understand the intense pressures and constraints of early-stage growth. I bring a pragmatic, adaptable approach to every project, focused on keeping your business moving forward whilst meeting your funder obligations.
For me, great grant management is about more than compliance. It is about ensuring your project delivers the best possible outcomes for your business whilst meeting high funder expectations, supporting company growth and future fundraising efforts, and keeping everything on track so you can focus on the R&D.
Dr Nickie Smith
With a background in chemical physics and materials engineering (polymers), I spent 20 years running R&D projects across a wide range of industries. This included direct client R&D, Innovate UK single-partner and collaborative projects, serving as a work package leader for multiple EU funded projects and directing joint industry projects for global corporations.
Over the last 9 years I’ve supported clients across agritech, life sciences, clean energy, materials, engineering biology and more to secure innovation funding from primarily Innovate UK but also other UK regional and EU funding sources.
From a project management perspective, I am motivated by optimally positioning your company and the project for success, ensuring that you feel supported from project set-up to receiving the final claims payment. I focus on keeping everything on track so you can focus on the R&D. For me, the ultimate goal is to deliver the best possible result for your business, giving you total peace of mind that your project is in safe hands.
PhD Materials Engineering, Imperial College, London