Ben Mushen

Founder and product builder focused on democratising access to funding: Ben founded the North East Support Directory to reduce the friction founders and small organisations face when discovering grants and support, building an AI-driven platform to surface and classify opportunities so users can self-serve personalised recommendations. sunderlandsoftwarecity+2

Digital adoption practitioner and regional community connector: Through his role with Sunderland Software City and the Digital Pathfinders programme, Ben helps organisations adopt digital tools, runs and speaks at regional tech events (TechNExt, No-Code Arcade, UK Startup & Scaleup Week) and uses that practitioner perspective to inform the NESD product. digitalpathfinders+2

Designer-turned-entrepreneur with practical product skills: Ben's background in graphic and digital design (BA Graphic Design, roles at Hays Travel and The North of England P&I Association) informs his product and UX-focused approach to building accessible digital services. rocketreach+1

Public-facing advocate and communicator: Ben regularly shares knowledge via talks, podcasts and festival sessions to help founders and practitioners understand grant funding, AI for discovery and practical digital adoption, positioning him as both a practitioner and a communicator in the North East tech ecosystem. ivoox+2