Stephen Mitchell

Founder and product builder who transitioned from 30 years on factory floors to build a pragmatic SaaS product: Stephen used his hands-on maintenance and engineering experience to create the SQCDP app — an operator-first, low-cost alternative to expensive smart‑factory hardware — and has driven MVP development, early customer trials, revenue and pre-seed fundraising. co+2

Experienced operations and maintenance leader across multiple large manufacturers: across roles at BAE Systems, Coca‑Cola Enterprises, Gates Corporation and others, Stephen focused on reliability, facilities and maintenance—experience that directly informed SQCDP's focus on the frontline operator and simple, actionable data capture. co+2

Founder with local ecosystem traction and investor interest: Stephen is an Ignite alumnus and a Royal Academy of Engineering Enterprise Hub participant; SQCDP has validated trials, won local pitching competitions and secured pre-seed backing and early investment interest to scale the product from the North East of England. ignite+2

Operator-first product philosophy and communication focus: SQCDP emphasises simple implementation, rapid on-premise validation and empowering operators with ownership of issues; Stephen amplifies this approach through public writing and a company podcast to share lessons about building practical factory tech. co+2