Practical AI in Greater Manchester

Practical AI for local businesses, from a scientist who builds.

I'm Alex. I find the repetitive work slowing your team down, work out where AI can take it off their hands, and then measure whether it helped.

Tell me what's slowing you down See how it works

Services and prices

Fixed, and published up front.

AI audit

Where AI is worth using, and where it isn't

£950

Second opinion

A plain review of a tool or quote

£350

AI pilots and builds

Tested on a small scale before you commit

from £2,500

AI adviser on call

Monthly call and email support

£400 / month

Founding client offer: first three clients get the audit for £495. Details

5+ years

in scientific R&D

3 live products

designed, built and run solo

Fixed prices

agreed before any work starts

1 business week

to reply to any enquiry

You won't get hype, jargon or a 50-page strategy deck.

Does any of this sound familiar?

That's the work I take on. Your people get their time back for the parts of the job that need them.

Four ways I can help

Every project has a fixed price agreed up front, so you know exactly what you're getting.

AI audit

We collate what your team needs, map where the hours go, and check how ready your data and tools are. I give you a short, plain-English report: where AI is worth using, where it isn't, and what to do first.

£950fixed fee

For teams of up to 20 people. Larger teams are quoted individually. Credited in full against a build if you go ahead within 30 days.

See a sample audit report

Second opinion

About to buy an AI tool or sign off a quote? I'll review it and tell you plainly whether it's worth the money, overpriced, or not needed at all.

£350fixed fee

AI pilots and builds

When an idea is worth testing, I run it as a small pilot with a measure we agree up front. Sometimes that means setting up a tool you can buy, and sometimes building one. If it works, I roll it out and connect it to the systems you already use.

from£2,500per project

Software and hosting costs passed on at cost

AI adviser on call

A monthly call, email questions answered within one business week, and a straight view on any tool or idea you're weighing up. Add maintenance if I've built tools for you.

£400per month, advice

Advice + maintenance from £600 per month

Founding client offer: audit for £495, builds from £1,500.

For my first three clients, with teams of up to 20 people. In return, I'd ask for an honest testimonial and permission to share the results.

Claim a founding spot

Manufacturer? You may be eligible for matched funding through Made Smarter North West. I'm happy to help you check.

Run it like an experiment

In the lab, nothing counts until it's been tested. I treat your project the same way: a clear question, a fair test, and an honest answer.

  1. Step 1

    Find it

    We pick one task that's costing you real time and agree how we'll measure success.

  2. Step 2

    Pilot it

    I set up the tool, bought or built, around how your team already works, with your data kept private.

  3. Step 3

    Prove it

    We compare before and after. You keep the tool, the results and a simple guide for your team.

Hi, I'm Alex, a scientist who builds things.

Science made me a healthy sceptic. Not every problem needs AI, and if yours doesn't, I'll tell you.

My background is in scientific research and development: more than five years of deciding which ideas deserve more time and money, based on evidence rather than gut feel.

That work showed me how many hours skilled people lose to tasks a computer should be doing. So I built fixes: data tools, calculators, and leaner workflows that replaced expensive software and did the job better.

I've since designed, built and launched three products of my own: a job-search app, a skincare app grounded in microbiology, and a tool that makes complex scientific software usable without a computer science degree. Northern Bench puts that experience to work on AI for businesses here in Greater Manchester.

Three live products you can try

I designed and built each one on my own, and I still run them. They're public, so have a look.

JobChime app icon

JobChime

AI job-search app for iOS

Helps job seekers hear about new roles first and apply faster.

  • AI that monitors live websites and extracts structured data
  • Automated completion of complex forms, with human review
  • Email processing that keeps records up to date
  • Voice AI with tailored feedback
  • Own servers, APIs and privacy-first design
jobchime.app
Bio-Scry app icon

Bio-Scry

Scientific tools made simple, on web and iOS

Powerful command-line science tools, usually needing Linux and specialist know-how, turned into a web app and an iOS app anyone can use.

  • Complex specialist software wrapped in a clean interface
  • Heavy data processing, including genome assembly
  • Web and mobile versions of the same toolset
  • Removes the need for specialist setup
bioscry.app
Nurtli app icon

Nurtli

Science-led skincare companion for iOS

A skincare companion built on microbiology, helping people understand what works for their skin.

  • Product matching through barcode databases
  • Tracking over time and spotting trends
  • On-device processing for privacy
  • Grounded in science, with no medical claims
nurtli.net

What I can help with

Most of the work is advice and setup. Building something new is only one part of it.

  • Finding where AI will pay off in your business, and where it won't
  • Choosing between tools such as Copilot, ChatGPT and specialist products
  • Getting your data and documents ready for AI
  • Clear rules for safe use, covering privacy, accuracy and who checks what
  • Showing your team how to use AI well
  • Small pilots that prove a tool works before you roll it out

What you can count on

Straight answers

If AI isn't right for the job, I'll say so.

Your data stays yours

It's private by default and I never reuse it elsewhere.

You own what I build

There's no lock-in, and nothing I build is a mystery box.

Plain English

I explain things so your whole team gets it.

Common questions

Will my data be used to train AI?

No. Your data is private by default and I never reuse it elsewhere. If a tool relies on an outside AI service, I'll tell you which one and how it handles your data before I build anything.

Do I need to understand AI?

No. I explain everything in plain English, and every tool comes with a simple guide for your team.

What if AI isn't the right answer?

Then I'll say so. The audit lists where AI isn't worth using as well as where it is.

Who owns the tool once it's built?

You do. There's no lock-in, and you keep the tool, the results and the guide.

What does it cost to keep a tool running?

Software and hosting are passed on at cost. If you'd like me to look after the tool, advice with maintenance starts at £600 a month.

What happens after I get in touch?

I reply within one business week with an honest view on whether I can help. If an audit makes sense, we agree the price before any work starts.

What's eating your team's time?

Tell me a little about your business and where the hours go. I'll reply within one business week with an honest view on whether I can help, without a hard sell.

I'll only use your details to reply to you. Privacy policy