Alison Gray founded Skillfluence in 2015 after a sabbatical in Silicon Valley, where she saw firsthand how research institutions, startups, and investors worked collaboratively to turn ideas into impact.  

Inspired after meeting staff from organisations such as Stanford University, UC Berkeley, and American Management Association, she realised that the UK lacked a comparable connection between academic research and industry-led innovation. Alison used evenings and weekends to build the first Skillfluence training programmes. 

Initially working with the University of Edinburgh, Alison created training programmes and courses that equipped participants with the skills required to communicate, collaborate, and commercialise their research. This early success led to expanding the team, taking on new clients in the higher education space, and working with entrepreneurs who required support and training, but were not part of the academic ecosystem. 

The company has grown significantly, serving universities and research institutes and supporting enterprise agencies in delivering long-term accelerator programmes for entrepreneurs. Thousands of researchers, PhD students, early-career academics, and innovators have learned new skills and seen the tangible impact of working with Skillfluence. 

Under Alison's leadership, Skillfluence has become a bridge between diverse sectors, offering training with impact.