Fathom on stage for panel discussion at ONE’s AGM

Fathom Group was honoured to take part in Opportunity North East’s (ONE) Annual General Meeting, an event celebrating a decade of innovation and entrepreneurship across the region.

As part of the programme, Managing Director Richard McGowan and Co-founder Krzysztof Mackojć joined a panel discussion highlighting the North East Venture Mentoring Service (VMS) — a framework developed at MIT that connects founders with teams of experienced mentors.

Fathom joined the VMS programme in January 2025 and now meets regularly with a panel of four mentors — Trevor Garlick, Jacquelynn C., Mark Griffiths, and Dan Millard — to discuss key business challenges and growth opportunities. The structure has been transformational, providing balanced, altruistic guidance with no expectation of equity or payment.

“The VMS framework has allowed us to build genuine, trusted relationships that have had a real impact on our business,” said Richard McGowan. “It’s created the space for honest conversations and strategic clarity — and the results have been transformative.”

The AGM offered a moment of reflection for the Fathom team, as mentors and founders shared their experiences of the journey so far. It was also a chance to acknowledge the wider support ecosystem that has accelerated Fathom’s growth, including ONE’s Entrepreneurship Programme at MIT Sloan School of Management, which McGowan attended earlier this year with ONE’s sponsorship.

Fathom Group extends sincere thanks to Jennifer Craw MBE, Jenifer Scott, and the ONE Tech Hub community for their continued dedication to building an environment where innovation, trust, and collaboration thrive.