Ankur Shah

London, UK

I'm a tinkerer at heart.

I've been lucky enough to play with lots of innovations in markets as they form. From the earliest days of the internet to social media to the current surge in generative AI, I've been able to tinker, build and experiment, and every so often stumble onto success.

My journey's taken me from the criminal courts of London to conflict zones in Rwanda and Kosovo, working under the UNHCR and HH the Dalai Lama. I've built and sold various companies, including Techlightenment (acquired by Experian) and Mahabis, a DTC shoe company that sold over 1m pairs across 100 countries in just 4 years.

I now tend to split my time between advising fast-growth companies (hands-on as well as helping with the bigger picture) and getting my hands dirty with my own projects. I've worked with blue-chip clients like Vodafone, Sony, and GSK, but I'm as likely to be found tinkering with new innovations and seeing what they can be applied to.

I enjoy thinking and building. And helping others along the way. Get in touch if I can help or you just want to chat.

Stuff I've done:

Mahabis (acquired by investors)

Founder

Mahabis was a leading DTC shoe company, we sold over 1m pairs of slippers in a little over 4 years. The company had sales across 100 countries and was sold to a group of investors in 2019. The company won a number of industry awards and pioneered a number of features of a new approach to ecommerce.

Techlightenment (acquired in 2011 by Experian)

Co-Founder

Techlightenment was a social media advertising company that was acquired by Experian in 2011. The company was one of the first Facebook Marketing Partners and worked with some of the largest brands in the world. We created some of the leading marketing apps of the time and also the first scalable micro-targeting advertising technology for FB and social ads.

Criminal Barrister, 23 Essex Street

Barrister

I started my career as a criminal barrister in London. A double scholar of the Inner Temple, I briefly practiced in London at a leading criminal chambers.