Helping Scientific Companies Move from R&D to Robust Product Delivery

I help scientific instrumentation and deeptech companies turn promising R&D into robust, manufacturable products.

My background is in leading multidisciplinary R&D teams delivering complex products across hardware, software, systems, optics, automation, applications, and consumables. Most recently, I led a 35-person R&D organisation, managed multiple concurrent programmes, supported manufacturing transfer, and improved manufacturing yield for a consumables product line from 40% to 95% FPY.

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Best fit companies

Scientific instrumentation companies
Deeptech and life-science spin-outs
Teams moving from prototype toward productisation
Companies preparing for manufacturing transfer or customer scale-up
Founders who need senior R&D leadership without hiring full-time

Where I help

When product development is progressing, but delivery still feels fragile

When hardware, software, science, and operations are not aligned

When milestones are slipping and technical risks are not clear enough

When a team is preparing for manufacturing transfer or customer delivery

When Factory or Site Acceptance Testing is not yet robust enough

When installation, service, or reliability issues are feeding back too slowly

Services

Scale-up Diagnostic

Best for: founder-led or scaling teams that need an external view on what is slowing delivery.

Review of product and programme status
Assessment of technical and delivery risks
Review of team structure and ways of working
Clear priorities for the next milestone

Output: concise findings, priority risks, and a practical 90-day action plan.

Industrialisation and Delivery Readiness Review

Best for: teams moving from development into manufacturing, customer delivery, or broader operational readiness.

Review of product maturity and key integration risks
Assessment of manufacturing and supplier readiness
Review of Factory and Site Acceptance Testing
Review of handover from R&D to Operations and Service
Examination of installation and service issues seen at customer sites

Output: readiness assessment, recommended actions, and a practical plan to improve reliability, manufacturing transfer, acceptance testing, and field performance.

Fractional VP R&D / Engineering Leadership

Best for: companies that need experienced technical leadership but are not yet ready to hire full-time.

Product and programme leadership
Milestone planning and execution
Cross-functional alignment across R&D, Operations, Product, and Commercial teams
Technical risk management and prioritisation
Reporting for founders, leadership teams, and boards

Why work with me

Multidisciplinary R&D leadership

Led a 35-person R&D organisation across hardware, software, optics, systems, applications, and consumables. Managed multiple concurrent programmes and a budget of more than $7M.

Industrialisation and delivery

Worked across supplier readiness, acceptance testing, and handover from R&D to Operations and Service. Also led transfer of a new major product platform to outsourced manufacturing.

Practical improvement

Improved manufacturing yield for a consumables product line from 40% to 95% FPY.
Directed a critical customer programme across engineering, manufacturing, quality, service, commercial, and logistics, contributing to follow-on revenue.

How I work

I focus on practical, high-value support rather than generic advisory work. That means getting up to speed quickly, identifying the key risks, and helping teams move more confidently from development to reliable delivery.

Engagement options: fixed-fee diagnostics and reviews, monthly retainers for fractional leadership, or short-term support for programme recovery, transition, or scale-up planning.

Contact

Lewis Carney
Oxfordshire, UK
hello@lewiscarney.com
LinkedIn profile

If you are preparing for scale-up, industrialisation, or a key product milestone, get in touch.