Great ecosystems aren’t built – they are cultivated. James Murray, the Accelerator Manager at Janus Allies
At IoT Tribe, we believe Europe’s competitive advantage lies in practical, hard-tech innovation. We lead a consortium of partners to deliver Janus, an accelerator and ecosystem for pioneering companies developing dual-use technologies that strengthen defence capabilities while driving commercial innovation and cross-sector value creation.
This initiative is delivered in partnership with the Defence and Security Accelerator (DASA), alongside SETsquared Partnership and Atmos Ventures. James Murray, from the SETsquared Partnership, is the Janus Accelerator Manager, part of the team delivering the NATO DIANA and DASA supported programmes.
In an era where “innovation” is often reduced to buzzwords and speed trumps substance, James Murray stands apart, not by scaling headlines, but by scaling outcomes. His style represents a deep, deliberate commitment to founder-first ecosystems, grounded in experience and shaped by impact.
Building from first principles
James’ entrepreneurial mindset wasn’t learned from books, it was forged in action. “I was lucky enough to exit my businesses,” he shares. “That experience completely changed how I saw the world. It gave me a sense of self-reliance I hadn’t really felt before and made me realise how powerful entrepreneurship can be for individuals and communities.”
That insight became the foundation for a career spent transforming how innovation is taught and supported. At Oxford, he led the Oxford Seed Fund, scaling it into the largest student-run venture fund in Europe. At Falmouth, he embedded a venture studio within a university to revitalise an entire regional economy. Across Dundee, Cardiff and Saïd Business School, he embedded a philosophy of pace: “The quicker you spin the innovation flywheel, the sooner you’ll know if you’re onto something or not.”
And that’s the lens he’s now brought to Janus.
A human framework for innovation
James doesn’t champion innovation for innovation’s sake. His approach is grounded, rigorous and unglamorous, in the best way possible. “At every institution I’ve worked with, I’ve encouraged founders to move quickly, test their ideas in the real world and act on feedback.” His guidance is clear: theory helps, but it doesn’t build resilience. Only practice does.
He is also deeply pragmatic about leadership in venture-building: “It’s about staying calm under pressure and being decent to the people around you. Those I admire most don’t need to shout to be heard. They set the tone, the cadence, celebrate wins, especially the small ones and make sure everyone knows they’re part of something bigger.”
Innovation at the pace of relevance
In a world where the threats are increasingly hybrid, the response must be dual-use. “There’s no room for rough prototypes that might fail in the field,” he explains. “That’s why I really value Professor Fiona Murray’s framing of dual-use not as a category but as a strategy. It allows us to tap into the speed of commercial innovation while still building towards the standards defence demands.”
James understands that dual-use innovation is not just about crossing sectors, it is about aligning incentives. That’s what makes his leadership especially relevant: he creates environments where commercial ambition and national security are not in conflict but in conversation. “It still comes down to team–market–fit and the ability to act fast and learn even faster.”
A global perspective, a local touch
Having worked across regions and sectors, from launching forestry-tech drones in Southeast Asia and Australia to mentoring space-tech ventures now raising millions, James has seen firsthand the breadth of what innovation can look like. And yet, his philosophy remains consistent: “Most businesses globally are SMEs, not every venture has to become a unicorn to be successful. The founder building a great local coffee shop deserves as much credit and support as someone building the next big deep tech company.”
At Janus, this perspective ensures that support is not just technically relevant, but personally resonant. Founders get practical momentum, not empty praise. Partners see follow-through, not fanfare.
And perhaps most importantly, ecosystems grow, because someone is paying attention to the roots, not just the canopy.
What comes next
As the UK positions itself to lead in next generation defence innovation, there is no shortage of talent, capital or research. But ecosystems don’t align themselves. That work requires leadership, grounded, experienced and willing to challenge assumptions.
James goal at Janus is clear: “Getting the programme delivered at pace and to a world-class standard is key for me. But beyond that, I want to see our teams getting picked up by end-users, raising capital, attracting talent and becoming serious employers.”
But perhaps the most telling insight comes when asked what excites him most about this work: “It’s a rare chance to make a real contribution to something that matters – helping shape the future of the NATO alliance and supporting technologies that could save lives. That’s a big motivator.”
It shows. In the structure of the programme. In the tone of the team. In the momentum of the startups. And in the way James leads, not by stepping into the spotlight, but by building the stage for others to shine.
Shaping Europe’s next wave of frontier technologies
Join Janus as a subject matter expert and lend your cross-sector experience to guide our cohort.
Get in touch to find out how: https://www.iottribe.org/contact-us/
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