In 2005 Claire founded a sustainable e-commerce company which became the largest in its sector in Europe and was later acquired by a technology investor. Claire began her career as a chartered accountant with Arthur Andersen and after her exit she returned to finance as the COO for a London based impact investment bank that helped tech for good startups raise angel and seed stage capital. During this time, Claire was inspired to support the growth of the ecosystem in the North of England and had the privilege to launch a government initiative called Tech North, that went on to become part of Tech Nation. Since then she has been involved in a number of projects focused on building communities and networks for founders and innovators.