I build companies, and I help the people who run them.
Thirty years in science and technology. Twenty-four of them building med tech products and the teams behind them. The last six as an advisor and investor in Auckland and on the Gold Coast. Right now that means COO at UV Sentry, strategic advisor to Dennisson Technologies, and coach to leaders in high-impact, high-risk situations through Captaincy, with a book in between.
I like building companies. I also like what happens to people when they're given a real job and backed to do it. That's why I do both, the commercial work and the coaching. They aren't two careers. They're the same thing.
The hats
A lot of them.
Operating
COOUV Sentry
Water decontamination at the point of use, with software telemetry built in. It makes drinking water safe.
Former COODennisson Technologies
I ran operations, then stepped across to advise.
Advising and investing
Strategic advisorDennisson Technologies
Light-powered artificial muscles for humanoid robots, wearables and medical devices.
MentorStartmate
Mentored HeySTU in the Winter '25 cohort and CheckGen in Summer '26.
InvestorStartups
I put my own money where my advice is.
Coaching
Founder and coachCaptaincy
One-to-one coaching for leaders in high-impact, high-risk situations, built on the Captaincy Framework.
Businesses
DirectorPrivate Practice Specialists
Medical education for UK surgeons building a private practice.
DirectorWeber & Associates
A property investment company.
Writing
AuthorCaptaincy: Reclaim Control of Life and Work
Published 30 September 2026. Chapters from it sit here.
The book
Captaincy
Reclaim Control of Life and Work
A practical guide to leading yourself and making better decisions, so you're in command of your career and your life. It's written for people who give too much and feel stuck. It challenges how you think and asks you to take ownership.
Get the eBookPaperback and Kindle on Amazon
The eBook is sold on captaincy.ai and delivered by email straight away.
Writing
Chapters from Captaincy: Reclaim Control of Life and Work sit here, along with other pieces as I write them. If you read something and think I've got it wrong, tell me.
- What is Captaincy?Captains lead from inside the game, not from the sidelines. That's the whole idea, and it applies to a life as much as to a team.
- Personal RulesA rule lets you decide once for something you'll face a thousand times. The quiet tool that does the most work.
- Captaincy of AIIf we don't captain AI, it will captain us. What staying at the wheel looks like when the tools are this good.
Reach me directly.
No form, no booking link. Email me and I'll reply myself.
Or copy it: michael.blackhurst@jtj-services.com