Chairman and CEO of ESM. Technology company founder. Experienced in company start up and scale up. Disposal of company and IP assets. More than 15 years’ experience as a private investor and latterly formed ESM Investments Ltd to provide a vehicle to invest as a collective. Negotiated and exited 3 different private limited companies over 15 years. Spends lots of time speaking with and helping founders and Exec teams of fast growing companies.
Served a craft apprenticeship, studied mechanical engineering, quality management and finance at Falkirk College of Technology, now Forth Valley College.
Enjoyed an early career at AMEC, ICS and TRADA, before founding his first company – ETV Interactive Ltd.
Based at Logie Court, Stirling University Innovation Park, ETV designed and built a single-cable digital TV and IPTV system for the global hospitality industry: enabling customers to offer hotel guests digital TV, digital radio, digital video and digital music on demand, and integrated wired and WiFi broadband, TV internet and email services, and business-centre solutions — all delivered over one wire and billed centrally. ETV also delivered digital content from studios globally including Hollywood. The ETV solution served hotels across Europe, Asia-Pacific and Latin America.
On 5 September 2007, ETV Interactive was acquired by iBAHN, a global provider of broadband services to business travellers. The deal had first been previewed at the HITEC tradeshow in Orlando that June.
Steven stayed on through the transition, remaining a director until 2011.
“Over the last nine years ETV Interactive has been building a blend of cutting-edge technology and feature functionality to provide hotel guests with an unrivalled digital entertainment suite.”
ESM Investments was incorporated in Stirling in 2011. ESM was capitalised by Steven to commence with a plan to find and invest in technology companies located in the UK. The ESM membership started with fewer than 5 active investors at this time.
In July 2011, TS3 Services Ltd, an Edinburgh company ESM backed as an investor, was sold to Point International Group.
Steven currently chairs several early-growth stage technology companies in the UK, alongside his role as Chairman and CEO of ESM Investments.
Founded in Edinburgh in 2006; sold to Point International Group in July 2011. ESM reports the sale returned 10× to investors.
Members first invested in mid-2016. In early 2021, members sold part of their shareholding in a refinancing round ahead of Maven Capital Partners’ investment, returning 4.6× on the shares sold (3.2× before tax relief). The remaining shares were lost when Adimo entered Creditors’ Voluntary Liquidation in November 2025.