Despite growing up on a farm in rural Leicestershire, Joe Johnson has always wanted to be part of the team championing a brand new technology. Here, he talks about being dazzled by the bright lights of advertising, exploring NFTs and cryptocurrency, and the thrill of driving around race tracks.
*'I'm still as excited as I was on day one.'*
**Hi Joe! Where are you from?**
I'm from Leicestershire in the UK. I grew up on a 600-acre family farm run by my dad and uncle. We had chickens and cattle, and I had a good period raising ducks and selling them to local restaurants and pubs — but quickly found it wasn't for me.
**What did you want to be growing up?**
I was very into advertising when I was growing up. The 1980s and 90s was a bit of a golden era — I fancied being involved in creating the next clever print or TV ad for Nike or Porsche or Rolex. Now the obsession with data and targeting has fundamentally changed the industry.
**Where did you go to university?**
I went to Leeds to do a joint honours in communications with philosophy. I was able to cherry pick the ethics and morals modules in philosophy alongside developing a foundational knowledge of visual culture and practical skills around filmmaking and web development. I co-founded an ethnographic market research company while there — ProperGander — working with big brands such as Red Bull, Stella Artois, and Unilever for about four years.
**How did your career develop after that?**
After winding up ProperGander, I landed an ad agency role in Shoreditch. I quickly found the sector a bit lacking in depth — helping build FMCG brands to flog fizzy drinks to kids didn't seem like a great long-term plan. I then got a job in business development for an agricultural biofuels company — an exciting idea turning vegetable oil into biodiesel for aviation — but the founders ended up under investigation for fraud. So that ended very suddenly.
Fast forward a few years and I worked for an innovation consultancy and launched a digital agency to help contemporary artists explore the then-emerging world of NFTs. We worked with Bill Woodrow RA on his exhibition for the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition in 2023. Another side project was becoming a fully qualified civil and commercial mediator — I mediated and settled the UK's first cryptocurrency dispute.
**How did you hear about TG0?**
I was looking for a change and found the role on Wellfound. When I first saw the technology, I couldn't believe what I was seeing. For many years I'd wanted to be part of the team championing a brand new technology, but good ones are very hard to find. Once I'd met the team and understood the target markets, I was totally hooked. I've been here 18 months now and I'm still as excited as I was on day one.
**Tell me about your role as Head of Innovation Programs?**
I sit within the commercial team and my role is focused on growing the business — assessing where our technology can be applied, then working with innovative companies to bring that to life. My core sectors are automotive and sport, and I'm also exploring aviation, agriculture, and other industries where sensing technology can make a meaningful difference.
**What do you do outside work?**
I love driving fast cars around race tracks. There's something very liberating about it. I've also been getting more into golf lately. Living in London, the opportunity to spend time outdoors doing something active is really valuable.
