About Backed by Humans

Business team collaborating with laptops and documents

Backed by Humans was founded in 2025 by Scott and James. The company was built on the belief that while larger corporations have the resources and budgets to implement AI and automation, many small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) do not.

This felt unfair and over time is expected to leave many SMEs behind. However, with AI and the expertise of the Backed by Humans team, this imbalance can be addressed to powerful ends.

People are often what make your business stand out. Whether it is a charismatic sales rep or a passionate tradesperson, these individuals are what help your business to win and succeed. Backed by Humans believes that AI will be a great disruptor to the business world. But if embraced correctly, it can unlock your team to focus more on the skilled work they were hired and love to do.

By keeping humans at the centre of your company and by using human insight to deploy AI responsibly, this key differentiator will help drive growth and success in the years ahead.

Our Leadership Team

Scott McDonald

Co-founder ▪ Chief Technology Officer

With a background in Information Science and Psychology, Scott has always been fascinated by the intersection of human behaviour and technology. This dual focus has defined his twenty year career as an IT consultant, where he has led the delivery of complex projects for major international firms and public institutions. His experience spans the UK Government and NHS, global banking (RBS and Close Brothers), and the media sector (ITV and SiDonald).

James Kelly

Co-founder ▪ Managing Partner

James began his career in Mechanical Engineering, where he learned the importance of delivering high quality products designed with the people who use them in mind. He carried this foundation into a career across various industries including Telecoms, Finance, Technology and Retail. His experience spans across business sizes, from supporting retail shops (PRS and Ryman) to large multinationals (Vodafone, Samsung, EE and Boeing).

Start with a free initial assessment

We can help you identify the right opportunities and next steps. Get in touch for a free initial assessment and let's explore what could work for your business.

Enquire today