Ian Forrester, CEO and founder of creative data provider DAIVID, chats to SME Today about why he decided to start the London-based company, the challenges he has faced along the way and his plans for international growth.
Can you walk us through your career journey and what led to founding DAIVID?
I spent over 20 years working with global brands on their advertising strategies, including time at ad tech platform Unruly, where I led the Insights team. That’s really where the idea for DAIVID started to take shape.
We were doing a lot of work around how emotion drives advertising effectiveness, but the process relied heavily on human panels. It was slow, expensive and difficult to scale. At the same time, it was clear that creative was the biggest driver of ad success, yet most campaigns were still going out untested.
The idea I had was to use AI to predict how people will respond to creative. It would make the process faster, more cost-effective and more scalable. The challenge was that the technology wasn’t quite there yet.
I started building it as a side project while I was at my next company Whalar, with their support. Then, in 2021, we secured our first major global client, EssenceMediacom. That was the turning point. It gave me the confidence to raise seed funding and go all in on DAIVID.
How would you describe DAIVID at this stage of its journey?
We’re at an exciting stage where the vision is really starting to translate into tangible impact. Our AI models are trained on tens of millions of human responses, allowing us to measure both emotional and business effectiveness of ads in real time.
What that means in practice is that advertisers can now evaluate every piece of creative they produce, rather than just a small sample. That’s becoming increasingly important as generative AI drives a huge increase in content output. We’re already working with major brands and partners, and building a team with deep experience across advertising and technology.
Have there been any major challenges along the way?
Like most startups, it’s been a rollercoaster of emotions. Winning clients like EssenceMediacom and Snapchat has been hugely rewarding, particularly when you’re up against much larger, better-funded competitors.
At the same time, there are real operational challenges. Cash flow is always something you have to manage carefully, and there can be technical dependencies, like APIs, that are outside your control but still impact your product.
The biggest difference is how personal it feels. When it’s your business, you carry everything with you. The wins feel bigger, but the setbacks hit harder. Over time, you learn resilience and perspective, but the emotions that founders feel are very different to those of an employee.
What is a typical day like for you?
I start early, around 4:30am, which gives me time to exercise, walk the dogs and meditate. After that, it’s family time, getting the kids ready and doing the nursery run. I’m usually at my desk by 9am.
From there, no two days are the same. I move between client calls, internal meetings and working with our engineering team on product development. There’s always problem-solving involved, whether technical or commercial. I also spend a lot of time with my co-founder Barney on strategy. That variety is one of the most engaging parts of running a business.
What are the biggest challenges of being an entrepreneur?
One of the biggest challenges is competing against large, well-funded incumbents with strong brand recognition. Breaking through that noise, especially early on, can be difficult.
You’re also constantly working with limited resources, small teams, tight budgets and no safety net. That means you have to be highly focused, efficient and creative in how you operate. At the same time, that constraint becomes a strength. It forces you to be agile, innovative and willing to challenge established ways of doing things. You don’t have the luxury of complacency, which ultimately drives better thinking and faster progress.
What’s your definition of success?
Success, for me, is about consistently hitting the goals we’ve set. We have a clear five-year roadmap, with defined milestones around growth, product development and market expansion.
It’s not about a single moment, but about steady progress towards that vision. If we’re meeting our targets and moving closer to the exit we’re working towards, that’s success.
Breaking those long-term goals into annual objectives keeps the team focused and aligned. Ultimately, it’s about building a business that delivers both commercial outcomes and long-term value.
What’s your most satisfying entrepreneurial moment so far?
One standout moment has been our work with Boots and CreativeX, where we demonstrated a strong correlation between our AI-driven data and real-world business outcomes. That kind of validation is incredibly powerful because it’s grounded in rigorous data analysis. You can’t argue with it. After years of building and refining the product, seeing that level of proof was hugely rewarding. It not only validates the technology, but also reinforces confidence among clients and partners. Moments like that make the challenges worthwhile and show that the vision is translating into real impact.
What are your daily habits for connecting with your team?
We stay closely connected through Slack, which allows for constant communication throughout the day. Alongside that, we have structured touchpoints: weekly team meetings and regular one-to-ones with key team members.
We also make an effort to connect in person where possible, whether that’s at events, team socials or industry moments like Cannes. Those interactions help strengthen relationships and build team spirit beyond just work.
How do you keep your team motivated?
Motivation comes from clarity and recognition. We regularly share the company vision and keep everyone updated on progress, so people understand how their work contributes to the bigger picture.
We also celebrate wins and recognise individual and team contributions. Making sure people feel seen and valued has a big impact on morale. It’s about creating an environment where people understand the mission and feel their role matters.
What is your approach to company culture?
Culture is central to what we’re building at DAIVID, shaped by three core values.
First, Blaze A Trail: We think like pioneers, embracing bold ideas and a test-and-learn mindset. People are encouraged to try new things without fear of failure, unlike many large organisations where risk-taking is discouraged.
Second, Trust and Embolden: Everyone is encouraged to speak openly, share feedback and challenge ideas, knowing it comes from a good place and won’t lead to exclusion.
Finally, Be The Rock: This is about accountability. If you commit to something, you deliver. We avoid empty promises and delays, ensuring reliability and respect for others’ time and work.
How do you plan on growing your business?
Our growth strategy is focused on multiple areas. We’re launching new products, expanding into new markets and evolving beyond ad creative into broader content analysis.
We’re also making our technology accessible to SMEs and influencers, which is a large and underserved market. International expansion is another key priority, we’ve already launched in Brazil, Turkey and Japan, and are exploring further global partnerships. The goal is to scale quickly while maintaining the quality of what we offer.