A Chat with Chelsea Chamberlin, Chief Technology Officer at Roc Technologies and AI35 Judge….

Tell us about yourself

I am the Chief Technology Officer at Roc Technologies, meaning I lead our Solutions and Technical strategy, supported by a fantastic team of subject matter experts and service leaders. My focus is on ensuring continual innovation and building deliberate and focussed partnerships, which drive outcome based value for our customers.

My background includes designing and delivering software and networking solutions within mission critical environments. Having previously worked in the Defence and Aviation industries.
Outside of work I am a green belt in Kick-boxing and mentor to young women paving careers in tech. I am passionate about the accessibility of our industry to those from less advantaged backgrounds – the power in diversity cannot be underestimated!

Tell us about your company

Roc Technologies is a Digital and IT Transformation and Managed Services solutions provider. We have a heritage in delivering complex networks and cloud services within the UKs most secure and highly governed environments – meaning we organically operate a secure by default approach to any service or solution we provide. More recently we have launched our Cyber Services offering, which includes a 24x7x365 Security Operations Centre, accredited to the highest standards, and ‘Coria’ our Software Product House which aims to solve real problems through the application of technology, empowering people through intelligent automation.

Our ambition is to make emerging technology, Cyber security, and digital advancement consumable and available across the UK, ultimately having a positive impact on our commercial, skills, and digital economies.

What advice do you have for companies entering the AITech 2025?

Don’t stress about having all the answers right away. Some of the best tech out there was built and improved in public, with plenty of trial and error along the way. For me, innovation isn’t about being perfect from the start—it’s about being open, iterative and willing to learn as you go. That’s especially true when it comes to letting your users be part of the journey – use their feedback in anger!

Tech moves fast, and staying flexible is key. The real wins come from experimenting, being willing to fail fast in order to get it right for the long term

How do you suggest entrants should stand out from the crowd?

To stand out, focus on the real-world problem you’re solving, not just the tech behind it. Cool tech is great, but for me what really grabs attention is how it makes a difference to the people using it – and their stakeholders too. Show that you’ve listened to user feedback and adapted your solution based on real needs.

That proves your idea works in the real world, not just on paper. If your idea clearly delivers value or solves something meaningful, that’s what people remember. When you’re confident in the impact of your solution, pitching it becomes a lot easier—it speaks for itself. Evidence the outcome, not just the innovation, and you’ll naturally stand out from the crowd.