In the heart of London, amidst the bustling streets and sleek office towers, a quiet revolution is underway; Passion Labs, a young AI research and development laboratory, is reshaping the way businesses think about artificial intelligence. The results are turning heads. From AI-augmented music discovery to AI-powered structural engineering, this ambitious startup is proving that AI is not just a buzzword; it’s a tool for tangible, transformative change.
A Global Team With a Local Pulse
Tom, the CEO of Passion Labs, sits in the Venture X White City office, reflecting on the past fourteen months of rapid growth. “We’ve gone from one person – me – to a team of eight in just over a year,” he says, the excitement in his voice palpable. “We’re international by design. Our commercial team is here in London, but our technical brains are in Spain and Greece. People are flying in and out constantly, but it works brilliantly. Within a six-mile radius, we can generate millions in turnover. That kind of agility is rare, even in a global city.”
The lab’s international setup isn’t just about logistics; it’s about culture, collaboration, and diversity of thought. Tom’s team is made up of PhD research scientists and machine learning engineers, who bring decades of combined experience to the table. “We’ve deliberately surrounded ourselves with the best minds in the field. We never cut corners. Passion is the baseline,” Tom explains. “Some of the projects we tackle are incredibly complex, and it’s the quality of our team that allows us to deliver solutions that genuinely make an impact.”
From Music Discovery to Structural Engineering
What makes Passion Labs stand out is their ability to translate AI into real-world business solutions. Take the example of a record label that was struggling to identify emerging artists. Their teams spent countless hours scrolling through TikTok, Instagram, and Spotify, trying to find new talent. “They asked us if there was a better way,” Tom recalls. “So we built an AI-based crawling agent that could surface up and coming artists, analyse social engagement and comments, and highlight the ones likely to go viral. It saved masses of time, expanded their reach, and uncovered talent they’d never have found otherwise.”
But the possibilities don’t stop at music. Structural engineers, for instance, spend weeks converting architectural drawings into 3D models to design buildings safely and efficiently. Passion Labs has developed a tool that drastically reduces that time, automating the analysis of beams, columns, and glass placements – all while ensuring precision. “Time is one resource we can never get back,” says Tom. “AI allows us to optimise it, creating efficiencies that ripple through an entire business.”
Building a Profitable Business From Day One
Tom’s entrepreneurial journey began long before Passion Labs. Having run wellness and CPG businesses, including a CBD brand, he understood the pitfalls of product-focused ventures. “I’ve been in businesses that lost money for long stretches,” he says. “With Passion Labs, we were determined to be profitable from day one.”
This approach is rare in the tech world, especially among AI startups. Tom and his co-founder, Dr Kroher, deliberately avoided committing to a single product at first. “AI evolves so rapidly that a product can be out of date almost immediately,” Tom explains. “We spent the first year understanding how the technology would evolve. That’s allowed us to stay ahead of the market and remain flexible, building systems for different industries and learning new methods along the way.”
A Philosophy Rooted in People, Data, and Fun
Tom credits the company’s rapid success to three key pillars: people, numbers, and enjoyment. “People are the most crucial element in any business. Surround yourself with great people, and the rest falls into place,” he says. “Next, numbers matter. You need to understand your pipeline, analytics, cash flow, and what drives your business. And finally, you need to have fun. Running a business can be challenging – there are sleepless nights and hard decisions – but if you’re not motivated and enjoying the journey, you’re doing the wrong thing.”
This philosophy extends to how the lab approaches AI itself. “We’re not selling AI; we’re selling efficiency and growth,” Tom says. “When we worked in CBD, we weren’t selling the product – we were selling sleep, relaxation, and wellbeing. In AI, we’re providing tools that let businesses achieve things they couldn’t do before. That’s the true value.”
Understanding the Broader AI Landscape
Despite the recent explosion of interest in generative AI, Tom emphasises that AI is far from new. “Artificial intelligence has been studied since the 1950s, beginning with Alan Turing and John McCarthy,” he explains. “It’s evolved incrementally over decades – from Deep Blue in the 1990s to Alexa, AlphaGo, and beyond. What we’re seeing now is a convergence: transformer architectures, large-scale data, and computing power coming together to create generative AI. But this is the tip of the iceberg. The blue ocean of opportunity in AI is enormous.”
Tom points out that AI has been transforming daily life in ways most people haven’t noticed. “From optimising delivery logistics to predicting demand in e-commerce, AI is embedded everywhere. But the real opportunity is in solving previously intractable problems – problems that businesses didn’t even know could be solved until now.”
Opportunities, Challenges, and the Future of Work
AI is generating excitement, but also concern. Many worry about job displacement and ethical issues. Tom acknowledges the risks but remains optimistic. “Yes, there will be disruption. Jobs will change. But AI is also the greatest force amplifier for human ability we’ve ever seen. It will create new roles, unlock creativity, and allow humans to focus on higher-value work.”
He’s clear about the limits of the current technology. “These systems are powerful but still machines. We’re not yet at artificial general intelligence, where machines autonomously improve themselves. Responsible AI and safe practices are critical, and we’re committed to that.”
Tom also highlights AI’s potential to transform healthcare, education, and climate science. “Imagine hyper-personalised medicine, customised education for each learning style, and faster breakthroughs in fusion energy or climate solutions. The possibilities are staggering. It’s the fourth industrial revolution, and humans and machines working together will unlock potential we’ve never seen before.”
The Work Environment That Inspires Innovation
Even the workspace reflects Passion Labs’ philosophy. Located near Westfield in London, the office combines modern amenities with natural light and open spaces designed to encourage collaboration. “Shared spaces breed creativity,” Tom says. “Being around other companies, meeting people, and having access to great facilities makes a real difference.” The environment is as much a tool for innovation as the AI they develop.
Looking Ahead: Scaling and Licensing AI Solutions
What’s next for Passion Labs? Expansion. The team plans to raise capital in 2026 and scale into verticals and managed services. “We’ve already built tools in areas like agriculture and adtech that we can license to multiple clients,” Tom explains. “It’s about solving fundamental problems, not just launching a single product. Each solution can be adapted and licensed to create broad impact.”
Tom’s vision is ambitious but measured. “We don’t chase every opportunity. We focus on projects that align with our mission and can deliver real impact. It’s about quality over quantity, solving meaningful problems, and enabling our clients to achieve more than they thought possible.”
Lessons for Entrepreneurs and the Future of AI
Tom’s story is a roadmap for modern entrepreneurship. Prioritise people, understand your data, and enjoy the journey. Build with flexibility in mind, and never underestimate the value of solving real problems. AI is not just a technological frontier – it’s a tool to amplify human potential, a catalyst for creativity, and a driver of efficiency across industries.
For Passion Labs, the journey has only just begun. With a talented team, a flexible approach, and a vision rooted in real-world impact, the London-based lab is poised to shape the future of AI, and the way humans and machines work together.
Passion Labs exemplifies the power of intelligent, human-centred innovation. By marrying technical excellence with commercial savvy, Tom and his team are demonstrating that AI is more than hype, it’s a practical, transformative force.
Whether it’s discovering the next musical sensation, optimising complex engineering workflows, or licensing breakthrough AI solutions across sectors, Passion Labs is making AI tangible, useful, and, ultimately, human.
