Two soldiers in full tactical gear using a laptop during a field operation, coordinating laser intelligence data in a forest environment.

WHO WE ARE

EXECUTIVE TEAM

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DR CHRIS BURGESS

CEO & CO-FOUNDER

Chris, CEO and co‑founder of Sentinel, leads strategy for a 19‑person team. He has raised £2.5M+ and secured £1.5M+ in sales. Formerly at Dstl, he holds a PhD from Cranfield and an MPhys from Oxford.

Professional headshot of a business leader in a suit, smiling against a neutral grey background.

SEAN TIPPER

CTO & CO-FOUNDER

Sean leads scientific strategy. He is co‑inventor of core patents and has 10 years’ experience in defence photonics. He holds an MPhys from Liverpool and is completing a PhD at Exeter.

Professional headshot of a business leader in a suit, smiling against a neutral grey background.

JACKSON WHITE

CHIEF COMMERCIAL OFFICER

Jackson directs strategy and product monetisation for a growing team. With 30+ years in military and industry, he has supported UKSF operations and earned a Cyber Security degree.

MISSION

To revolutionise laser detection and protection systems that shield defence and security personnel from evolving laser threats, turning battlefield vulnerabilities into tactical superiority through breakthrough British engineering and innovation.

VISION

To be the global leader in laser threat mitigation technology, creating a world where every service member, security professional, and critical asset is protected by our advanced detection and protection systems, ensuring mission success and safe returns home.

VALUES

Protection
We prioritize impactful decisions to maximize product reach, save lives, and protect against laser threats.

Precision
We pursue technical excellence, proud of our products’ quality shaped by 20+ years of MOD experience and their impact for customers.

Respect
We act with honour and integrity, proud of our practices and committed to influencing Defence & Security collaborations.

PARTNERS

Our commitment to protecting lives extends globally through trusted partners, and we actively seek new alliances that meet our military-grade standards.

World map showing Sentinel Photonics’ global presence with partner countries highlighted in red across North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania.

Sentinel Partner in Region

OUR JOURNEY

2025

First commercial sales of LASERD® MAX; successful trial of next-gen laser protection.First commercial sales of LASERD® MAX; successful trial of next-gen laser protection.

2024

First commercial sales of LASERD® MICRO; DASA funding secured for next-gen laser protection.

2023

Largest team expansion yet, growing to 12 employees.

2022

First commercial sales of FROST®; seed round funding completed.

2021

Second founder Chris Burgess joins as CEO; innovation fund secured for LASERD® MAX.

2020

First founder, Sean Tipper, joins as CTO, 1st & 2nd DASA contracts secured for LASERD® sensor development.

2019

MOD & Dstl IP secured, spin-out company launched.

Why did we sign the Armed Forces Covenant?

Sentinel Photonics Ltd signed the Armed Forces covenant on Monday 19th September 2022, why did we sign this voluntary pledge and what does it mean to us?

The Armed Forces Covenant is a voluntary pledge that outlines the moral obligation between the nation, the government, and the armed forces, as well as the support and recognition owed to current and former members of the armed forces community, including their families.

We started Sentinel Photonics with the sole reason to save lives and make a difference not just in Defence but the civil market too. Our products work first time, every time and we pride ourselves on knowing when the user is being targeted by a hostile laser threat, we can give them time to make life saving decisions.

This is our pledge:

  1. Employment support to members of the Armed Forces Community.
  2. We will support Reservists by offering them additional days of annual leave (paid/unpaid) in order to carry out their duties.
  3. We will offer work placements and guaranteed interview schemes to Veterans seeking employment.
  4. We will support the employment of Service spouses, partners and dependants.
  5. We are registered with Forces Families Jobs we will offer short notice leave to those whose partners are sent on deployment.
  6. We will work with relevant charities and the Career Transition Partnership to offer work opportunities to the Wounded, Injured and Sick.
  7. We will consider ways in which remote-working solutions might benefit the mobile Armed Forces Community, especially partners and spouses.
  8. Promoting the Armed Forces: We will promote the Armed Forces Covenant, the Defence Employer Recognition Scheme and our support for the Armed Forces Community to our staff, customers, supply chains and the wider public.
  9. We will use the covenant scheme logo in our communications and marketing.
  10. We will engage with local Armed Forces presence including local Army units, reservist units, RAF stations and naval bases.

It’s worth noting that signing the covenant is only the first step; the real value lies in implementing our pledge and taking practical actions to support the armed forces community effectively.

Sentinel Photonics will work towards creating an inclusive and supportive environment that addresses the specific needs of military personnel, veterans, and their families.

www.armedforcescovenant.gov.uk

WE ARE COMMITTED TO THE HIGHEST STANDARDS OF ETHICAL CONDUCT

We know this is critical for our success because it builds trust and transparency between us and our key stakeholders. At Sentinel Photonics, honour and integrity are our most prized possessions and are underpin our approach to ethics and reputation. This forms the foundation of how we do business and manifests itself in everything we do, our relationships with customers, industry partners, and shareholders.  We take our responsibilities seriously.

We work hard to understand the impact we have on the environment and strive to incorporate social responsibility and environmental excellence by incorporating measurable targets to track progress.

We encourage a diverse and inclusive employee base where each person feels respected and able to fulfil their potential.   We believe we operate at our best when all our employees are empowered to bring their whole selves to work every day and most importantly have fun. We also ensure, in policy and practice, that a safe and healthy working environment is provided for all employees.

QUALITY POLICY

Here at Sentinel Photonics, we pride ourselves on the commitment we make to not only meet, but exceed, the requirements of our customers and stakeholders.  Through our employees Sentinel Photonics leverages decades of experience in developing and implementing quality management systems to meet the exacting needs and standards for our customers.

Sentinel Photonics’ commitment to quality can be found through our quality policy which has been developed to ensure that all our customers receive the highest state of the art products and services.

ACCREDITATION

We have successfully achieved the important milestone of being awarded the international UKAS ISO 9001 accreditation for our Quality Management System.

ISO 9001 is a globally recognised standard for Quality Management Systems, and this achievement reflects our dedication to delivering the best products and services to our valued customers. Sentinel Photonics has in place all the necessary expertise and processes to provide our customers with the confidence that we will deliver to the highest standards on every objective.