Breaking the wall of bureaucracy
accelerating success for startups

I’m your on-call, in-house expert to help you turn government headwinds into tailwinds.

We start with clearing the blockers — where you’re struggling to navigate or work with government.

Then we work together to make government your ally.

All without the burden of a full-time salary or expensive agency retainers.

Whether you're navigating policy challenges, preparing for a high-stakes announcement, or building a long-term advocacy strategy, I’m here to help you punch above your weight.

What I do

  • Crafting narratives that resonate with politicians, bureaucrats and policy agendas is an entirely different kettle of fish to crafting a good pitch deck.

    I’ll help you pull out the things that are interesting about your venture and say it in a way that lands with the right people

  • I’ll help you identify the grants worth pursuing, help you build a killer application and help you stand out amongst the crowd of applicants. You bring the subject matter expertise, I bring the word-smithing.

    There’s also a wealth of non-financial public supports - infrastructure, testing facilities, showcase opportunities - that I can help you tap into.

  • New innovations are often at the mercy of regulators and policymakers - a critical gatekeeper that you can’t hurry or circumvent. Knowing how to deal with them can be the difference between getting to market or failing.

    I can help you build relationships, understand the process and engage effectively to help clear the way for your innovation.

  • Government affairs is usually a late-stage hire, with founders left doing the majority of the work (often without any experience). I help you to build a strong foundation amongst your team so they can handle the day-to-day, freeing you to focus on scale and success.

  • Staying across everything happening in government and the media that affects you is time-consuming and overwhelming - but you need to know if there are dangers or opportunities on the horizon.

    I use a variety of tools and insight to digest what’s important, how it could affect your business and, most importantly, simplify it so you can focus on what matters.

  • Sometimes it’s who you know, not what you know.

    I’ll help you find the right people in government and the public sector to answer questions, overcome hurdles and build profile.

About me

Hi there! I’m Nicholas. I was formerly Head of Government Affairs & Communications at Vow.

Before Vow, I spent almost ten years wearing a few different hats in Federal and State governments, most recently as the Chief of Staff to the NSW Deputy Opposition Leader before heading into the startup world (with a brief pause to become a dad).

Over the years, I’ve tackled a variety of policy topics, including agriculture, infrastructure, communications, social services, disability, and resources. I’m super passionate about breaking down the often confusing government processes. My goal is to help founders like you navigate the twists and turns of policy and regulation with confidence.

Nicholas Chilton

How I work

Two people at a table using laptops, one pointing at a screen, smartphone on the table.

Ad-hoc

Want a quick soundboard session to map out your government engagement strategies? Perhaps you want to give your team a crash course in grants or the politics surrounding a particular issue or sector? ​

Modern open-plan office with people collaborating around desks, featuring laptops and office decor.

Project & Campaigns

Need to go deep on a policy/regulatory issue, want to pull together a stellar grant application, or want to put the right systems and processes in place as you scale?

Person in dark jacket talking on a smartphone, with cityscape view through large window.

Ongoing

For those seeking peace of mind—whether monitoring policy changes or needing strategic counsel—a flexible ongoing arrangement is the ideal solution.

Let’s talk

An informal 30 minute chat to better understand your needs

Some of the teams I’ve worked with…