Case Study: Silent Waves
The senior commercial hire that changed the growth plan
Silent Waves was preparing to make an early commercial hire focused on developing relationships with research institutions and academia.
Recognition One was not retained to fill that position at the time. However, through our relationship with the business and our knowledge of its commercial ambitions, we were aware of the planned hire.
We believed there was an opportunity to think beyond the immediate requirement.
Rather than introducing another junior business development profile, we proactively presented Jon Yates, an established quantum computing commercial leader with the experience, network and credibility to help Silent Waves shape its entire go-to-market strategy.
The result was a fractional Chief Revenue Officer appointment that accelerated the company's commercial development, created an eight-figure pipeline and contributed to significant contracted revenue.
The original plan
Like many early-stage quantum companies, Silent Waves had reached the point where founder-led sales needed additional support.
The business was considering a relatively junior commercial hire who could:
Develop relationships with universities and research institutes
Generate early-stage opportunities
Support the founders with business development
Build awareness within the research community
This was a sensible hire for an immediate need, but Recognition One could see that Silent Waves also had a much larger commercial opportunity.
Before hiring someone to execute a sales strategy, the company could benefit from an experienced leader capable of helping define that strategy.
A rare profile in quantum computing
Recognition One had built a relationship with Jon while he was General Manager for EMEA at D-Wave Computing.
Through our network, we became aware that he could be open to the right opportunity.
Jon represented an exceptionally rare profile within the quantum ecosystem. He combined:
Senior commercial leadership experience
A track record of selling highly complex quantum technology
Experience closing major, multi-million-dollar contracts
An established network across the global quantum industry
The ability to operate as both a strategic leader and a hands-on salesperson
Experience moving businesses beyond founder-led sales
The capability to build and lead a future commercial team
Very few people globally had successfully sold quantum computing solutions at this level.
Although Jon was significantly more senior than the person Silent Waves had originally envisaged hiring, we believed his experience could materially accelerate the company's progress.
Looking beyond the immediate brief
Recognition One was not working on the junior vacancy and had not been asked to present candidates for it.
We introduced Jon proactively because we believed the right senior commercial leader could create substantially more value than a conventional junior hire at that stage of Silent Waves' development.
The distinction was important.
A junior business developer could help generate activity within a defined market. Jon could help Silent Waves determine:
Which markets to prioritise
Which accounts represented the greatest commercial potential
How to communicate the company's value proposition
How to structure and forecast the pipeline
How to engage senior decision-makers across the quantum ecosystem
How to turn founder-led selling into a more repeatable commercial approach
His network was also closely aligned with Silent Waves' longer-term ambition to work with major quantum computing and technology organisations.
The challenge
Silent Waves recognised the potential value Jon could bring, but initially did not believe that hiring someone of his seniority on a full-time basis would be financially realistic.
The challenge was not the quality of the match.
It was finding a structure that gave Silent Waves access to Jon's experience while remaining appropriate for the company's stage and resources.
The fractional solution
A fractional Chief Revenue Officer model provided the answer.
Jon joined Silent Waves through:
01An initial six-month engagement
02A commitment of 20 hours per week
03A contractor arrangement
04An option to extend for a further three months
05The potential to convert into a permanent, full-time role
This allowed Silent Waves to access proven senior commercial leadership without immediately committing to the cost of a full-time CRO.
It also allowed both sides to validate the relationship through measurable commercial impact.
The impact
Within approximately six months, Jon created an eight-figure commercial pipeline.
His contribution went far beyond introducing potential customers.
He helped Silent Waves:
Refine its go-to-market strategy
Strengthen its commercial messaging
Improve pipeline forecasting
Focus on the highest-value target accounts
Open conversations with major organisations across the quantum ecosystem
Develop commercial and strategic partnerships
Build a stronger foundation for future fundraising and international growth
Prepare for the development of a broader commercial team
Silent Waves identified a focused group of priority prospects and progressed several into meaningful commercial relationships.
Jon also helped convert opportunity into significant contracted business. While the precise revenue figures remain confidential, the commercial results materially exceeded what would normally have been expected from the more junior appointment initially being considered.
Results at a glance
Fractional CRO appointed
Access to senior commercial leadership without an immediate full-time commitment.
20 hours per week
A structure aligned with Silent Waves' stage and resources.
Eight-figure pipeline created
Generated within approximately six months.
Significant contracted revenue
Commercial success that materially exceeded the original expectations for the role.
Go-to-market strategy strengthened
Including positioning, forecasting, account prioritisation and enterprise engagement.
Full-time offer made
At the time of the original discussion, Silent Waves had offered Jon a permanent role, subject to final paperwork and internal process.
From proactive introduction to long-term partnership
The placement demonstrated the value of looking beyond the most obvious hiring solution.
Silent Waves initially expected to add a junior commercial profile. Recognition One introduced a proven quantum revenue leader who could shape the strategy, open high-level relationships and establish the environment in which future commercial hires could succeed.
Following Jon's impact, Silent Waves returned to the original requirement for someone focused on developing research and academia opportunities.
This time, the person would join a more mature commercial structure, operating under experienced revenue leadership and with a clearer market strategy already in place.
Recognition One was subsequently invited to support Silent Waves with that search, extending the relationship into an ongoing recruitment partnership.
Why the fractional model worked
For many early-stage deep-tech companies, the choice is not simply between hiring a junior salesperson or a full-time CRO.
A fractional model can provide access to senior experience at a point when the business may not yet be ready to make a permanent executive appointment.
In Silent Waves' case, the model provided:
Immediate commercial leadership
Access to an established industry network
A stronger and more focused go-to-market strategy
Senior-level customer and partner engagement
Evidence of commercial traction before a full-time commitment
A foundation upon which to build the wider sales team
The structure reduced the initial financial risk without limiting the potential impact.
About Silent Waves
Silent Waves is an ambitious quantum technology company building advanced solutions for the next generation of the quantum ecosystem.
Operating at the intersection of highly complex science, engineering and commercial application, the company is helping address some of the critical challenges involved in turning quantum innovation into scalable, real-world technology.
Silent Waves combines deep technical expertise with a clear commercial vision. Its team is building relationships with leading organisations across the global quantum industry while developing the partnerships, capabilities and market position required to become an important contributor to the sector's continued growth.
The company's willingness to think differently about commercial leadership also reflects its broader approach. Silent Waves is prepared to challenge conventional assumptions, bring exceptional people into the business and invest in the expertise required to move quickly.
Recognition One is proud to support Silent Waves as it continues to build its team, strengthen its commercial organisation and expand its impact across the quantum ecosystem.
