Five cybersecurity innovators have been chosen to work with the U.K.’s technical experts to address some of the most prevalent threats facing the nation.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) – a part of GCHQ – and Plexal, the innovation company, have announced the first companies to join the recently launched NCSC For Startups initiative.
The program welcomes startups at all stages of maturity; from those developing a Minimum Viable Product (MVP), to those with established cybersecurity solutions looking to expand into new markets and pilot technology. NCSC For Startups is the successor to the NCSC Cyber Accelerator, a program which helped more than 40 tech companies raise over £100m in external investment.
The first five companies offer a range of solutions to issues including cyber fraud and ransomware:
- PORGiESOFT – an edtech startup using AI to develop cyber fraud detection for enterprise employees
- Exalens – equipping SME manufacturers with an inexpensive threat detection service
- Enclave – helping organizations effortlessly create Zero Trust overlay networks
- Meterian – SaaS provider platform that builds a scalable and sustainable line of defense for apps that use open source software
- Rebellion Defence – using AI to defend national security systems against threats like ransomware
The chosen companies will receive direct support from Plexal’s cyber innovation team and leading experts from the NCSC and GCHQ. Startups will also gain access to wider technical and commercial opportunities with Plexal’s industry partners across the U.K.’s cyber security ecosystem. Startups will keep all intellectual property and equity created during the program.
NCSC for Startups is a collaboration between the NCSC and Plexal, the innovation company. The program will be supported by Deloitte, CyNam, which brings Cheltenham’s cyber community together, Cheltenham-based coworking space Hub8 and tech skills provider QA.
