That Gloucestershire’s ambition is to become the ‘cyber capital of the UK’ is well publicised. Less well known are some of the many exciting young tech businesses already here in the county and making that dream a reality.
As part of SoGlos’s #CyberGlos campaign celebrating the sector here in Gloucestershire we have compiled a list of some of those up and coming tech companies (in no particular order).
Special thanks go to Cheltenham-based business networking group CyNam and the town’s workspace for firms from the tech sector, Hub8 for helping us put the list together.
About the sponsors
Charles Russell Speechlys’ Cheltenham office advises regional, national and international clients ranging from multinational listed companies, government organisations, limited companies and partnerships to entrepreneurs, private individuals and their families and its dedicated technology team includes experts on data protection and cyber security.
Salus Cyber is a certified provider of world-class cybersecurity services, based in Cheltenham. It helps clients identify and manage their cyber risks proactively and effectively and is the cybersecurity partner of choice for industry-leading organisations throughout the UK and Europe.
The University of Gloucestershire is an integral part of the county’s cyber community. It was the first institution in the country to offer cyber security degree apprenticeships, and it has undergraduate and postgraduate programmes are helping to develop specialists in this field.
1. Gemba Advantage
Gemba Advantage describes itself as ‘making high-impact software that is secure, scalable and sustainable’. In short, software that makes a difference to businesses. Its partners include the government and the National Crime Agency.
2. Aquilai
Aquilai is ‘an anti-phishing provider with machine learning and natural language processing technology that stops all targeted email attacks’. It was recently acquired by Egress, another security business, that described Aquilai as a ‘NCSC accelerator company’ – referring to its links to the GCHQ-owned government-run National Cyber Security Centre.
3. Immersive Labs
Immersive Labs is ‘the world’s first fully interactive, gamified and on-demand cyber skills platform’. Its ‘challenge-based skills content is developed by experts and derived from world-class threat intelligence’ and its tools allow you to visualise the cyber capability of your workforce, evaluate risk and align skills to your security strategy all on one platform and hone your skills.
4. Savient
Savient says its mission is ‘to find and deliver solutions using software technology, so your business can work faster and more efficiently, while meeting emerging opportunities… we work closely with you applying our creative, intuitive and adaptive thinking to deliver technology that works the way your business thinks’.
5. North Tower Consulting
According to the firm it is ‘your trusted partner in delivering mission critical service solutions, providing professional delivery management, development and support, systems engineering, information assurance, service management and cloud solutions’.
6. Bitweave
Bitweave specialises in secure software engineering, data science, and analysis for the cyber security industry. It helps organisations and businesses use their data to optimise their cyber security operations and protect themselves from cyber threats.
7. Trust Stamp
Trust Stamp is all about helping your business mitigate fraud, retain customers, and reach a broader base of users worldwide with AI-powered identity solutions at the intersection of biometrics, privacy, and cybersecurity.
8. Synack
Headquartered in Silicon Valley, California, and now with a base in Cheltenham. Co-founders Jay Kaplan and Mark Kuhr launched their careers with the NSA and US Department of Defense as technical security experts protecting the country from both kinetic and cyber attacks. The firm offers ‘comprehensive penetration testing with actionable results. Continuous security scaled by the world’s most skilled ethical hackers and AI technology.’
9. Synalogik
The Tewkesbury-based business describes itself as a team of OSint, data processing and automation experts from across the intelligence, law enforcement and investigation industries, united by one vision; to revolutionise the automation of targeted data collection and analysis, allowing organisations to make smarter decisions. Clients range from insurance firms to the likes of Fujitsu, from law firms like Harrison Clarke Rickerbys to Telefonica and Aston University.
10. Blacksmiths
Blacksmiths is a team of human, digital and physical security specialists who will develop your business’s capability to tackle security challenges and defend against complex threats. The firm provides consultancy and develops technologies to solve problems. Its teams are highly experienced technical and security experts with skills acquired in UK government and industry.
11. ReformIT
If you want a simple to understand, but sophisticated solution to your business’s cyber security concerns, Cheltenham’s ReformIT is capturing a growing market of firms from all sectors looking to put their IT in the hands of a business which can manage all its software, hardware, updates, cyber-attacks, and even training – all under one roof.
12. Infosec People
Infosec is a Cheltenham born and bred boutique cyber security and technology recruitment consultancy, built by industry experts. Founded with one goal in mind – to inspire people to find the careers that inspire them – it understands that ‘the success of companies is fundamentally driven by the quality of their people’.
13. Amiosec
Amiosec specialises in the design and development of secure solutions for government and commercial organisations. It is one of only two firms listed not located in Cheltenham. The Tewkesbury-based business provides a range of next generation advanced mobile and remote access solutions that provide secure mobile communications across public networks. Its products ‘are simple to configure, easy to use’.
14. RipJar
This Eagle Tower-headquartered firm describes itself as ‘countering global money laundering, terrorism, and criminal network’. In September 2020 it successfully raised nearly £30 million of funding as it doubled in size through the pandemic. And it’s not finished yet.
This article is part of SoGlos’s #CyberGlos campaign, supported by Salus Cyber, Charles Russell Speechlys and the University of Gloucestershire, to champion cyber-related business stories in Gloucestershire. Visit soglos.com/cyberglos for more information.
By Andrew Merrell
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