Cyber-security start-ups refine their value propositions at Cyber ASAP mid-programme review
Twenty-six projects refined their value propositions at the CyberASAP mid-programme review on 30th April and 1st May 2019.
The Cyber Security Academic Startup Accelerator Programme (CyberASAP), funded by Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) in collaboration with Innovate UK and  KTN, helps academics in UK universities commercialise their cyber security ideas. The programme has been hugely valuable for the teams that took part in years 1 and 2 and has helped academics turn their cybersecurity ideas into viable products and businesses.
The CyberASAP mid-term review on 30th April and 1st May 2019 helped the 26 projects participating in year 3 refine their value propositions.
On day one each of the participants were given the opportunity to pitch their value propositions to a panel of external cyber-security experts and answer questions on their offering. They were set the challenge of delivering an elevator pitch in a very short period of time in a way which left the audience interested and wanting to know more without swamping them with too much information. The panel gave frank and honest feedback to allow the participants to refine their value propositions for the future.
On day two the participants were able to benefit from hearing case studies from companies who are well established on their commercialisation journey. Dave Palmer, Director of Technology at DarkTrace, talked about coping with success. Since being founded in 2013 by mathematicians from the University of Cambridge and government cyber intelligence experts in the US and the UK, Darktrace has become recognised today as the world’s leading AI company for cyber security. A CyberASAP alumni, Alastair Donaldson (Founder & Director of GraphicsFuzz) talked about their journey from start-up to being acquired by Google in 2018. Stilianos Vidalis & Jeeta Aulak (Directors of CrypTier) Рalso CyberASAP alumni Рare now seeking investment to spinout from the University of Hertfordshire.
Participants were also able to benefit from hearing from Talal Rajab (Head of Programme, Cyber and National Security at techUK) who talked about why now is the time to start-up a cyber company. Talal introduced the Cyber Exchange, a focal point for UK organisations connected with, or with an interest in, cyber security, helping them to connect, engage and collaborate.
The event was rounded off by a session led by Emma Fadlon (Knowledge Transfer Manager, Access to Funding and Finance) looking forwards to the value propositions selection panel, and an opportunity for participants to hold 1-2-1 meetings with Emma Fadlon and Robin Kennedy (Knowledge Transfer Manager, Cyber Security, Personal Data and Trust).
If you’d like to know more about the CyberASAP programme please contact Robin Kennedy or Emma Fadlon.
You can also follow us on Twitter @CyberASAP.