Out of the UK, among the most enjoyable and revolutionary tech and cyber firms are being nurtured and grown to world significance. Backed by authorities funding, the UK is presently creating its personal distinctive pipeline of revolutionary expertise.
Behind many of those firms is Plexal, the innovation and progress firm that’s fixing society’s most urgent challenges by way of collaboration on know-how with authorities, startups and trade. A major a part of Plexal’s work is operating innovation programmes and accelerators, such because the UK’s largest cyber accelerator Cyber Runway, in addition to AI safety challenges and different initiatives that join high-growth startups with authorities missions and world companies. Most of the alumni of those programmes and accelerators have gone on to have vital success on a nationwide and worldwide scale. In reality, over the previous 14 years, Plexal has contributed £731m to UK GDP, together with the era of over 9,400 jobs.
On the core of many of those initiatives lies a dedication to range and inclusion by way of motion, together with assist, steering, mentorship and sponsorship.
Concerning the significance of range inside Plexal’s programmes, Diane Gilbert, Senior Innovation Lead for Programmes at Plexal, stated: “Plexal strengthens range in cyber by creating equitable pathways for founders and expertise throughout the UK. By means of programmes like Cyber Runway, which has welcomed over 300 firms and considerably elevated female-led participation, we’re serving to shut alternative gaps and guaranteeing revolutionary voices are represented.”
In 2026, Plexal are as soon as once more sponsoring The Most Inspiring Ladies in Cyber Awards, that are set to happen at The BT Tower, London, on the twenty sixth February 2026. 9 of Plexal’s alumni had been longlisted for the awards, with 4 making the closing shortlist, together with:
- Aurorah Smith, CEO of Guardian Compass
- Rachel Smith, Head of Operations at Sitehop
- Harriet Farlow, CEO and Founding father of Mileva Safety Labs
- Lucy Burnford, CEO and Founding father of Coc00n
Every of those ladies took half in Cyber Runway, the UK’s largest government-backed cyber accelerator, delivered by Plexal and funded by the Division for Science, Innovation & Know-how (DSIT). The accelerator fast-tracks the expansion of cyber entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups by way of tailor-made streams (like Launch, Develop, Scale and Ignite), providing mentoring, masterclasses, engineering assist and investor connections, all with out taking fairness or IP. The programme goals to strengthen the UK cyber ecosystem, drive innovation, create jobs and enhance resilience in opposition to trendy cyber threats throughout sectors.
“A extra various ecosystem fuels stronger concepts, extra resilient safety options and a more healthy nationwide innovation pipeline. In the end, this advantages the broader UK financial system by accelerating inclusive progress alongside bettering the nation’s collective cyber resilience,” Gilbert continued.
The Gurus reached out to some of the Plexal-affiliated ladies who made this yr’s shortlist.
Aurorah Smith, Founder Uncharted Manufacturers, stated: “I’m genuinely honoured to be nominated for the Most Inspiring Ladies in Cyber Awards. I’ve liked constructing my profession within the UK cybersecurity trade and being an energetic member of such a supportive, collaborative group. I’ve labored throughout the sector – from world cybersecurity roles and championing abilities and profession pathways; to UK targeted managed safety at OneAdvanced; in addition to volunteering and supporting cyber start-ups.”
Aurorah can also be Founding father of Guardian Compass, who had been chosen among the many 21 startups to affix Cyber Runway Develop in November 2025. Guardian Compass delivers superior cyber threat navigation instruments, serving to organisations map, monitor and mitigate threats throughout advanced digital ecosystems by combining predictive analytics with real-time menace intelligence.
Smith continues: “Turning my focus to founding Guardian Compass has been the boldest and most significant step but: a cybersecurity platform constructed to guard households, strengthen digital resilience, and safeguard childhood in a web-based world that isn’t constructed with youngsters in thoughts.”
Harriet Farlow is CEO and Founding father of Mileva Safety Labs, who had been accepted into the Plexal-led Cyber Runway programme final yr. Mileva Safety Labs focuses on AI safety, supporting organisations to grasp, handle and mitigate dangers in superior AI programs by way of sturdy safety analysis, tooling and governance-driven approaches.
On her nomination, Harriet Farlow, CEO & Founding father of Mileva Safety Labs, stated: “Constructing a cybersecurity start-up has concerned an virtually insurmountable quantity of arduous work – and that’s saying one thing, given I already anticipated it to be troublesome. For a lot of ladies, there are extra pressures to prioritise others over ourselves, which may make persisting on this area even more durable. Being recognised for that effort not solely encourages me to maintain going, however I hope it additionally sends a sign to different ladies to pursue their ambitions fearlessly, even when the trail feels daunting.”
Talking about what it means to be nominated, Lucy Burnford, CEO and Founding father of coc00n, stated: “What a privilege! Being nominated for an award provides all of us nominees a lift and reminds us that our arduous work and fervour for what we do doesn’t go unnoticed. It’s all the extra flattering given the calibre of my fellow nominees and the judges. Thanks!”
Coc00n, is an NCSC For Startups and Cyber Runway alumnus, which secures the non-public gadgets of high-profile and high-risk people and their households in opposition to cyberattacks.
In 2024, Cyber Runway graduate Melissa Chambers, CEO and Co-Founding father of Sitehop, gained a Most Inspiring Ladies in Cyber Award. This yr, Rachel Smith, Head of Operations at Sitehop, has been shortlisted for the award!
On her nomination, Rachel stated: “If I’m sincere, I’d relatively be operating up a windswept Yorkshire moor coated in mud than standing within the highlight. But when this nomination does something, I hope it exhibits that cyber isn’t simply males, code, and headlines. It’s graft, late nights, powerful calls, trusted companions, and groups who quietly get it completed. Inspiration isn’t loud; it’s constant. It’s displaying up when it’s arduous, and I’m lucky to work alongside individuals who try this each day ”
Sitehop is a UK-based cyber firm and Cyber Runway graduate organisation that builds ultra-low-latency, hardware-enforced encryption options to safe knowledge in movement throughout high-performance networks with out slowing them down.
Reflecting on the awards, Diane Gilbert continues: “Initiatives just like the Most Inspiring Ladies in Cyber Awards are important as a result of they have fun progress, elevate position fashions and assist preserve momentum on illustration within the sector.”
“Getting concerned reinforces the significance of allyship and visibility, which inspires extra ladies to enter and thrive inside cyber. These occasions additionally highlight the achievements shaping our trade’s future and encourage the broader ecosystem to construct workplaces the place various expertise can innovate, develop and lead,” Gilbert concluded.
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