Out of the UK, some of the most exciting and innovative tech and cyber companies are being nurtured and grown to global significance. Backed by government funding, the UK is currently creating its own exceptional pipeline of innovative talent.
Behind many of these companies is Plexal, the innovation and growth company that is solving society’s most pressing challenges through collaboration on technology with government, startups and industry. A significant part of Plexal’s work is running innovation programmes and accelerators, such as the UK’s largest cyber accelerator Cyber Runway, as well as AI security challenges and other initiatives that connect high-growth startups with government missions and global corporations. Many of the alumni of these programmes and accelerators have gone on to have significant success on a national and international scale. In fact, over the past 14 years, Plexal has contributed £731m to UK GDP, including the generation of over 9,400 jobs.
At the core of many of these initiatives lies a commitment to diversity and inclusion through action, including support, guidance, mentorship and sponsorship.
About the significance of diversity within Plexal’s programmes, Diane Gilbert, Senior Innovation Lead for Programmes at Plexal, said: “Plexal strengthens diversity in cyber by creating equitable pathways for founders and talent across the UK. Through programmes like Cyber Runway, which has welcomed over 300 companies and significantly increased female-led participation, we’re helping close opportunity gaps and ensuring innovative voices are represented.”
In 2026, Plexal are once again sponsoring The Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards, which are set to take place at The BT Tower, London, on the 26th February 2026. Nine of Plexal’s alumni were longlisted for the awards, with four making the final shortlist, including:
- Aurorah Smith, CEO of Guardian Compass
- Rachel Smith, Head of Operations at Sitehop
- Harriet Farlow, CEO and Founder of Mileva Security Labs
- Lucy Burnford, CEO and Founder of coc00n
Each of these women took part in Cyber Runway, the UK’s largest government-backed cyber accelerator, delivered by Plexal and funded by the Department for Science, Innovation & Technology (DSIT). The accelerator fast-tracks the growth of cyber entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups through tailored streams (like Launch, Grow, Scale and Ignite), offering mentoring, masterclasses, engineering support and investor connections, all without taking equity or IP. The programme aims to strengthen the UK cyber ecosystem, drive innovation, create jobs and improve resilience against modern cyber threats across sectors.
“A more diverse ecosystem fuels stronger ideas, more resilient security solutions and a healthier national innovation pipeline. Ultimately, this benefits the wider UK economy by accelerating inclusive growth alongside improving the nation’s collective cyber resilience,” Gilbert continued.
The Gurus reached out to a few of the Plexal-affiliated women who made this year’s shortlist.
Aurorah Smith, Founder Uncharted Brands, said: “I’m genuinely honoured to be nominated for the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards. I’ve loved building my career in the UK cybersecurity industry and being an active member of such a supportive, collaborative community. I’ve worked across the sector – from global cybersecurity roles and championing skills and career pathways; to UK focused managed security at OneAdvanced; as well as volunteering and supporting cyber start-ups.”
Aurorah is also Founder of Guardian Compass, who were selected among the 21 startups to join Cyber Runway Grow in November 2025. Guardian Compass delivers advanced cyber risk navigation tools, helping organisations map, monitor and mitigate threats across complex digital ecosystems by combining predictive analytics with real-time threat intelligence.
Smith continues: “Turning my focus to founding Guardian Compass has been the boldest and most meaningful step yet: a cybersecurity platform built to protect families, strengthen digital resilience, and safeguard childhood in an online world that isn’t built with children in mind.”
Harriet Farlow is CEO and Founder of Mileva Security Labs, who were accepted into the Plexal-led Cyber Runway programme last year. Mileva Security Labs focuses on AI security, supporting organisations to understand, manage and mitigate risks in advanced AI systems through robust security research, tooling and governance-driven approaches.
On her nomination, Harriet Farlow, CEO & Founder of Mileva Security Labs, said: “Building a cybersecurity start-up has involved an almost insurmountable amount of hard work – and that’s saying something, given I already expected it to be difficult. For many women, there are additional pressures to prioritise others over ourselves, which can make persisting in this space even harder. Being recognised for that effort not only encourages me to keep going, but I hope it also sends a signal to other women to pursue their ambitions fearlessly, even when the path feels daunting.”
Speaking about what it means to be nominated, Lucy Burnford, CEO and Founder of coc00n, said: “What a privilege! Being nominated for an award gives all of us nominees a boost and reminds us that our hard work and passion for what we do doesn’t go unnoticed. It is all the more flattering given the calibre of my fellow nominees and the judges. Thank you!”
coc00n, is an NCSC For Startups and Cyber Runway alumnus, which secures the personal devices of high-profile and high-risk individuals and their families against cyberattacks.
In 2024, Cyber Runway graduate Melissa Chambers, CEO and Co-Founder of Sitehop, won a Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Award. This year, Rachel Smith, Head of Operations at Sitehop, has been shortlisted for the award!
On her nomination, Rachel said: “If I’m honest, I’d rather be running up a windswept Yorkshire moor covered in mud than standing in the spotlight. But if this nomination does anything, I hope it shows that cyber isn’t just men, code, and headlines. It’s graft, late nights, tough calls, trusted partners, and teams who quietly get it done. Inspiration isn’t loud; it’s consistent. It’s showing up when it’s hard, and I’m fortunate to work alongside people who do that every day ❤️”
Sitehop is a UK-based cyber company and Cyber Runway graduate organisation that builds ultra-low-latency, hardware-enforced encryption solutions to secure data in motion across high-performance networks without slowing them down.
Reflecting on the awards, Diane Gilbert continues: “Initiatives like the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards are vital because they celebrate progress, elevate role models and help maintain momentum on representation in the sector.”
“Getting involved reinforces the importance of allyship and visibility, which encourages more women to enter and thrive within cyber. These events also spotlight the achievements shaping our industry’s future and inspire the wider ecosystem to build workplaces where diverse talent can innovate, grow and lead,” Gilbert concluded.
