CyberSmart

High-Level Overview

CyberSmart is a London-based cybersecurity platform founded in 2016 that delivers all-in-one solutions for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), including continuous compliance monitoring, vulnerability scanning, cybersecurity training, and insurance.[1][2][4][5] It serves SMEs and managed IT providers by addressing cyber threats through products like Active Protect, which scans devices, users, and applications while enforcing policies and training to protect people, processes, and technology—reducing cyber risk by 80-99% without needing in-house experts or expensive tools.[1][4][5][7] The company has raised $25.4M in funding, including a £5.5M Series A led by IQ Capital, fueling growth to over 7,000 global customers with reported revenue of $5.3M.[2][4]

Origin Story

CyberSmart emerged in 2016 (some sources note 2017 origins from a GCHQ accelerator) when CEO Jamie Akhtar and a team of security experts identified a gap: SMEs lacked accessible cybersecurity amid rising threats.[1][2][7] Headquartered at 68 Hanbury Street in London's Shoreditch, the company started by building scalable tools for compliance certifications like Cyber Essentials Plus and IASME, evolving from basic risk assessments to a full-suite platform.[1][4][7] Early traction came from its cost-effective, auditor-free certification process—often a third the price of consultants—leading to rapid adoption and funding rounds that expanded its reach worldwide.[2][7]

Core Differentiators

• All-in-One Platform: Combines real-time vulnerability scanning (devices, users, apps), automated policy enforcement, staff training, and free cyber insurance with certifications, eliminating spreadsheets, RMMs, or MDMs for simplified compliance.[1][4][5][7]
• SME-Focused Ease: Deploys without physical audits or experts; provides one-click visibility into device status, proactive fixes in minutes, and UK-specific standards like GDPR readiness—users report massive time savings and 80-99% risk reduction.[5][7]
• Cost and Speed Advantages: Far cheaper than traditional consultancies; enables quick government-backed certifications and continuous monitoring, with proactive remediation over reactive phone calls or reboots.[7]
• Proven Scale: Trusted by 7,000+ businesses globally, backed by FCA regulation and IASME licensing, with a Shoreditch culture emphasizing innovation, teamwork, and employee ownership.[4]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

CyberSmart rides the exploding SME cybersecurity demand, driven by regulations like GDPR, Cyber Essentials, and rising ransomware—SMEs face 43% of attacks but often lack resources.[1][4][7] Its timing aligns with post-pandemic remote work vulnerabilities and supply chain risks, making affordable, scalable defense critical as managed IT providers bundle its tools.[1][2][4] By democratizing enterprise-grade protection (e.g., GCHQ-inspired tech), it influences the ecosystem by boosting SME resilience, enabling faster certifications, and reducing barriers for non-tech firms in finance, law, and IoT—ultimately shrinking the cyberattack surface for larger economies.[1][5][7]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

CyberSmart is poised for accelerated growth through international expansion and deeper AI-driven threat detection, leveraging its £5.5M Series A to target underserved SMEs amid escalating global cyber regulations.[2][4] Trends like zero-trust adoption and mandatory compliance (e.g., evolving NIS2 directives) will propel it, potentially evolving from UK leader to global standard-setter with enhanced partner ecosystems. As threats intensify, its "complete cyber confidence" model positions it to safeguard more assets, tying back to its core promise: empowering SMEs without the complexity.