Smart city and mobility start-up, ANGOKA crowned UK’s Most Innovative Cyber SME at Infosecurity Europe 2023

Infosecurity Europe, ExCeL London, 22 June 2023: ANGOKA, a start-up specialising in securing machine to machine communication has been announced today as the winner of the UK’s Most Innovative Cyber SME 2023 contest. The annual competition saw ANGOKA presented live at the Innovation Showcase at Infosecurity Europe 2023, by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT), in partnership with Infosecurity Europe.

DSIT aims to bring together the five technologies of tomorrow – quantum, AI, engineering biology, semiconductors, and future telecoms – along with life sciences and green technologies, into one single department to deliver the priorities set out by the National Cyber Strategy 2022, helping to make the UK the safest place to live and work online and ensure the UK is a science and technology superpower.

Andrew Elliot, Deputy Director, DSIT, said “Cyber SMEs are the backbone of the UK sector, making up more than 90% of the companies in the country. They help drive innovation by bringing new products and services to the market, and that is why we are proud to sponsor this competition. Congratulations to this year’s winner ANGOKA, and all the finalists for making the final decision so tough.”

ANGOKA’s solutions for smart cities and smart mobility, heightening the cybersecurity and safety of connected devices, such as connected and autonomous vehicles have been recognised by both DSIT and Infosecurity Europe as meeting technology goals, seeing them awarded as the UK’s Most Innovative Cyber SME 2023.

In the four years since its founding, ANGOKA has grown rapidly, expanded internationally, with headquarters in Belfast, and offices in London and The Hague. ANGOKA has been awarded funding for a number of innovate UK funded ventures, including projects securing quantum communications (led by BT) and three drone projects under the Future of Flight Program.

ANGOKA is actively working to secure machine-to-machine communications and protect against the negative effects of IoT and Smart devices, which will safeguard critical communication integrity and data provenance, and create trusted connections, even over untrusted networks in areas including Critical National Infrastructure, Smart Cities, Smart Mobility, and Industry 4.0

“The UK has a brilliant and dynamic cyber sector and to be recognised by our peers is a great honour and truly humbling. The reality is that we’ve approached the important issue of IoT and machine to machine communication with a fresh perspective and a unique approach that’s flourishing despite us being a small fish swimming against the shoal. We’ve got something different, and the judges recognised our innovation and the future of ANGOKA. This recognition will help us continue on our upward trajectory”, said Paul, Ellis, Business Development Manager, ANGOKA.

The future viability of smart cities and mobility is dependent on the cybersecurity measures that will be implemented to protect citizens and infrastructure against potentially dangerous cyberattacks. ANGOKA’s technology is directly applicable across IoT such as smart cities enabling the sustainability goals that are associated with smart technology, such as decreased carbon output and improved transport.

Now in its eighth year, the prestigious contest open to micro, small and medium cybersecurity businesses registered in the UK saw 14 of the UK’s most creative and original information security businesses shortlisted and competing for the title. The 13 finalists alongside ANGOKA were: 

• Contxt - monitors API traffic and al00erts businesses to personal data traversing their APIs.
• Crypto Quantique - IoT security - combining cryptography and quantum physics to develop security products that drive end-to-end security and unlock scalability for IoT networks.
• Cytix - a cloud vulnerability management platform and cluster of dedicated pentesters to help you identify & resolve vulnerabilities.
• eCora - a programmable money platform for stablecoin and CBDC.
• Fact360 - Insider Threat, Financial Crime and Compliance Anomaly Detection Monitoring and Investigation solution.
• Goldilock-  patented platform that utilises secure non-internet communications to keep your sensitive digital assets physically segregated from any network
• Highground.io - A Cyber Security Solution for everybody, regardless of skillset, to feel empowered in their security experience in reaching Cyber Resilience.
• IDEE Limited - AuthN by IDEE enables people, organisations, and systems to quickly, privately, securely, and safely use the worlds-first 100% passwordless and 100% phish-proof identification, authentication, and authorisation solution.
• Lupovis - Lupovis provide proactive security by deploying deception assets inside and outside your network.
• Safeshark - backed by BSI, provides the only independent certification for new IoT cyber security standards.
• Sitehop - a technology company creating innovative solutions for cyber-security and networking utilising its custom FPGA solutions to optimise and accelerate cloud/telco networks.
• WCKD RZR - end-to-end data enablement solution to instantly access and dynamically govern any data asset.
• Vistalworks Limited - reduce financial, social and human costs of illicit trade by supporting public bodies and industry in their efforts to detect, inform and enforce the legislation flouted by online illicit traders

Nicole Mills, Exhibition Director at Infosecurity Group, comments: “This competition is a highlight of the event and an opportunity to spotlight innovation and provide a launch pad for up and coming cybersecurity start-ups. We’ve seen past winners really thrive and go on to achieve great things, growing exponentially and receiving funding to continue their growth. ANGOKA are a prime example of a company keeping pace with an evolving industry and spotting opportunities to innovate and meet industry demands.”

The contest, which is judged by a panel of cybersecurity experts saw ANGOKA not only presented with the DSIT acclamation but received a feature piece in Infosecurity Magazine. All finalists also received an event stand, showcase speaking slots and a marketing package for 2023.

ANGOKA joins an impressive list of past winners including TryHackMe, CAPSLOCK (2021), Hack the Box (2019), KETS Quantum Security (2018), Check Recipient (now trading as Tessian) (2017), Device Authority (2016) and Geolang (2015).

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