“Winning trust, and making powerful connections”

In October 2017, Chris Wallis found himself with his laptop on his lap aboard a crowded Megabus, speeding down the M40 towards Cheltenham.

He was en route to engage with technical experts from the NCSC, having been selected to participate in their initiative designed for startup organizations. Chris’s startup, Intruder, was still in its infancy, prompting him to conserve funds by opting for bus travel over train and staying at a friend’s shed instead of investing in hotel accommodations.

The funding he received from the program was crucial, aimed at propelling his business and hiring his first Chief Technical Officer. These initial sacrifices have borne fruit; Intruder, an online vulnerability scanner that identifies cyber security weaknesses within an organization’s digital framework, has expanded into a team of 31 with over 2,500 clients worldwide, raising £1.2 million in Seed investment since its graduation from the NCSC’s program in 2018.

How did the NCSC scheme support Intruder?

Chris established Intruder to enable organizations to spend less time identifying threats. Two years post-launch, it had a modest team of two and twelve paying clients. As he contemplated building an accessible platform for the SME sector, the NCSC announced that ‘protecting SMEs’ would be the focus of its upcoming program, confirming to Chris that his startup was on the right trajectory.

“We believed it was a significant issue to tackle, and when the NCSC recognized it as such, it encouraged us to deepen our commitment to that market,” he notes. “Everything seemed to align perfectly. Without the NCSC posing that challenge, I doubt we would have prioritized SMEs.”

The funding from the program was instrumental in enabling Intruder to hire a pivotal team member. “This investment allowed us to recruit our CTO, a position we otherwise wouldn’t have been able to afford. His expertise transitioned us into a product-driven company rather than a consultancy, marking a significant turning point for us.”

In addition to funding and market insights, the NCSC facilitated introductions to potential clients and granted access to specialists from the defense sector. “As a nascent startup, this support helped us establish trust and forge meaningful connections,” Chris explains.

Even after the program concluded, Chris remains engaged in a community chat group where alumni exchange advice and share challenges, something he believes likely wouldn’t have emerged without the program. “There’s a genuine camaraderie among cybersecurity founders, and people are eager to dedicate time to assist one another,” he shares.

What lies ahead for Intruder?

When Intruder joined the NCSC Startups programme, it boasted approximately twelve clients. Four years post-graduation, the team is proud to serve around 2,500 clients globally and is experiencing rapid growth, particularly in the US. Chris attributes this expansion partly to Intruder’s strategy of maintaining focus—avoiding distractions or excessive pivots with their lean team. “We’ve consistently improved upon our existing offerings rather than continually adding new products,” he states.

Intruder aims to continue its global expansion by leveraging its growing team to enhance product capabilities, aspiring to become the leading platform for vulnerability management.

For those interested in connecting with industry cyber security experts and the NCSC, applications are still open for the NCSC For Startups 2022 intake. More information and application details can be found on the website, or you can reach out via email at ncscforstartups@plexal.com.