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Den y Dreigiau – Getting to Know Cufflink.io

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A first-of-its-kind hybrid event matching some of the most exciting start-ups and small businesses in north Wales with investors looking for their next big deal, Business News Wales are joining forces with Menai Science Park, GlobalWelsh and other for Den y Dreigiau – a major Angel and Seed-funding Pitching event.

Eight companies developing forward-thinking solutions in a range of vital sectors from health to artificial intelligence to marine biology and much more will be pitching for between £300k-£1.5M to investors and investor groups from across the UK and beyond, including the Development Bank of Wales, the GlobalWelsh investment network, GS Verde Investment Network and more.

Cufflink.io are one of the pitching companies. Read on to find out more about their company and their aspirations for the event.

Who are Cufflink and what does your business do?

Cufflink makes companies more secure, more compliant, and more trusted.

Every 19 seconds a company in the UK is successfully hacked with just under half involving personal data. Companies are now spending more time and money protecting themselves from the risks and impacts of a data breach.

Cufflink’s unique combination of cutting-edge encryption and decentralised (or Blockchain) Technologies distributes the personal data and licenses its access, so you’ll always know exactly who is accessing what and from where.

We help companies limit the likelihood and impacts of cyber security attacks, simplifying regulatory compliance and enhancing consumer trust.

When was Cufflink founded and what have been your major milestones so far?

Data breaches are unfortunately becoming far more commonplace, putting pressure on companies to understand their digital footprints, whilst also degrading the trust in them as the continued guardians of their customers personal data.

Having spent several years working for large multinational financial and governmental organisations, co-founders Billy Williams and Boris Grekov saw first-hand how personal data was increasing in both value and importance.

So, they quit their jobs and setup the company in October 2018 to try and solve it, securing two Innovate UK SMART grants and further pre-seed equity-based funding from their business angels and the Development Bank of Wales.

Cufflink has since grown to be a team of 10, filed two Intellectual Property and a global PCT claims, and won “Cyber Startup of the year” at the Wales Startup Awards 2020.

The free Cufflink App is now available on the App Stores, and we have also begun piloting our Software as a service offering (SaaS) with several Welsh commercial, academic, and governmental organisations.

As a business owner, why did you decide to establish your business in Wales?

As a proud Welsh speaker, and Anglesey native, Billy Williams based the company out of the M-SParc offices specifically to bring highly skilled and highly paid job opportunities to the North Wales region, retaining local talent and harnessing the brightest and best from local Universities.

What about M-SParc attracted you to become a tenant there?

M-SParc has provided us with the ideal environment to grow and develop our team by leveraging their existing network and community which have in turn provided collaborative opportunities and business know how to help us on our startup journey.

Where do you see Cufflink in five years’ time?

We want the company to be a global force when it comes to data security and privacy.

Our vision is to ensure that Wales is at the forefront of a global cyber security marketplace, delivering highly skilled opportunities for the region and helping people and companies alike to be safer and wiser when it comes to their digital lives.

Explain what being involved in Den y Dreigiau means for you and your business?

We’re really looking forward to pitching at the event and see it as the perfect opportunity to reach out to a wider and global audience, not only helping us on our funding journey but also opening new collaborative and business opportunities.

What do you hope to achieve from the event and what support will you be looking for?

We would hope to create some interest and connections with the wider VC and investors networks with a view to bolstering our existing investment round and starting conversations.

If you were successful in securing support at Den y Dreigiau, how would it help take your business to the next level?

This round of Seed Funding will provide enough capital to secure an 18-month runway, allowing us to retain and build the team, develop and commercialise the solution with a view to scaling our offering to wider global markets soon after.

Where can we learn more about your business?

For more information you can visit our website www.cufflink.io, follow us on Twitter (@CufflinkIo), Instagram (cufflink.io), Facebook (@CufflinkTeam) and LinkedIn (Cufflink.io), or get in touch via email at [email protected]

Business News Wales