Meet Elliott Wilkes, CTO of Advanced Cyber Defence Systems (ACDS)

Tell us about ACDS.

ACDS was founded in the belief that cyber security can be done better. We’re combining emerging technologies and proven methods, bringing together the best of government and private sector for a new approach to tackling the growing and persistent threat landscape.

How did you come up with the idea for the company?

Our experience goes back to the early days of the internet. I founded the company alongside Jonathan Smith, whose 40 years of experience in technology companies has seen him successfully grow many startup FTSE businesses. My own experience in the industry has been plentiful too. I have worked for the White House and Pentagon, shaping and implementing government policies and advising some of the most senior government leaders in the world.

Our collective experience and expertise, with the clearly articulated growth in cybercrime, made a compelling argument that all businesses (large, small, global, in the cloud, or in their own data centre) needed to have visibility of their Attack Surface, the insight to know how to prioritise vulnerabilities, and the granular detail to truly understand each CVE

What is your advice to aspiring entrepreneurs?

Be curious always, focus on the challenges in front of you but always keep an eye open for the activities in the periphery. Listen hard and question your customers every day to deepen and widen your knowledge of the challenges they face and seek to help them resolve them

What most excites you about ACDS?

Cyber is a dynamic space and continues to grow beyond expectations. Being able to deliver valuable, actionable reporting and insights to our customers that increases their security posture is immensely satisfying

How has the company evolved over the last couple of years?

Building your own platform always has highs and lows. The team invests their blood, sweat and tears into the platform. That energy and commitment builds year on year as we build traction in the marketplace and the rewards of providing tangible value to our customers just spurs you on. Our team continue to bring new features to the platform and it’s a thrill to see customers derive value from them.

What can we hope to see from ACDS in the future?

More of the same and more of the new. We evolve as the cyber threat landscape evolves. That’s what gets us out of bed in the morning. We are growing our footprint globally and that’s an exciting journey for the whole team.