Crime detecting tech firm gets £2.25m and new chair – Daily Business

Digital forensics company, Cyacomb, has appointed a chair and secured an additional £2.25m from the Scottish National Investment Bank to expand overseas.

Edinburgh-based Cyacomb’s technology scans digital devices for known harmful content and enables law enforcement agencies worldwide to detect evidence of child sexual abuse and terrorist activity faster than ever before.

Its ability to triage suspicious devices on scene in seconds has helped reduce digital forensics lab backlogs, improve overall efficiency and helped safeguard children by enabling law enforcement to bring more perpetrators to justice.

The company’s tools were recently used in successful Border Force pilots at two major UK airports, which took place after the UK government announced new powers for the Border Force as part of the Crime and Policing Bill.

These powers will enable Border Force to compel people entering the UK, who are suspected of possessing harmful and illegal content, to unlock their devices for scans or face arrest.

To support the next stage of Cyacomb’s growth, it has appointed Maggie Titmuss MBE as chair. She has served the company as a non-executive director since 2021 and has spent more than 30 years in international law enforcement, including holding key positions at the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the National Crime Agency.

At the latter, she served as the regional head for North America and the Caribbean, based in Washington, DC.

Ms Titmuss has also held key private sector positions at HSBC and Lloyds Banking Group, where she served as the director of intelligence & incident response. In addition to her role at Cyacomb, she holds several non-executive roles, including chair of the Scottish Government’s National Cyber Resilience Advisory Board. She is a strong advocate for new and emerging sectors and skills.

She said: “Through my time working with the company, I’ve seen the impact its technology makes and its growth opportunities. As chair, I’m looking forward to building on the momentum within the company and supporting its mission to enable the swift and thorough identification of harmful digital content.”

The £2.25m investment from SNIB follows its initial investment of £4.8m in 2023.

Rebecca Currie, senior associate of investment at the bank, said:“Cyacomb’s technology is delivering real impact by detecting known harmful content and supporting law enforcement  in a battle against child sexual abuse and terrorist material.

“The efficiencies it is bringing to law enforcement agencies is impressive and we are excited to support the company in its next phase of growth.”