W4C Startup School III: Boosting Women-Led Cybersecurity Startups

W4C Startup School III

When we looked at this photo with the Tetuan Valley team, we were really shocked and excited at the same time.

We have a diverse community in terms of gender, nationalities and profiles, but we are proud when the participation in a Startup School is not only dominated by the male gender. This is something we have been working on for years, being fully aware of the existing gender gap.

That is why for the last three years we have been running W4C Startup School, a program that we organize in partnership with Women4Cyber Spain and whose third edition we have recently concluded.

The "why" of the W4C Startup School program

In collaboration with Women4Cyber Spainthis program has a clear mission: to support, give visibility and promote female talent in the cybersecurity sector. We want female entrepreneurs not only to dream of great projects, but to make them a reality.

Therefore, our main objectives have been and still are:

T-shirts of the III Edition of W4C Startup School

• To help the most promising early stage startups, led by women and with a focus on cybersecurity, to have more visibility in this strategic sector.

• To offer training and personalized support to women entrepreneurs so that they can successfully scale their projects.

• Provide specialized mentoring, helping them turn their ideas into solid and scalable businesses.

• Open the doors to financing, culminating the program with a Demo Day where they will be able to present their projects to the public.

The III Edition of the program began in October of this year, offering the participating startups a transformative experience with intensive training in the area of entrepreneurship.

Celebrating the success of the third edition

The success is in the data, a program in which 11 cybersecurity startups led by women participated, of which ALL were presented at the Demo Day. An event with more than 80 people present from multiple profiles such as mentors, trainers and collaborators of the companies that supported the program.

Let's take a look at the graduated startups, which are:

1. Albasafe: Digital inheritance management platform so you can enjoy the present without worrying about the future.

2. Art-Crypt: A cybersecurity solution that uses AI-generated art to encrypt and protect sensitive data.

3. BReverse: Offers accompaniment to cybersecurity companies based on a culture and talent approach tailored to the needs of each of its clients.

4. Ciberin Security: Provides customized services and specialized training that empower businesses and professionals, helping them to confidently address current and emerging threats.

5. Cyber&Go: Software that enhances email security with self-learning AI that identifies anomalies in each user's unique communication patterns, stopping both known and unknown threats pre-delivery and thus offering immediate protection.

6. MINO: Cybersecurity services platform offering ASM, vulnerability scanning, continuous monitoring and pentesting for SMBs.

7. Red Defender: Offers hardware and software solutions, specifically, cutting-edge tools that enable cybersecurity teams to simulate attacks, detect vulnerabilities and protect critical infrastructure in corporate and government environments. It seeks to anticipate emerging threats through disruptive technologies, helping its customers to ensure the integrity of networks and protect their sensitive data.

8. Steryon: Cyber-resilience and risk management platform for cyber-physical systems (CPS), adapted to industrial infrastructures in critical sectors.

9. Syndik8: Cyber intelligence platform to access information not available from traditional sources.

10. The Sign Media: Digital media about cybersecurity on Earth and Space that aggregates news from industry experts.

11. 89 Partners: Platform that connects cybersecurity service providers with companies that require them. They are classified by type and sector, according to the needs of the companies.

Closing event of the program: Demo Day

View from the auditorium stage

Last Monday, November 25, the startups that were part of the program had the opportunity to present their business ideas and projects to investors, stakeholders and other agents of the entrepreneurial ecosystem. This was done at the Demo Day, a closing event that took place in the auditorium of the Google for Startups Campus Madrid.

This meeting was a key opportunity for the development and growth of the startups, where they were able to present their pitches in a dynamic way, capturing the attention of potential investors and strategic partners. It was impressive how much the 11 projects advanced during this month of training and how much they improved their pitches!

Attendees were able to learn first-hand about trends and developments in the world of cybersecurity startups and discover new technological solutions in this sector. In addition, we had close to 100 registrants at the event, with more than 80 attendees, which translated into an attendance rate of 72%. 

On the other hand, the Demo Day was attended by two very special speakers such as Daniel Ponceco-founder and CEO of CityTroop, y Angelica Pimentelco-founder of POiNwho gave us very inspirational talks from which we all learned a lot.

Selfie of some of the mentors of the program ;)

Program collaborations

Hug of the Albasafe team with their graduation t-shirt on.

This program would not have been possible without the valuable support of our partners: Google for Startups, WatchGuard, BT, Netskope y Splunk. Their commitment to innovation and the promotion of female talent has been fundamental to this initiative. Thanks to their support, the participating entrepreneurs have had access to exclusive resources, first-class workspaces, specialized training and the opportunity to connect with leaders and experts in entrepreneurship and cybersecurity.

These partnerships have not only strengthened the program, but have significantly contributed to empowering a new generation of women-led startups in the cyber field. Thank you for being part of this mission!

Talent, innovation and female leadership in cybersecurity

We are proud to have been part of this exciting journey, accompanying these 11 startups on their path to growth. Each one of them represents a firm commitment to a more secure, inclusive and technologically advanced future.

We are convinced that the graduating startups will not only make a difference with their projects, but will transform the cybersecurity landscape, opening doors to new opportunities and breaking down barriers in the industry. And we are going for more!

Are you a cybersecurity entrepreneur?

This is your time to join the change! Take the next step with W4C Startup School and be part of this revolution in the cyber sector. Follow our social networks to be updated about the next call and don't miss the opportunity to boost your startup ;)