Cylon
UK investor in early-stage security and resilience startups. It also ran the CyLon Lab cyber security accelerator until 2020 or 2021.
Cylon at a glance
| Address | 9 Thorney Leys Park, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4GE |
|---|---|
| Programmes | 3 standing programmes |
| Official website | www.cylonventures.com |
| hello@cylonventures.com |
Which Cylon programme fits you
3 programmes compared by who they are for, the stage they accept, how long they run and what they cost.
| Programme | Best for | Stage | Duration | Format | Cost |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CyLon GO part-funded courses | Anyone taking a course on CyLon's list, or proposing one that is not on it. | — | — | — | — |
| CyLon Lab accelerator | Cyber security startups. Closed to new applicants. | — | — | — | — |
| Direct early-stage investment | Early-stage security and resilience startups. | — | — | — | — |
Programmes they run
Standing programmes at Cylon, separate from the funding calls above.
CyLon's open offers are a list of part-funded courses and direct investment by approach. Its accelerator is closed to new applicants.
CyLon GO part-funded courses
Subsidy or reimbursementCyLon contributes towards the cost of courses on its list, at 100% for some and up to 25% or 50% for others.
Best for: Anyone taking a course on CyLon's list, or proposing one that is not on it.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
CyLon GO is a list of cyber security and IT courses that CyLon will part-fund. Courses range from a non-technical introduction to cyber security, through technical introductory and analyst courses, to a course for non-technical senior managers and a self-paced learning platform. Listed providers include NYU and IBM via Coursera, SANS, Offensive Security and Cybrary.
What you get
- Part-funding towards a course on the list. CyLon's stated contribution is 100% for some courses and up to 25% or 50% for others.
- A course that is not on the list can be proposed. CyLon asks for the course details and the reason it was chosen.
Who can apply
- The page does not say who is eligible. It gives no criteria, location rule or cut-off.
How to apply: Email hello@cylonventures.com.
CyLon Lab accelerator
AcceleratorCyLon's cyber security accelerator, now closed to new applicants, which ran cohorts in London and Singapore.
Best for: Cyber security startups. Closed to new applicants.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
CyLon Lab ran as a cyber security accelerator. Its portfolio page lists cohorts numbered up to 10 in London and up to 2 in Singapore. It is closed to new applicants.
The site gives two different years for when the programme stopped. The about page says accelerator programmes ran until 2020, and the team page says CyLon Lab ran until the company decided to focus exclusively on investing in 2021. The site does not say what the programme offered, whether it took equity or charged a fee, or when each cohort ran.
How to apply: The site lists no application route for this programme.
CyLon invests its own capital in early-stage security and resilience startups. Founders get in touch directly.
Best for: Early-stage security and resilience startups.
What you get, who can apply and how to applyHide details
CyLon invests its own capital in early-stage security and resilience startups. It describes itself as an investor rather than a venture fund. The site does not say what instrument it uses or how much it invests.
Its portfolio is described as UK, US and Israeli companies. The site does not say whether it invests in companies based in India.
Who can apply
- Founders building something in the security space. The contact page asks them to get in touch.
How to apply: Email startups@cylonventures.com. The site does not describe an application round or a selection process.
How to apply to Cylon
Choosing the right route
- For part-funding a cyber security course, start with the course list and check whether your course is on it.
- For investment, approach CyLon directly. Check first whether it invests in India-based companies, because the site does not say.
- The CyLon Lab accelerator is closed to new applicants.
How applications work
- Courses on the list: email hello@cylonventures.com.
- A course that is not on the list: email the same address with the course details and the reason you chose it.
- Investment: email startups@cylonventures.com. The site asks founders building in the security space to get in touch.
How selection works
- The site does not describe its selection process, decision timelines or how much it invests.
What to check before you apply
- The site does not say whether it invests in companies based in India. Its portfolio is described as UK, US and Israeli.
- The site does not say what the CyLon Lab programme gave its startups, or whether it took equity.
About Cylon
CyLon Ventures is a UK investor in early-stage security and resilience companies, with a registered office in Witney, Oxfordshire. It offers a list of part-funded cyber security courses, invests its own capital in startups, and ran the CyLon Lab accelerator until 2020 or 2021.
How programmes work
CyLon has three offers. Two are open to approaches today and one is closed. The first is CyLon GO, a list of courses that CyLon will part-fund. For some courses CyLon's stated contribution is 100%, and for others it is up to 25% or 50%. Listed courses include introductory cyber security courses from NYU and IBM via Coursera, a technical introduction from SANS, an offensive security certification from Offensive Security, and a learning platform from Cybrary. A course that is not on the list can still be proposed. The site asks for details of the course and the reason it was chosen.
The second is direct investment. CyLon invests its own capital in early-stage security and resilience startups. It says it is not a venture fund, and it invites founders building in the security space to get in touch. It does not describe an application round.
The third is CyLon Lab, a cyber security accelerator. Its website says it ran cohorts in London and Singapore, and its portfolio page lists cohorts numbered up to 10 in London and up to 2 in Singapore. The programme is closed to new applicants. The site gives two different years for when it stopped. Its about page says accelerator programmes ran until 2020. Its team page says CyLon Lab ran until the company decided to focus exclusively on investing in 2021. The site does not say what the programme offered, whether it took equity or charged a fee, or when each cohort ran.
Who can apply
The website does not say who can apply for part-funding, and it gives no eligibility criteria, location rule or cut-off for the course list. For direct investment it does not say whether it invests in companies based in India. The companies it names in its portfolio are described as UK, US and Israeli, so an Indian founder should check directly before getting in touch.
Scale
The website does not give a count of startups or founders supported. Its portfolio page lists accelerator cohorts numbered up to 10 in London and up to 2 in Singapore. These are cohort numbers, not a count of companies. CyLon says it was among the first investors in companies including Immersive Labs and Tessian.
Who runs it
The team page says Grace co-founded CyLon in 2015 along with Jonathan Luff and Alex van Someren. The about page says the team has more than 30 years of experience across national security policy, technology and investment, and the site lists an advisory council.
The name also differs across the site's legal pages. Its privacy policy names CyLon Limited as the legal entity, and its terms page names Cyber London Limited. The UK company register lists the company as CYLON LIMITED, incorporated on 22 December 2017, with a former name, Cyber London Limited, used from February to May 2018. The 2015 date on the team page and the 2017 incorporation date in the register are both recorded here, because the site does not explain the difference.
Locations
The website footer gives the registered office as 9 Thorney Leys Park, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4GE, which matches the UK company register. The terms page gives a different, London address for the same company number. CyLon Lab ran from offices in London and Singapore. The site's footer and sitemap use cylonventures.com as its web address.
Get in touch
Send a message to Cylon — we'll forward it on your behalf.
Who they work with
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Frequently asked questions about Cylon
What is Cylon?
Cylon is a venture capital investor based in Witney.
What does Cylon do?
CyLon Ventures is a UK investor in early-stage security and resilience companies, with a registered office in Witney, Oxfordshire. It offers a list of part-funded cyber security courses, invests its own capital in startups, and ran the CyLon Lab accelerator until 2020 or 2021. CyLon has three offers.
Where is Cylon located?
Cylon is located at 9 Thorney Leys Park, Witney, Oxfordshire, OX28 4GE.
What programs does Cylon run?
Cylon runs CyLon GO part-funded courses, CyLon Lab accelerator and Direct early-stage investment.
How do I apply to Cylon?
- For part-funding a cyber security course, start with the course list and check whether your course is on it. - For investment, approach CyLon directly. Check first whether it invests in India-based companies, because the site does not say. - The CyLon Lab accelerator is closed to new applicants. - Courses on the list: email hello@cylonventures.com.
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