And Onto Another Chapter for Zonefox

One of the most wonderful things about being a professor, is that you meet people with vision, passion and drive. These are people who…

And Onto Another Chapter for Zonefox

One of the most wonderful things about being a professor is that I meet people with vision, passion, and drive. These are people who want to make a difference and are people who do not settle for the existing ways of doing things. I thus get a chance to support early stage developments, and then to observe innovative companies being formed, and see them taking on large companies, and winning. For me, I love seeing small and innovative businesses winning over large and cumbersome businesses.

And so, yesterday, Zonefox — our first spin-out company — was acquired by Fortinet, and I wish them all the best for the future. For them it is another chapter in their development towards a world-leading product. For me, I see the great people that have built up the company from scratch. I’ve seen how a seed of an idea in Dr Jamie Graves’ head has led to something that truly addresses fundamental cyber security challenges [news]:

The company was formed in the university on the back of Jamie’s PhD research work, and where he strove for methods which made cyber security more of a scientific and less of a dark art. Jamie could just not understand why the opinion of a single expert could be seen as a creditable way of providing digital evidence.

In those days there was no talk of the “cyber security industry”, and it was always an up-hill task to actually define that there was an industry waiting to be formed. For many, “cyber security” was an enabler, and was never really going to be an industry which could stand on its own. For many it was never seen as an area which could actually create companies. Oh, how those people were wrong, and for all the doors that were closed, Jamie and his team opened so many more.

One of the things we are most proud of was the way that Zonefox has built their base in Edinburgh, and attracted the best of talent. Whenever I go to conferences, I see the same old cyber security companies, but it is always the Zonefox logo and approach that stands out more than companies with marketing budgets which are 1,000s of times greater than a Scottish SME. They have truly punched above their weight, and have done it within the heart of this great city.

And so, Dr Jamie Graves is one person who provides a role model for anyone who wants to take on existing thinking and challenge it head on. We need more people like Jamie, and we should encourage and support people like him. They pay back our society by providing us with industries which can compete on a world-stage, and which showcase the talents of those involved.

Companies like Zonefox will provide the bedrock of our future, and we must support our up-and-coming businesses in any way possible. From our side, we used to have difficulty in getting funding for our research, but we have investors continually contacting us, and looking for the next great tech idea. It is to people like Jamie that we build our reputation on, and it is to him that the city, my university, and my school also build their track record on.

For all the research papers that are published and the grants that are awarded, the true impact of our universities should be seen around us, and the success of high-impact spin-outs are one of the best things that a university can supply. A model of universities generating ideas and then seeing these through to high-impact companies, is one that we should strive for, as we invest a great deal in research, and we should all see the benefits in our lives and in our economic development.

For us, we have two other great spin-outs — Symphonic and Cyan Forensics — and working with others on creating more, so watch this space!

For me, I saw the raw talent and intellect of Jamie, and saw him change into a business leaders, and one who understands how to drive innovation, while understanding how to develop a world-leading company.

Well done, Jamie, and all the great people at Zonefox! You are a credit to our great city.