PQShield Awarded as Technology Pioneer by World Economic Forum
- The World Economic Forum announced its selection of the 100 most promising Technology Pioneers of 2021 - companies that are shaping industries from healthcare to retail and many more
- This year's cohort includes representation from 26 economies on six continents with reach far beyond traditional tech hubs like Silicon Valley
- PQShield, an Oxford University spinout specialising in post-quantum cryptography, made it to the selection for its contributions in the field of cybersecurity
LONDON and OXFORD, England, June 15, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- PQShield, the Oxford-based cybersecurity company specialising in post-quantum cryptography, was selected among hundreds of candidates as one of the World Economic Forum's "Technology Pioneers".
While quantum computers offer huge potential benefits to society, they also pose a significant risk to information security, as they will be able to easily break the public-key encryption widely relied upon today to protect sensitive data. PQShield is pioneering the development and commercial roll-out of advanced, quantum-ready cryptographic solutions for hardware, software and communications, and helping organisations across the globe prepare for the quantum threat.
The World Economic Forum's Technology Pioneers are early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the use of new technologies and innovation that are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.
With their selection as Technology Pioneer, CEO and Founder Dr. Ali El Kaafarani will be invited to participate at World Economic Forum activities, events and discussions throughout the year. PQShield will also contribute to Forum initiatives over the next two years, working with global leaders to help address key industry and societal issues.
"We're excited to welcome PQShield to our 2021 cohort of Technology Pioneers," says Susan Nesbitt, Head of the Global Innovators Community, World Economic Forum. "PQShield and its fellow pioneers are developing technologies that can help society solve some of its most pressing issues. We look forward to their contribution to the World Economic Forum in its commitment to improving the state of the world."
"We are thrilled to be acknowledged by the World Economic Forum as a Technology Pioneer", said Dr. Ali El Kaafarani, CEO and Founder of PQShield. "Our inclusion is testament to the huge potential impact of the quantum threat, which is truly global in scale, and to the critical need for action across industries and governments as a new cybersecurity landscape looms large. We look forward to contributing to the Forum's dialogues on this critical issue, as we continue our mission to develop and integrate post-quantum cryptographic solutions that will help society secure its sensitive information now and for years to come."
For the first time in the community's history, over 30% of the cohort are led by women. The firms also come from regions all around the world, extending their community far beyond Silicon Valley. This year's cohort includes start-ups from 26 countries, with UAE, El Salvador, Ethiopia and Zimbabwe represented for the first time.
The diversity of these companies extends to their innovations as well. 2021 Tech Pioneer firms are shaping the future by advancing technologies such as AI, IoT, robotics, blockchain, biotechnology and many more. The full list of Technology Pioneers can be found here.
Technology Pioneers have been selected based on the community's selection criteria, which includes innovation, impact and leadership as well as the company's relevance with the World Economic Forum's Platforms.
All info on this year's Technology Pioneers can be found here: http://wef.ch/techpioneers21
More information on past winners, information on the community and the application link can be found here.
About PQShield
PQShield is a quantum security company that specialises in post-quantum cryptography, protecting information from today's attacks while readying organisations for the threat landscape of tomorrow. It is the only cybersecurity company that can demonstrate quantum-safe cryptography on chips, in applications and in the cloud, by providing ready-made and tailored IP for secure elements, IoT firmware, PKI and server technologies, and end-user applications.
Headquartered in Oxford, with additional teams in the Netherlands and France, its quantum-secure cryptographic solutions work with companies' legacy systems to protect devices and sensitive data now and for years to come. PQShield is principally backed by Kindred Capital, Crane Venture Partners, Oxford Sciences Innovation, and Innovate UK. Its latest white papers are available to read here. www.pqshield.com
About World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).
About the Technology Pioneers
The World Economic Forum believes that innovation is critical to the future well-being of society and to driving economic growth. Launched in 2000, the Technology Pioneer community is composed of early to growth-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and are poised to have a significant impact on business and society.
The World Economic Forum provides the Technology Pioneers community with a platform to engage with the public- and private-sector leaders and to contribute new solutions to overcome the current crisis and build future resiliency.
Press contact
Share this article