Organised by Eskenzi PR in media partnership with the IT Safety Guru, the Most Inspiring Girls in Cyber Awards intention to make clear the exceptional ladies in our trade. The next is a characteristic on considered one of 2026’s Prime 20 ladies chosen by an esteemed panel of judges. Offered in a Q&A format, the nominee’s solutions are written in their very own phrases.
In 2026, the awards have been sponsored by BT, Bridewell, Plexal and Constancy Worldwide. Neighborhood companions included WiCyS UK & Eire Affiliate, Girls in Tech and Cybersecurity Hub (WiTCH) and Seidea.
What does your job position entail?
As CEO of Photarix, I lead the event and commercialisation of telecom-wavelength quantum emitter {hardware} for communication and next-generation cybersecurity purposes. Our work focuses on enabling quantum-secure communication programs that may defend essential knowledge and infrastructure sooner or later. My position entails shaping the corporate’s technique, constructing partnerships throughout the photonics and cybersecurity sectors, securing funding, and dealing carefully with researchers and engineers to translate superior photonics analysis into deployable applied sciences.
How did you get into the cybersecurity trade?
My path into cybersecurity got here by my background in photonics and quantum applied sciences. Throughout my educational analysis, I labored on single-photon mild sources, that are key {hardware} parts for quantum communication programs that may allow basically safe knowledge transmission.
Because the analysis progressed, I turned more and more occupied with how these scientific advances may transfer past the laboratory and be translated into sensible applied sciences. This led me to concentrate on commercialisation and finally to founding Photarix, the place we develop telecom-wavelength single-photon {hardware} designed to help quantum-secure communication networks.
My journey into cybersecurity has subsequently come by the {hardware} facet of the sphere—constructing the photonic applied sciences that can underpin the subsequent technology of safe communication infrastructure.
What is without doubt one of the largest challenges you have got confronted as a girl within the tech/cyber trade and the way did you overcome it?
One of many largest challenges has been being taken severely on the intersection of deep-tech, {hardware} and cybersecurity, that are nonetheless closely male-dominated fields. Particularly within the early phases, I typically discovered that individuals have been shocked to see a feminine founder main a extremely technical photonics and quantum {hardware} firm.
Slightly than seeing this purely as a barrier, I targeted on letting the know-how and the work communicate for itself. Constructing robust collaborations with researchers and trade companions, demonstrating the real-world impression of our know-how, and constantly delivering outcomes helped set up credibility.
Over time, I’ve additionally realised that visibility issues. By being current within the ecosystem and sharing my expertise, I hope to contribute to creating it simpler for extra ladies to enter and lead in deep-tech and cybersecurity.
What are you doing to help different ladies, and/or to extend range, within the tech/cyber trade?
I consider that visibility and entry are each essential in the case of enhancing range in know-how and cybersecurity. By my work as a founder within the photonics and quantum know-how house, I attempt to spotlight that deep-tech and {hardware} innovation are areas the place ladies can and may play main roles.
I repeatedly have interaction with college students, early-career researchers and entrepreneurs, sharing my experiences of transferring from academia into deep-tech entrepreneurship and commercialising analysis. Extra broadly, I attempt to help and encourage ladies college students throughout disciplines, as I understand how essential position fashions may be in serving to folks think about what is feasible for their very own careers.
I typically take part in talks, panels and outreach actions to share my journey, and I additionally attempt to assist college students or early-career researchers who attain out for recommendation. Even small conversations could make a distinction in serving to somebody consider {that a} path in deep-tech or cybersecurity is one thing they’ll pursue.
Extra broadly, I consider that strengthening the bridge between academia, startups and trade will help create extra accessible pathways for numerous expertise to enter and thrive in these sectors.
Who has impressed you in your life/profession?
I’ve been impressed by completely different folks at completely different phases of my life and profession. Rising up, my father had an enormous affect on me. He was a businessman, and seeing his ardour for constructing issues, creating worth and taking dangers made me need to pursue an analogous path of making and growing concepts.
All through my profession, I’ve additionally been impressed by many robust ladies I’ve encountered alongside the best way. Every of them has given me a distinct perspective, power and confidence to pursue bold objectives in fields the place ladies are nonetheless underrepresented.
Lastly, one of the crucial symbolic inspirations for me is Marie Curie. Throughout my PhD I used to be funded by the Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions programme, which all the time jogged my memory of the unimaginable legacy she left for science and for girls in analysis. Her story continues to be a robust instance of perseverance, curiosity and impression.
