Sitehop raises £7.5m led by Northern Gritstone to expand quantum-resilient encryption technology
The funding round was led by Northern Gritstone with participation from Amadeus Capital Partners, Manta Ray, Mercia Ventures and NPIF, Mercia Equity Finance.
Sitehop builds hardware-based encryption systems designed to protect networks from quantum-enabled cyber attacks while maintaining ultra-low latency. The company operates from Sheffield and collaborates with major telecommunications providers.
Sheffield-based cybersecurity startup Sitehop has secured £7.5m in new funding to accelerate its growth and expand its technological capabilities. Northern Gritstone led the investment round, with participation from existing backers including Amadeus Capital Partners, Manta Ray, Mercia Ventures and NPIF, Mercia Equity Finance. The fresh capital follows successful trials of the company's hardware encryption solution at BT's test facilities and supports its mission to deliver quantum-resilient security for critical infrastructure.
The company was founded by Melissa Chambers and Ben Harper to address the performance bottlenecks associated with traditional software-based encryption. Sitehop's technology operates at the hardware level, providing high-speed data protection with minimal energy consumption and near-zero impact on network performance. The latest investment will enable the firm to meet rising international demand and scale its operations from its northern roots.
From the founder
"Sitehop is proving the critical need for future-proof encryption, demonstrated by our early customer traction globally. As a Sheffield-founded company, this investment from Northern Gritstone supports our mission to grow and scale in the region and build world-leading sovereign encryption capability right here in the UK – meaning we can accelerate international expansion while keeping the UK at the forefront of world-class cybersecurity innovation."
Melissa Chambers
CEO at Sitehop
Investor perspective
"Our focus is always on ‘profit with purpose’, helping to support visionary companies with strong intellectual property to grow out of the North of England. Sitehop is an example of the incredible deep tech innovation coming out of Sheffield’s innovation cluster, providing game-changing technology to support businesses in future-proofing their cybersecurity protection. We’re delighted to be backing Melissa and Ben in an area as important as cryptography."
Duncan Johnson
CEO, Northern Gritstone
Use of funds
- 01Expand into international markets
Investors
Duncan Johnson
Northern Gritstone
Nick Kingsbury
Amadeus Capital Partners
Manta Ray
Chris Borrett
Mercia Ventures
NPIF – Mercia Equity Finance
