GC Angels, the VC investment arm of the Growth Company, has successfully exited CAPSLOCK, a Manchester-headquartered cyber security training provider. The exit follows mthree’s acquisition of CAPSLOCK.
CAPSLOCK delivers award-winning cyber security and digital skills training to individuals looking to build new careers. The company was founded by Dr Andrea Cullen and Lorna Armitage who recognised that traditional education wasn’t meeting the demands of an economy that is increasingly focused on digital skills.
To support its ambitious growth plans, CAPSLOCK completed a £1.04m pre-seed round in August 2021, representing one of the largest pre-seed raises in the UK during 2021. The investment was completed in two tranches, including Ufi VocTechTrust and a group of nine angel investors, alongside GC Angels.
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Since launch, CAPSLOCK has supported over 1,300 learners to build new skills, confidence and careers, while working closely with employers to strengthen the UK’s cyber workforce. Alumni from its courses have gone on to work at leading companies including ITV, Dyson and Asda.
The acquisition builds on mthree’s existing joint venture with CAPSLOCK, bringing the business fully into the mthree group at a time when employers need stronger cyber and AI capability across their workforces. It combines mthree’s global talent and reskilling expertise with CAPSLOCK’s specialist cyber security education.
Lorna Armitage MBE, CEO and co-founder of CAPSLOCK, said: “CAPSLOCK was founded to remove barriers to cyber security careers and helps employers access talent with the skills to make an impact.
“The investment from GC Angels gave us the capital we needed to scale our training platform, allowing us to support thousands of people across the UK. Joining mthree now gives us the platform to take that mission further, supporting more learners and organisations as cyber and AI risks become more complex.”
Dr Andrea Cullen MBE, co-founder of CAPSLOCK, added: “Our focus has always been on delivering practical, industry-relevant training that leads to real career outcomes.
“We’ve already achieved a lot in the last few years, with GC Angels supporting us to grow to where we are today. Becoming part of mthree allows us to build on that work and help more employers develop the cyber capability they need.”
Marc Shirman, Head of Investment at GC Angels, added: “When we supported Lorna, Andrea and the team back in 2021, we immediately saw the potential for the business to capitalise on the UK’s growing demand for cyber resilience. Over the last few years, the growth they achieved is incredibly impressive, and this acquisition by mthree is testament to just how much they’ve grown and developed a market-leading offering.
“We’re proud to back Northern businesses, ensuring underrepresented founders can access the capital they need to scale and grow, creating the next generation of leading UK businesses.”
