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Founder Spotlight: Tom Whelan, Co-Founder of eCora — Cyber Runway
Founder Spotlight: Tom Whelan, Co-Founder of eCora — Cyber Runway
This is the fourth in a short series of conversations with founders and key players from Cyber Runway Grow, a UK government-backed accelerator for cybersecurity startups. As we near the end of the program, I wanted to take the time to highlight some of the incredible companies and the people behind them. Startups aren’t just about the technology — they’re about the people who drive them forward, and few bring as much energy to our cohort as Tom Whelan.
If you’ve spent any time around our Cyber Runway Grow cohort, chances are you’ve met Tom. He’s been a staple of the cohort, bringing much-needed humor, discussion, and a level of insight that makes you think twice about the world of cybersecurity. Our paths have crossed a few times — most notably at an investor event in Cheltenham, where we got a behind-the-scenes look at how angel investors view cybersecurity. To them, cyber isn’t just an investment — it’s a portfolio booster.
And that’s a perspective Tom understands well. As the co-founder of eCora, he’s spent the last few years building a company focused on secure application environments, solving the kind of problems that most businesses don’t even realize they have — until it’s too late.
From Accenture to Africa to eCora
Tom didn’t always plan on launching a cybersecurity startup. In fact, like many founders, his journey started with frustration — frustration with big companies, slow processes, and the feeling that better solutions were being held back by bureaucracy.
“I started my career at Accenture, got sick of big companies, joined a small consulting firm… and then we got bought by KPMG. So, straight back to a big company,” he told me. “The politics, the slow movement — there’s nothing wrong with the people, but everything just takes so long. By the time you’re tackling a problem, you’re already ten years behind.”
So he left. And not just for another job — he took a year off to ride a motorbike across Africa.
That year gave him perspective. When he came back, he knew one thing for sure: he wasn’t going back to corporate life. He started working on a travel startup, which showed promise — until COVID hit and killed the business overnight.
But that experience introduced him to David Chan, his co-founder at eCora. The two met through Leicester’s startup scene, bonded over their shared interest in solving fundamental security problems, and soon found themselves deep in a project that would become eCora.
A New Way to Secure Applications
Ask Tom what eCora does, and he’ll give you a simple but powerful analogy:
“Think of it like putting an application in a black box. You can run it anywhere, securely, without worrying about it being tampered with.”
Under the hood, eCora is building a secure execution environment that protects applications from threats while in use — not just at rest or in transit. That means even if an application is running in a hostile environment, it stays protected.
This has massive implications for everything from AI to cloud security to critical infrastructure. If you’re deploying AI models, financial services, or government applications in an environment where you can’t trust the underlying infrastructure, eCora makes sure those applications remain secure, no matter what.
“We started with a blockchain protocol, thinking about central bank digital currencies,” Tom explained. “But after two years, we realized the tech had much bigger applications. We built a ledger, backed it with secure hardware, and then expanded it to allow not just smart contracts, but entire workloads — like Docker containers or virtual machines — to run securely.”
And then, the AI boom hit.
“Suddenly, we had a perfect use case — companies paranoid about data security, governments worried about model integrity, and a market throwing money at the problem.”
They went from dealing with slow-moving central banks to conversations with organizations that needed solutions now.
The Reality of Building a Cyber Startup in the UK
Building a cybersecurity startup isn’t easy — especially in the UK. Tom’s seen the strengths and weaknesses of the ecosystem firsthand.
“The UK is one of the most mature cybersecurity markets outside the US and Israel,” he said. “We’ve got great talent, smart people, and some of the best government capabilities in the world. But what we don’t have? Enough investment and enough big success stories.”
The hardest lesson for eCora? Investment is cyclical.
“When we first started building, there was plenty of money floating around. But by the time we were ready to raise? The market tanked. You go in thinking there’s endless pools of cash for good ideas, but the reality is — it’s all about timing.”
Despite that, Tom is optimistic. He believes that recent geopolitical shifts and national security concerns will lead to more funding for cybersecurity, especially in sovereign tech and defense sectors.
“If nothing else, the world is waking up to the fact that we need our own capabilities. That means there’s opportunity for companies like eCora.”
Cyber Runway and the Value of the Right Network
For Tom, Cyber Runway Grow was about more than just learning — it was about expanding his network and refining his thinking.
“David already knew the cyber startup world — he had been connected to accelerators like Cylon before. But for me, Cyber Runway was a chance to really immerse myself in the ecosystem.”
What stood out the most? The quality of conversations.
“There’s the formal content, sure, but the biggest value is in talking to other founders — seeing how they approach problems, how they pitch, how they think about growth.”
One of the biggest takeaways for eCora was around messaging and positioning.
“The best session for me was with a comms expert in Edinburgh. Seeing how others adapted their pitches and learning how to refine how we talk about eCora — it’s already made a difference in how we approach customers and investors.”
Would he recommend Cyber Runway to other startups?
“Absolutely. But only if you’re actually going to engage. If you’re just showing up for a badge on your website, don’t bother. You’re taking up space from someone who actually wants to get something out of it.”
What’s Next for eCora?
The next 12 months are critical for eCora. The team is focused on launching a self-service SaaS version of their platform, allowing customers to sign up, test, and deploy without needing direct engagement.
“Either it generates enough revenue to sustain our growth, or it’s the proof point we need to raise investment,” Tom explained.
And while fundraising is on the table, their preference is to build as lean as possible for now and raise in a few months.
At the same time, eCora is actively expanding into AI security use cases, where demand for trusted execution environments is higher than ever.
“The cybersecurity industry is shifting fast,” Tom said. “AI, geopolitics, and national security concerns are changing the landscape. Companies and governments are realizing they can’t just trust infrastructure anymore — they need real security baked in. That’s where we come in.”
eCora is solving a problem that many organizations don’t realize they have — until they do. As AI adoption accelerates and geopolitical risks increase, secure execution environments will become a critical part of cybersecurity strategy.
Tom and David aren’t just building another security product — they’re redefining how applications are protected in the wild. And with momentum, market demand, and a clear vision, eCora is well-positioned to be a major player in this space.