Cheltenham’s Heritage of Innovation with Rob Stemp
Cheltenham punches well above its weight when it comes to technical and creative talent, and that is nothing new. As the home of cyber since 1952, Cheltenham has grown and attracted some of the UK’s most innovative tech and cyber companies. Its deep heritage of technical innovation and cultural celebration offers a rare opportunity for businesses outside of London, which is only set to accelerate with the opening of Golden Valley.
This article forms part of our series highlighting the diverse innovators of our region, from culture and sustainability to government and business. In this edition, we talked with Rob Stemp, who co-founded Red Maple and DeepMinds with his partner and fellow engineer. Eight years ago, Rob co-founded CyNam alongside Rich Yorke, Chris Dunning-Walton, and others and has been an influential member of Cheltenham’s security and business ecosystems since.
Looking Back
GCHQ, colloquially known as ‘the doughnut,’ opened in Cheltenham after the war in 1952. “Since the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) was formed, and GCHQ came out of the shadows and into the public arena, we have seen an explosion of start-ups, investments, ecosystems, and communities blossom in the Gloucestershire countryside. With a rich stream of talent on tap, a strong ecosystem, and a support network, founders realised they do not need to set up in London to succeed. With our beautiful architecture, rich festivals, and vibrant town centre, it also offers a compelling lifestyle.”
The Power of Community
For those not yet familiar with Cheltenham’s engaged cyber ecosystem, CyNam was created to harness and encourage local talent for technical innovation. CyNam provides advice and impartial introductions for its members. As a Community Interest Company, all profits are invested back into developing value for its community.
“When we launched in 2017, we expected forty or fifty people to attend our events and were surprised by nearly 200 guests. Within nine months, it became the largest Cyber Cluster in the UK, demonstrating immediately the local demand and passion for cyber,” explains Rob.
Today, CyNam has almost five thousand members and regularly hosts powerful events that bring key people together. Last month, with the backdrop of The Science Festival, their summer headline event presented the need for collaboration in space and security. With talks by Satellite Applications Catapult’s Anuradha Damale-Day, Mark Chang, and a panel featuring astronaut Tim Peake, they facilitated thought-provoking conversations about the need for collaboration in fundamental fields with attendees from around the UK. They also welcomed CyberNorth to learn from some of our ecosystem's brightest minds, explore our spaces, and learn about projects such as Golden Valley.
“They say talent attracts talent, and it’s demonstrated here. I’m no longer part of the team behind CyNam, but Reid Derby, Hollie Wakefield, and Tim Atkins, to name a few, are doing incredible work.”
“Both Cheltenham and cybersecurity are relatively small worlds,” admits Rob. “At Cyber UK this year, it felt like everyone already knew each other, but this simply illustrates that Cheltenham is the heart of cyber excellence in the UK.”
Rob’s Background
Rob's academic journey began with a Bachelor’s in Electronic & Electrical Engineering from the University of Bath, followed by a Master’s in AI focusing on deep neural networks. His work led him to national security, spending 17 years travelling around the world, with a few years living in Canada. “I left the defence sector because I have always been a technical specialist at heart, and in this environment, the next promotion meant a non-technical role and pure people management. Seventeen years is a good chunk of time, and it was time to move on.”
“Before launching our businesses, I was offered a role with my former mentor Colin Carter to work at Aurora Consulting. This experience laid the groundwork for launching DeepMinds with my partner, blending AI and cybersecurity to help primarily medium-sized financial services firms adopt secure practices.”
“DeepMinds was always designed to be a family business,” explains Rob. “The goal here was never speed or scale but a passion for the quality of service we provided. I launched Red Maple—formerly InfoSec Consulting- seven years ago, which, although a more ambitious company, retained that family-run culture.”
Inspiring the Next Generation of Talent
Inspired by the lessons he learned in business, Rob is helping to organise a week-long boot camp for young entrepreneurs over the summer alongside CyNam, Cyber FirstC and the Cheltenham Chamber of Commerce. “We’ll be teaching the importance of understanding economics and finance fundamentals, how to have difficult conversations, and crucially, when to say no.”
Rob’s dyslexia plays a significant role in shaping his perspective. “I had the reading age of a three-year-old when I was 11. I was clearly intelligent, great at maths, and would build elaborate gadgets, like lifts and robots in the garden. My dad and I would build model aeroplanes, do up old cars and sell them. But when it came to written language, I struggled.”
Finally, Rob leaves us with these recommended reads:
Venture Deals by Brad Feld and Jason Mendelson
The Infinite Game by Simon Sinek
Invisible Women by Caroline Criado Perez