Cloud solutions are bringing an inevitable change in the world of business. The ease and convenience of accessing data on-the-go is what makes cloud solutions the need of the hour. Technologies like AI/ML, Blockchain, Data Analytics, and more have created unlimited potential for firms to leverage cloud tech and grow exponentially.
In our endeavour to seek companies that make business easy by delivering cutting edge cloud tech solutions, we discovered METCloud, a multi-award winning cyber-secure cloud platform.
In our conversation with METCloud’s founder and CEO Ian Vickers, he tells us the story behind the genesis of the company and how it overcame all the challenges that came along its way during the pandemic, and yet how it seamlessly assisted and provided services to its clients.
The Beginning
“METCloud is on a journey. When Jeff Bezos launched an online bookstore in 1993, we are pretty sure he did not envisage what Amazon has become today. Similarly, METCloud is on a journey to become the most trusted company globally for connecting people and businesses,” says Ian.
The company’s mantra is Get Connected Cyber Safe and so it is constantly developing capability to ensure it achieves this goal. In its mission to achieve success it is essential that the company keeps true to its core values – Excellence, Innovation, Integrity, Respect, and Responsibility. METCloud’s commitment to its core values also helps it identify and align to its customers with similar values.
Expertise that Redefines Benchmarks
Ian Vickers, the Founder and CEO, is a serial Tech Entrepreneur. In 2017, he launched the METCloud brand and since then, it has scaled to be recognised as one of the most secure cybersecurity platforms not only in the UK but has also won dozens of internationally recognised awards for innovation.
Recently, Ian has been appointed a Founding Member and Chair of the Cyber Resilience Centre West Midlands (WMCRC). The WMCRC is a government backed initiative establishing ten regional Cyber Resilience Centres working in collaboration with NCSC, Police Cyber Teams (RCCU), Businesses and Academia.
Ian’s International Memberships and Partnerships
Ian is a member of the Microsoft Partner Advisory Council, which is made-up of approximately twenty global Microsoft Partners to assist in the development of the Microsoft Partner program.
In May 2020, Ian became a member of The World Economic Forum’s Global Innovator Community (Invitation only membership). The World Economic Forum is an organisation for Public-Private co-operation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business, and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
Outlook that Matters
We asked Ian for his opinion on how the adoption of modern technologies such as AI, big data, and machine learning have transformed the cloud computing industry and what more could be expected in the future.
In his response, Ian says, “Data volumes have skyrocketed. More data was generated in the last two years than in the entire human history before that. By 2030 around 572 Zettabytes of data and by 2050 it will have 500,000 Zettabytes, which is 10,000 times bigger.”
“This seismic growth in data demands that organisations embrace machine learning, AI and data analytics. In its world of helping organisations defend against cybercrime METCloud must equally employ AI/ML. AI/ML will effectively speed up the timeframe of detection to remediation of threats from hours to milliseconds.”
Overcoming Challenges
Sharing with us how METCloud managed to sustain operations and ensured safety of its employees during the pandemic, Ian says, “The global pandemic has created a much larger attack surface as organisations restructure to support more flexible working practices such as working from home, downsizing, upsizing, mergers and acquisitions.”
“The markets have turned to greater online commerce and so with such a dramatic and chaotic period of change risk inevitably increases. METCloud’s portfolio of products and services help organisations address most if not all of the issues listed above.”
Words of Advice
In his advice to budding entrepreneurs who aspire to venture into the cloud tech space, Ian says, “There are very few businesses today that do not require technology. The cloud movement is arguably the most exciting period in history for technology innovation. Cloud, AI/ML and Data Analytics can accelerate the growth of businesses exponentially if executed correctly.”
Towards a Digital Future
METCloud provides private cloud infrastructure, cloud migration services, cybersoc, security orchestration services and developing AI/ML and data analytics to maximise security for its customers.
To continuously achieve this, METCloud has recently secured significant VC funding to scale the organisation and will seek further funding rounds to achieve long term growth aspirations.