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Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, CSPO

Cybersecurity Founder @TisOva | Cybercrime Investigations Expert | Online Safety & Cyber Educator |West African Cyber Intelligence Expert | Awards: Innovate UK, Africa Under 40 CEO| UK Innovator Visa Recipient|Speaker

Valeen Oseh-Ovarah is a prominent entrepreneur and the founder of Female Founders First, an initiative aimed at supporting women entrepreneurs. She holds the designation of Certified Scrum Product Owner (CSPO) and has a background as a cybercrime investigator. Currently, she is a recipient of the UK Innovator Visa, which she obtained in February 2023.

In addition to her role at Female Founders First, Valeen is also the founder of TisOva, a cybersecurity startup. She has been actively involved in building a community of female founders in the UK, reportedly creating a network of over 400 members within just four weeks of her move to the country.123

Valeen is also committed to education and mentorship; she became a STEM Ambassador in the UK and serves as a business mentor for aspiring entrepreneurs.4 Her diverse experiences and initiatives highlight her dedication to empowering women in business and technology.

Highlights

Sep 2 · linkedin

Last week was tough for many of us who applied for the Women in Innovation grants.

Not only was I an applicant, but I also created a Women in Innovation application support WhatsApp group that helped about 200 applicants navigate the grant process, through Female Founders First C.I.C. I witnessed firsthand the immense effort, dedication, and hope that these women put in for weeks, from the very first day to the final submission of their applications. WhatsApp group: https://lnkd.in/ecP-YGF7

But the disappointment and frustration following this year’s results have been overwhelming. The challenges we face as female founders are already steep, and it’s disheartening to see our efforts met with such limited recognition.

After hearing the feedback from our community, we initiated a survey last week to gather insights that we plan to share with Innovate UK. We're still collecting data from applicants, and I’m happy to share this data with anyone interested. Please add your voice https://lnkd.in/efBV59bv

A few of us, including Carla Ottersen, Lisa Edge,Alecia Esson, and myself, have been working behind the scenes to drive some changes. It’s inspiring to see other groups championing this cause as well, and I’m encouraged by the collective effort of female founders working together for a better outcome.

Given that there were over 1,400 applications this year, our goal is to continue providing community support for next year’s applicants, both for WII and other grant opportunities. If you’re not already part of our Grants Application Support WhatsApp group, I encourage you to join and connect with this year's applicants and past Women in Innovation Award winners.

Join the Women in Innovation Grant Application Support WhatsApp group: https://lnkd.in/ecP-YGF7

We’re open to partners, supporters, and allies. If you’re interested in collaborating, please feel free to send a DM. We’re also looking for media supporters. Please DM or tag them if you know one 🙏

How can you help: You can help by amplifying this post. You can repost, comment and react (like etc) You can also tag the relevant persons in Injovate UK 🙏 You can also add your feedback about the process in the survey form above.

#femalefounders #womenininnovation #femalefounderstories #innovateuk #WIIA2024 #femalefoundersuk

Aug 23 · linkedin

I had a fantastic time yesterday at University of Roehampton judging the Demo Day for cybersecurity students' summer projects, organized by CSE Connect. The students from the University of Roehampton and Kingston University showcased their work from the CSE Connect 12-week Summer Experience Accelerator.

The live and practical demonstrations included:

  • AI-based Interview Simulator
  • Cloud in a Box
  • theAppFactory
  • The Security Testing Lab

A big thank you to Dr Charles Clarke and his team for organizing such an amazing event.

I had the opportunity to assess over seven student teams, asking questions about their projects, the security decisions they made, lessons learned, and their next steps. I also provided feedback and advice to help them further in their journey. It was impressive to hear them discuss the knowledge they gained in just 12 weeks.

There is a strong need for more collaboration between #industry and #academia to bridge the learning and experience gap within the #highereducationindustry #studentcommunity. At TisOva, our mission is to #safeguard students from #onlinescams and #fraud. We’re also interested in collaborating with academia to enhance student experiences and prepare them for the job market.

Reflecting on my own experience as a cybersecurity student at University of Alabama at Birmingham, mentoring these students was a surreal and rewarding moment.

A major highlight was meeting and connecting with Mastaneh Davis PhD, SFHEA. We share a passion for cyber awareness & education, online safety, digital forensics, and DEI in STEM. I’m excited to collaborate with her on our upcoming initiatives. Stay tuned!

I also enjoyed connecting with Nigel Jones and Bev Allen, CISA and discussing ways to improve #cybersecurityeducation in the UK.

Special thanks to 🟠 Steph Aldridge 🌵 for facilitating the process. You’re truly amazing!

#tisova #cybersecurityjudge #studentmentor #valeenoseh #studentaccelerator #cybersafety

Related Questions

What inspired Valeen Oseh-Ovarah to transition from cybercrime investigation to entrepreneurship?
How did Valeen Oseh-Ovarah build the Female Founders First community so quickly?
What challenges did Valeen Oseh-Ovarah face when she moved to the UK?
What is the mission of Female Founders First?
How has Valeen Oseh-Ovarah's background in cybersecurity influenced her entrepreneurial ventures?
Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, CSPO
Valeen Oseh-Ovarah, CSPO, photo 1
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Location

London, England, United Kingdom