We're proud to announce that Cytix has been named the winner of the Northern Star Award for Commercial Success at the 2026 Northern Tech Awards, one of the most prestigious celebrations of technology companies in the North of England. The ceremony took place at the Imperial War Museum North in Manchester, bringing together 230 founders, CEOs and business leaders representing 100 companies with a combined £2.4 billion in annual revenue.

What the Northern Stars Category Means

The Northern Stars category is reserved for early-stage companies that the judging panel considers worth watching. Winning the Commercial Success award recognises that Cytix has demonstrated real traction in the market. Not just a compelling idea, but validated execution and genuine customer adoption.

Now in its thirteenth year and organised by GP Bullhound, the Northern Tech Awards is the definitive benchmark for growth and innovation across the Northern tech ecosystem.

Why We Built Cytix

Three years ago, Cytix was started because security testing wasn't keeping pace with modern software development. Teams were shipping daily but testing annually. It made no sense.

The goal was never to replace penetration testers. It was to fix the process around them, making security testing continuous and integrated into the development lifecycle, so organisations can find and fix vulnerabilities at the speed they actually ship software.

Thursday was a reminder that the market is buying into that way of working. Not just the concept, but the product, the team, and the execution behind it.

A Strong Night for AppSec in Manchester

Cytix wasn't the only security company to take hime recognition on the night. PortSwigger, the company behind the Burp Suite security platform, took home the Overall Judges' Award in the Top 100. With two of the evening's major awards going to application security companies, the results point to a growing concentration of AppSec talent and innovation in the North of England. The region, long associated with broader tech and digital sectors, is increasingly establishing itself as a serious base for security-focused businesses operating at a global level.

A full list of winners from the 2026 Northern Tech Awards is available on the GP Bullhound website.

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