GALLOS Technologies Research
Investment Thesis
GALLOS Technologies is a London-based venture studio and venture investor, not a traditional VC fund. Founded in 2021 by Josh Burch (former UK national security/intelligence official) and Dean Jones (former Royal Marine), GALLOS both builds and invests in early-stage security, defence and resilience technology companies. The firm's differentiator is "the GALLOS Effect": nation-state-level security insight, an extensive commercial and governmental network, and patient capital, applied to help portfolio companies access hard-to-reach markets and distribution channels in government and the private sector.
Sector Focus
GALLOS invests in mission-driven companies across five core areas: Cyber Security, AI/Data Analytics, Defence Technologies, Resilience Solutions, and Autonomous Systems & Sensors. Portfolio companies span AI governance (AI Score), full-spectrum sensor/UAS data intelligence (StirlingX), secure data collaboration (Alchem Technologies), automated managed security services (Contraforce), secure software delivery to government (Second Front Systems), and IoT security for smart cities (ANGOKA). GALLOS also runs two undisclosed "stealth builds" in robotics and cybersecurity through its venture studio arm, GALLOS Build.
Stage Focus
GALLOS targets Series Seed through Series B companies with clear market traction, alongside company-building from an earlier, pre-formation stage through GALLOS Build.
Check Size
No standardized check size is published. Observed deal data points include a $2M investment in Second Front Systems' Series A (Dec 2022) and continued follow-on participation in that company's subsequent Series B.
Lead Tendency
Mixed. As a venture studio, GALLOS effectively originates and leads its own "Build" companies from inception (e.g., Dean Jones serves as CEO of portfolio company StirlingX). As a venture investor into external companies, it has also participated as a follower alongside larger institutional leads (e.g., NEA led Second Front Systems' $40M Series B, with GALLOS following on).
Recent Activity
GALLOS is actively deploying. In August 2026 it announced a $50M (~£35M) balance-sheet investment round, co-led by Ventura Capital (an early Spotify backer) and Aberdeen Investments, with existing investor Lansdowne Partners also participating. The round will fund GALLOS's next cohort of company investments and further build-out of its platform. Sir Jeremy Fleming, former Director of GCHQ (2017-2023), chairs GALLOS's Strategic Advisory Board and is also chairman of portfolio company StirlingX and an advisor to AI Score. Prior fund activity includes the Contraforce investment (publicly announced November 2024) and the Second Front Systems Series B follow-on (announced January 2024).
Portfolio Highlights
Six named portfolio companies: AI Score (AI governance platform, Pre-Seed, April 2024), StirlingX (multi-sensor/UAS data intelligence, Seed, May 2022), Alchem Technologies (secure data-sharing platform "Mercury", Seed, 2023), Contraforce (Security Service Delivery Platform for MSPs/MSSPs, Seed, December 2023), Second Front Systems (Game Warden DevSecOps platform for government software delivery, Series A December 2022 / Series B follow-on 2024), and ANGOKA (IoT security for smart cities/mobility, Seed, September 2022). Second Front Systems CEO Tyler Sweatt has publicly credited GALLOS as "instrumental as an investor and partner" in replicating its model across new geographies.
Team
- Josh Burch — Co-Founder & Managing Partner. 15+ years in UK national security roles including Chief of Staff to a senior national security official and Head of Strategy and Risk at GCHQ; later led Cybersecurity practice at FTI Consulting in EMEIA; member of the UK National Cyber Advisory Board.
- Dean Jones — Co-Founder & Managing Partner. Former Royal Marine with two decades of operational experience; London Business School Sloan Fellow and Harvard Business School alum; also serves as CEO of portfolio company StirlingX.
- William Kilmer — General Partner & Head of Ventures. Former Managing Partner at C5 Capital; prior cybersecurity investments include Constella Intelligence, Hazelcast, Oomnitza, Shape Security and Synack; former European Managing Director of Intel Capital.
- Sir Jeremy Fleming — Chair, Strategic Advisory Board (joined September 2023). Director of GCHQ 2017-2023; led creation of the UK National Cyber Security Centre and National Cyber Force.
- Simon Collins — Advisor and Co-Builder. Former Chairman and Senior Partner of KPMG UK and member of KPMG's Global Board and Executive Committee (2012-2017).
- Chris Martin — Partner (GTM/Sales) and Operating Partner. GTM leadership roles at Darktrace, Vectra AI, and Abnormal Security; leads the GALLOS Alliance.
- Magnus Grimeland — Advisor. Founder and CEO of Antler; co-founded Zalora and scaled Global Fashion Group.
Decision Process
Managing-partner and general-partner structure (Josh Burch, Dean Jones, William Kilmer), supported by a Strategic Advisory Board chaired by Sir Jeremy Fleming and an extensive CISO advisory network (the GALLOS Alliance, 100+ members).
Founder Preferences
GALLOS backs mission-driven founders building breakthrough technology in security, defence and resilience, and explicitly values access to nation-state-level security insight and enterprise/government distribution networks over pure product plays.
Geographic Focus
Primarily UK, with active expansion into US, NATO and other allied markets (evidenced by Second Front Systems' expansion into Australia and NATO-aligned markets).
GALLOS Alliance
A distinguishing feature of the firm: a 100+ member private network of CISOs and risk leaders from Global 2000 companies (Barclays, Tesco, Gymshark, Associated British Foods, Lloyds Banking Group, BAE Systems and others), used for due diligence, concept validation, and design partnership with portfolio companies.