Spotlight on Aileen Sheehan – Cyber Innovator of the Year 🎉

Every year, the Cyber Innovate cohort selects one standout peer to be named Cyber Innovator of the Year—someone who not only excels in innovation but uplifts others along the way. This year, that honour went to Aileen Sheehan, and it’s easy to see why.

A Leader, a Mentor, a Natural Innovator

Over the course of the 10-month Cyber Innovate programme, Aileen consistently stood out—not just for her technical expertise, but for her willingness to support and champion her peers. She brought a rare combination of experience, curiosity, and generosity to every challenge the cohort faced.

Her classmates said it best: “Aileen offered incredible support throughout the past 10 months. She constantly helped others and brought out the best in the people around her.”

A Career Steeped in Tech and Transformation

Aileen came into the programme with over two decades of experience in software development, systems integration, and digital transformation. She holds two B.Sc. degrees, a Master’s in Digital Health Transformation, and a PMP certification—credentials that only begin to tell the story of her career.

She’s led enterprise architecture at Laya Healthcare, integrated large systems at CoreHR, and developed software at Fidelity Investments. But what set her apart in Cyber Innovate was not just what she had done—it was the clarity of her vision for what comes next.

Building the Future: Ailtire

That vision has now taken shape as Ailtire, the cybersecurity startup Aileen co-founded during her time in the programme. Alongside Colm McSweeney and Damion McGing, Aileen launched Ailtire to rethink how security fits into modern software development.

Ailtire’s mission? To make threat modelling developer-friendly, practical, and embedded from the very beginning of system design. No more treating security as an afterthought—Ailtire empowers teams to build secure-by-design from day one.

The team has already made waves, earning spots in both the NDRC Pre – Accelerator and PorterShed’s AI Venture Forge Accelerator, which supports Ireland’s most promising AI-driven startups.

Aileen’s journey—from experienced tech leader to standout peer in Cyber Innovate, to co-founder of one of Ireland’s rising AI-focused cybersecurity startups—is a powerful reminder of what’s possible when expertise meets purpose.

We’re proud to celebrate her achievements, and even more excited to see where she takes Ailtire next.

🔗 Learn more about Ailtire at ailtire.io

Cyber Innovate is supported under Innovators’ Initiative Programme, and co-funded by the Government of Ireland and European Union through the Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-2027.