Key Points
- Monmouth-based software company Dot On has been selected as a UK Government Software Security Ambassador, recognising its approach to software security and its contribution to the Welsh technology sector.
- Dot On is the only organisation headquartered in Wales selected for the scheme’s second cohort, which runs from November 2026 to October 2027.
- The company joins established technology and cybersecurity organisations, including Fortinet, Thales and QinetiQ, in supporting stronger software security practices across the UK.
- The second cohort brings together 15 organisations, according to FinTech Wales, while the Government’s published signatory register provides the official list of participants.
- The ambassadors will promote the Government’s Software Security Code of Practice, which contains 14 voluntary principles for improving software security and resilience.
- Dot On will publish an assessment of its practices against the Code and contribute to case studies demonstrating how growing technology businesses can implement its principles.
- Founded in 2015 by Jon and Louise Petrie, Dot On provides a retail operations platform connecting sales, supply chain, warehouse and back-office systems.
- Its customers include Fairfax & Favor and The Beauty Tech Group, with retailers using its platform serving customers across the UK, Europe and the United States.
- The company holds ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and Cyber Essentials certifications and develops its source code through its in-house engineering team without using generative AI.
- Business Wales’ Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) has supported Dot On with security preparations, business development, funding and organisational improvements.
- With support from the programme, Dot On has doubled its team, increased revenue by 600% and raised more than £500,000 in research, development and innovation funding.
- The company has also received Welsh Government backing through several funding rounds totalling £1.25 million.
- Dot On has set ambitious three-year growth targets, including increasing its workforce tenfold, growing revenue twentyfold and entering additional international markets.
Why Has Dot On Been Selected as a UK Government Software Security Ambassador?
Monmouth-based software company Dot On has been selected as a UK Government Software Security Ambassador, becoming the only organisation headquartered in Wales appointed to the scheme’s second cohort. The appointment places the growing Welsh retail technology business alongside established organisations such as Fortinet, Thales and QinetiQ in a national initiative aimed at improving software security standards. Running from November 2026 to October 2027, the second cohort will encourage organisations to demonstrate practical approaches to secure software development, promote stronger industry practices and contribute to the development of future software security policy. The appointment also highlights the role of Welsh technology businesses in the UK’s wider digital economy, with Dot On bringing its experience in developing retail software and protecting business-critical systems to the initiative.
According to the announcement published by FinTech Wales on 3 November 2026, Dot On’s selection recognises its commitment to making software quality and security central to its business proposition. The organisation has developed its technology around the operational requirements of retailers, providing systems that connect several essential business functions.
The announcement also identifies the contribution of the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme (AGP) to the company’s development. The programme has supported Dot On in strengthening its security credentials, preparing for international growth and developing the organisational foundations required to compete in wider markets.
In separate coverage published by Business in the News on 3 November 2026, journalist Mark Baker also reported on Dot On’s appointment, highlighting its position alongside established technology companies in the Government’s initiative.
The appointment represents a significant development for the Welsh technology sector, particularly as the Government continues to encourage organisations to improve the security of the software and digital infrastructure on which businesses depend.
What Is the UK Government’s Software Security Ambassador Scheme?
The Software Security Ambassador Scheme is a Government initiative designed to encourage the adoption of stronger software security practices across the UK economy. It brings together technology businesses, cybersecurity specialists and other organisations to promote the Software Security Code of Practice and demonstrate how its principles can be implemented in practical business environments.
According to the UK Government’s official publication, the scheme was announced on 6 January 2026 as part of the Government Cyber Action Plan and formally launched on 15 January 2026. The second group was launched on 29 October 2026.
The initiative is supported by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).
The Government’s objective is to improve the security and resilience of software used by organisations across different industries. Software vulnerabilities can expose businesses to cyberattacks, disrupt supply chains and affect essential services. Improving the way software is developed, maintained and supported is therefore an important part of strengthening the UK’s digital infrastructure.
The ambassador organisations are expected to share practical experience, encourage businesses to adopt recognised security principles and provide feedback that could help inform future Government policy.
For Dot On, participation provides an opportunity to contribute its experience as a software supplier working with retailers and their business-critical systems.
How Many Organisations Are Participating in the Second Cohort?
FinTech Wales reported that Dot On is one of 15 organisations in the scheme’s second cohort. The announcement also noted that the new participants join the original 13 ambassadors, including Cisco, Sage and Santander, bringing the total number of ambassadors to 28.
The Government’s updated second-cohort signatory register, published on 3 November 2026, officially lists Dot On alongside organisations including:
- Acubed IT Solutions Limited
- Capgemini
- CloudPeek
- Fortinet
- Hippo Digital
- Investec
- IoT M2M Council
- Nine23
- QinetiQ
- Risk Ledger
- SANS Institute
- Thales
- Zscaler
The Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport and the National Cyber Security Centre are also included in the official register.
The presence of established international technology and cybersecurity organisations gives the initiative a broad industry representation. For Dot On, the appointment is particularly notable because it is the only organisation headquartered in Wales identified by FinTech Wales as part of the second cohort.
The selection demonstrates that participation in national technology initiatives is not limited to businesses headquartered in major UK technology centres. Regional companies can also contribute to discussions about software development, cybersecurity and digital resilience.
What Responsibilities Will Dot On Have Under the Ambassador Scheme?
As a Software Security Ambassador, Dot On will be expected to support the wider adoption of the Software Security Code of Practice and demonstrate how its principles can be applied within a growing technology business.
According to FinTech Wales, the company will publish an assessment of its practices against the Code. It will also contribute to case studies showing how technology businesses can apply the principles in their own operations.
The wider responsibilities of participating organisations include promoting awareness of the Code through their websites, social media channels and relevant industry events. They are also expected to share real-world experiences, discuss lessons learned from implementing security practices and provide feedback to help inform future Government policy.
The Government’s second-cohort commitments further outline responsibilities for different types of participating organisations.
Software suppliers are expected to appoint a Senior Responsible Owner to oversee implementation of the Code. They are also required, under the scheme commitments, to complete and publish a self-assessment or obtain third-party verification to demonstrate their approach to the principles. Participating suppliers are additionally expected to develop the relevant skills and expertise within their teams and provide suitable learning and development opportunities.
Software buyers have a separate responsibility to incorporate the Code into procurement policies and procedures for managing software suppliers. They are also encouraged to ask suppliers to complete and share the relevant self-assessment.
Expert advisers participating in the initiative are expected to promote the Code through their advisory services and, where appropriate, incorporate its requirements into expectations for relevant partner organisations.
An important distinction is that the ambassador scheme itself is not a certification or supplier assessment programme. The Government specifically states that membership must not be treated as a procurement or tendering criterion. Organisations should instead use the Software Security Code of Practice Self-Assessment when they need to evaluate a supplier’s approach to the Government’s software security principles.
For Dot On, the commitments provide a framework for sharing its experience while contributing to a wider industry effort to strengthen software security.
What Does the Software Security Code of Practice Require?
The Software Security Code of Practice is a voluntary framework containing 14 principles designed to improve the security and resilience of software products.
Published by the Government on 7 May 2025, the Code was developed with technical input from the National Cyber Security Centre and industry and academic experts. It was subsequently refined following feedback from a public consultation conducted between May and August 2024.
The framework addresses weaknesses that can arise during software design, development, maintenance and communication between software suppliers and their customers.
Its purpose is to establish a consistent baseline for software security across the market. This includes reducing the likelihood and impact of software supply chain attacks, improving resilience and encouraging suppliers to take greater responsibility for the security of their products.
The Government has highlighted the scale of the challenge, reporting that 59% of organisations experienced a software supply chain attack during the previous year. Such incidents can affect businesses beyond the organisation initially targeted, particularly when vulnerable software is used across interconnected supply chains.
The Code therefore encourages software providers to adopt more secure development practices and communicate effectively with customers about potential vulnerabilities and security-related issues.
Its principles are relevant to organisations that develop software internally, businesses that purchase technology from external suppliers and companies responsible for maintaining complex digital systems.
For Dot On, whose platform connects multiple retail operations, these considerations are directly relevant to the type of technology it provides.
How Did Dot On Develop Its Retail Technology Business?
Dot On was founded in 2015 by Jon Petrie and Louise Petrie after the founders experienced repeated problems with the technology used to operate their own retail business.
According to FinTech Wales, those experiences influenced the company’s decision to develop a technology proposition focused on quality, reliability and security.
The business has since developed into a software provider offering a core operations platform for retailers. Its technology connects sales, supply chain, warehouse and back-office systems, allowing businesses to manage important operational activities through an integrated platform.
This type of software is particularly relevant to retailers managing multiple business functions, including customer orders, stock movements, warehouse operations and administrative processes.
Dot On’s customer base includes Fairfax & Favor and The Beauty Tech Group. The company’s platform supports retailers whose customers are located across the UK, Europe and the United States.
The business has also established an international footprint through its customers, with retailers using its platform selling to consumers in more than 80 countries.
Its development from a business founded to address operational technology problems in retail into a provider serving customers across several international markets provides the background to its selection for the Government initiative.
What Security Certifications and Development Practices Does Dot On Follow?
Dot On holds three recognised certifications and credentials identified in the FinTech Wales announcement: ISO 27001, ISO 9001 and Cyber Essentials.
ISO 27001 relates to information security management systems and provides a framework for managing information security risks. ISO 9001 concerns quality management systems, while Cyber Essentials is a UK Government-backed scheme designed to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber threats.
The company also develops its source code through its in-house engineering team without using generative artificial intelligence, according to FinTech Wales.
Jon Petrie, Co-Founder, CEO and CTO of Dot On, explained that security and quality have been central to the business since its establishment.
As quoted in the FinTech Wales announcement, Petrie said:
“Being chosen as a Software Security Ambassador, the only one based in Wales, is a real moment of pride for our whole team.”
He added that the appointment places a Welsh company alongside recognised names in technology and retail, demonstrating that businesses do not need to be headquartered in London to contribute to industry standards.
Petrie also explained that the company was established after the founders experienced technology that repeatedly failed to meet their business requirements.
He said that quality and security had underpinned Dot On’s proposition from the beginning, adding that customers trusted the company with systems at the heart of their businesses. He also highlighted the work of its in-house team, which develops every line of its code.
These statements underline the company’s stated approach to software development and its focus on maintaining direct engineering involvement in its products.
How Has Business Wales Supported Dot On’s Growth?
The Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme has played a role in supporting Dot On as it has developed its technology offering and expanded its business operations.
According to FinTech Wales, the programme has assisted the company with several areas of business development, including preparation for ISO 27001, product positioning, pricing and team structure.
The support has also extended to funding and innovation activities. The programme helped Dot On raise more than £500,000 in research, development and innovation funding and secure research and development tax credits.
With this support, the company has doubled the size of its team and recorded revenue growth of 600%. It has also secured Welsh Government backing through several funding rounds totalling £1.25 million.
These figures illustrate the scale of the company’s development and the role of business support in helping it strengthen its operations.
Lucy Jones, Operations Manager of the Business Wales Accelerated Growth Programme, welcomed Dot On’s selection for the Government initiative.
In a statement published by FinTech Wales, Jones said:
“We’re delighted to see Dot On recognised by the UK Government in this way.”
She described the appointment alongside established organisations, and Dot On’s position as the only ambassador from Wales, as a significant achievement for a growing Welsh retail technology business.
Jones also highlighted the company’s longstanding approach to security, explaining that Dot On had treated security as a core part of its product from the beginning.
She said that helping ambitious companies establish the right foundations and compete nationally was central to the purpose of the Accelerated Growth Programme. Jones added that the programme was proud to have supported Dot On’s development.
The support described in the announcement illustrates how business development assistance, funding and improvements to internal processes can contribute to the expansion of technology companies.
What Are Dot On’s International Expansion Plans?
Dot On has outlined ambitious objectives for the next three years as it looks to build on its existing customer base and expand into additional international markets.
According to FinTech Wales, the company aims to increase its workforce tenfold and grow revenue twentyfold over this period. It also plans to enter new international markets.
The company’s existing international reach provides a foundation for these ambitions. Retailers using its platform already sell to customers in more than 80 countries, extending the potential geographical reach of the technology beyond the UK.
However, the workforce and revenue targets represent the company’s stated ambitions rather than confirmed future results. Achieving them will depend on its ability to expand operations, attract customers, develop its platform and maintain the security and reliability of its services as the business grows.
Its appointment as a Software Security Ambassador comes at a time when the company is seeking to increase its presence in international markets while continuing to develop the technology used by its retail customers.
The recognition also provides an opportunity for Dot On to demonstrate how a growing Welsh software business approaches security, product development and operational expansion.
What Does Dot On’s Appointment Mean for the Welsh Technology Sector?
Dot On’s appointment provides further recognition of the contribution that technology businesses based outside London’s established technology centres can make to national initiatives.
As the only organisation headquartered in Wales selected for the second cohort, the company will represent a regional perspective within a programme involving established technology and cybersecurity organisations.
Its development also illustrates the relationship between business growth, specialist technology capabilities and investment in operational foundations.
The company’s experience includes developing a retail operations platform, establishing recognised security and quality credentials, expanding its workforce and securing financial support for research and development.
Through the ambassador scheme, Dot On will have an opportunity to share practical experience with the Government and other participating organisations while supporting greater awareness of secure software development.
The initiative also highlights the importance of specialist knowledge in areas such as IT and Computer Science and Safety and Security, particularly as organisations increasingly depend on interconnected software systems to manage commercial operations and customer information.
For businesses developing or purchasing digital products, understanding software security principles, supplier responsibilities and risk management remains an important part of maintaining reliable operations. Similarly, effective Management practices can support the organisational planning, accountability and workforce development required to implement security improvements.
Dot On’s appointment therefore represents both a corporate milestone for the company and a further contribution from the Welsh technology sector to the UK’s wider software security agenda.