10. Element Element is a completely new type of secure decentralised messaging, used by governments and businesses around the world who need to keep their confidential data extra secure. Ross Darragh October 1, 2021 2 min read About us Startups was founded over 20 years ago by a multi-time entrepreneur. Today, our expert team of writers, researchers, and editors work to provide our 4 million readers with useful tips and information, as well as running award-winning campaigns. Founder: Matthew Hodgson, Amandine Le PapeFounded: 2017Website: element.ioCommunications app Element is striving to change the way we securely message, using the state-of-the-art Matrix open standard network to give users ownership and control of their data, end-to-end encryption and an open network – making connections between people easy and negating the risk of data breaches.Think of Element like Whatsapp, but without the fear its parent company can change its privacy policy and access your data at any time. It’s for consumers, communities and businesses, whilst a host of governments including the UK, US and Germany also use the app to communicate, which is testament to the app's reputation for reliability and security. Think of Element like Whatsapp, but without the fear its parent company can change its privacy policy and access your data at any time. But what really makes it a disruptive startup and different from Whatsapp, Slack, Signal and Microsoft Teams is its affiliation as the flagship Matrix app. Matrix, in a nutshell, is a decentralised network. This enables Element’s users to have complete ownership and control of their data, as they get to choose how and where their service is hosted – on-premise, self-hosted or fully-managed and hosted by Element. A host of governments including the UK, US and Germany also use the app to communicate, which is testament to the app's reputation for reliability and security. In these times of General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), ensuring customer, company and client data is secure is a priority for all companies, and failure to comply can result in massive fines. Element therefore earns its place in our top ten because it provides the perfect solution for businesses struggling to keep data secure, and it does so seamlessly, whilst helping to create a new communications category worth $192bn. What Does Your Business Need Help With? Project Planning Creating a Website Business Loan Business Bank Account Get Started Startups.co.uk can help your business succeed At Startups.co.uk, we're here to help small UK businesses to get started, grow and succeed. As well as rounding up some of the biggest success stories in our annual Startups 100 list, we have resources to help new businesses get off the ground. Share this post facebook twitter linkedin Tags startups100 Ross Darragh Writer Ross has been writing for Startups since 2021, specialising in telephone systems, digital marketing, payroll, and sustainable business. He also runs the successful entrepreneur section of the website.Having graduated with a Masters in Journalism, Ross went on to write for Condé Nast Traveller and the NME, before moving in to the world of business journalism. Ross has been involved in startups from a young age, and has a keen eye for exciting, innovative new businesses. Follow him on his Twitter - @startupsross for helpful business tips.