Inside BCyber: Karen Stephens and the GRACE Approach to SME Security
On BCyber's official website, the Australian-owned cyber security company sets out how it works with small and medium enterprises, and the approach reflects the thinking of its co-founder and CEO,…
On BCyber's official website, the Australian-owned cyber security company sets out how it works with small and medium enterprises, and the approach reflects the thinking of its co-founder and CEO, Karen Stephens. The site describes a company built to protect and grow SMEs by demystifying the technical aspects of cyber security and helping them identify and address cyber security and governance risk gaps.
At the centre of the offering is a platform called GRACE, which stands for Governance, Resilience, Assurance, Compliance and Education. The platform is mapped to frameworks that Australian businesses increasingly need to navigate, including the Essential Eight, APRA CPS 234, SOCI and the Privacy Act. For an SME trying to make sense of its obligations, that mapping turns a dense regulatory landscape into something more manageable.
Karen co-founded BCyber with Graham Chee, and the company is headquartered in Mascot, NSW. Her perspective is shaped by more than two decades in financial services before she moved into SME cyber security risk management, experience that informs how BCyber translates complex security concepts for business owners rather than specialists. BCyber positions cyber security as a strategic investment rather than an expense, describing Karen as a leader focused on transforming how businesses think about that investment.
That positioning sits alongside a growing record of recognition. Karen was named the inaugural Female Cyber Leader of the Year at the 2023 CyberSecurity Connect Awards in Canberra, and BCyber was recognised in 2025 in categories including GRC Provider of the Year and AI Innovator - Cyber Security. Together, the website and that recognition point to the same focus: making strong cyber security practical and accessible for the smaller businesses that need it most.