Yasmin Taylor on Building Smarter Tech for a Safer Cloud

At just 22, Yasmin Taylor launched her own tech consultancy, Solaris AI. While still at university, Yasmin jumped straight into the tech world. She worked in technical sales and telecoms, gaining nearly two years of hands-on experience before she even graduated. What began as a consultancy soon evolved. Yasmin shifted her focus to product development and created Orion IQ, an AI threat analysis tool designed to help companies protect their cloud systems before problems even start.

Yasmin explains how Solaris has recently moved away from consultancy work to focus on product development, with their main innovation being Orion IQ. “I’ve always been into astronomy and astrology, so naming the product Orion felt like the right fit,” she says. “Orion IQ is an AI threat analysis tool that scans your cloud ecosystem and picks up on potential threats before they become a real issue. It uses predictive analytics and can also be used as a monitoring tool.”

What makes it different from other tools on the market? “There are similar solutions out there, but we are really focused on cloud environments specifically. It is personalised to each client’s setup and scans for vulnerabilities in their actual infrastructure, not just a generic system,” she adds.

As Yasmin expands Solaris across international markets, she has noticed some key differences between how things work in the UK compared to the UAE. Yasmin sees big potential in the UAE, where “the cloud space is still quite green” and many organisations are looking to move away from legacy systems. “Before you even talk about migration, security has to come first,” she says, noting the opportunity to build strong foundations from the start.

The UK, on the other hand, is “more about implementation”, with most systems already in place. She also highlights cultural differences between the two regions. “In the UAE, it’s very relationship-driven. People want to get to know you before doing business,” she says. “The UK is a bit more open to exploring and integrating new systems without that same personal connection.”

While she sees progress in how tech is being marketed to women and young people, she believes there is still work to do. “We are getting better at showing that tech is not just for boys. But it is also about creating a culture where women, especially Black women, actually feel welcome and supported. That part still needs work.” She also points out the lack of representation at senior levels. “Tech has always had this image of being a white male space,” she says. “And the higher up you go, the fewer people you see who look like me.” Yasmin highlights the need for more allies and greater investment in upskilling the next generation so they can grow into those positions.