UK-based venture capital firm Albion Ventures has backed Egress Software Technologies with a £2.2 million investment, a statement about the funding said.

Egress Software Technologies, a company that was founded in 2007, provides public and private companies with cloud-based email and file encryption services. In 2009, it rolled out Egress Switch, their SaaS-based information security platform which now leads the market. In fact, more than 70% of councils use the service. Aside from public companies, private-sector healthcare providers like the biggest private healthcare provider in the world,HCA Healthcare, and UK's biggest provider Spire Healthcare, have also subscribed to Switch. Other clients are charities, housing associations and schools, among others, the statement said.

Albion Ventures Partner Ed Lascelles said in the statement, "We are delighted to be supporting Egress as it enters such an exciting stage in its growth. We believe the company has a huge role to play as organisations increasingly focus on the security and privacy of their data. Egress fits well with the profile of technology investment that Albion seeks: the business is growing rapidly and has developed a leading position in a fast-growing, dynamic market."

Last year, the UK government certified Switch, making it the first and only mail encryption product so far to have earned the distinction. With the certification, Switch can allow highly sensitive data to be shared online without having to run external credentials from a third party, the statement said.    

The company's Trust Network also allows receivers of Switch packages to hold secure conversations with paying providers at no cost. Through this community-based licensing model, the Network has expanded by more than 200% to over a million members in the past year, the statement said.

Egress Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer Tony Pepper said in the statement, "The next two years are crucial in the growth and long-term success of Egress, and working closely with the experienced team at Albion, we are well-placed to seize on the potential and market opportunity now in front of us."