A CHORLEY company plans to bring 20 new jobs to the region with an ambition to become the borough's first 'tech unicorn.'

A tech unicorn is a start-up business valued at over one billion US dollars, and PPC Protect, an anti-online fraud company based in the new Strawberry Fields Digital Hub on Euxton Lane, says that it has raised £2 million worth of investment for this purpose.

If it succeeds, PPC Protect will join North West based AO.com and The Hut Group as 'unicorns' based in the North West.

Founder and CEO Neil Andrew said: “We’re delighted to have raised not only our investment goal but more on top and are looking forward to growing our team within the Chorley area and beyond.

"As one of the UK’s fastest growing cybersecurity companies, we’re proud to be putting the Chorley and Lancashire tech scene firmly on the map.”

The new jobs will range from sales development to UX designer roles.

PPC Protect helps online advertisers ensure that their advertising spend is not being lost to fraudulent activity.

In its recent Global Click Fraud report, the company found that up to 38 per cent of all online advertising spending was being lost to such activity, funding a range of cybercriminals.

As such, companies to have worked with PPC Protect have expressed their appreciation for the work the company does in protecting them from would-be fraudsters.

One such firm has been London-based venture capital company Fuel Ventures, which has provided the £2 million capital needed for its planned expansion.

Founder and managing partner Mark Pearson said: “Neil and the PPC Protect team are at the frontline of the click fraud prevention space and built the first truly automated cybersecurity-driven fraud detection engine that stops bad traffic and fake clicks.

"They are a security-first not ad-tech first firm and their priority on keeping businesses safe is paramount.

"We are excited to be backing this innovative company with excellent leadership.”

To find out more, go to: https://ppcprotect.com/.