Born on 16 June 1965, Mr Lynch is the son of a nurse and a fireman, and was raised near Chelmsford in Essex. He studied Natural Sciences at the University of Cambridge, where he earned a PhD in mathematical computing, and later undertook a research fellowship. In 1991, Mr Lynch helped establish Cambridge Neurodynamics - a firm which specialised in using computer-based detection and recognition of fingerprints. His tech firm Autonomy was created five years later, using a statistical method known as "Bayesian inference" at the core of its software. The company's fast-paced growth and success throughout the late 1990s and early 2000s saw Mr Lynch earn a number of awards and accolades.