£700k investment to boost cyber growth across the UK

UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration established to support tech firms across the country

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Cyber businesses across the country are set to benefit from a £700k fund to help develop people’s skills, collaborate and break down local barriers to growth.

The funding – from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) – has been awarded to UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3), a network of 20 regional clusters of cyber businesses, employers and local organisations which work together to boost the UK’s cyber security sector.

The organisation was established to help cyber security businesses build partnerships and programmes which break down barriers to growth, such as skills gaps and a lack of business support, and provide a focal point for industry stakeholders to engage with.

The fund will be used by the UKC3 to provide opportunities for networking, knowledge sharing and funding to help develop skills and spur innovation.

Minister for Digital Infrastructure Matt Warman announced the new funding today at industry event InfoSec. He said:

Our cyber security sector is already worth £8.9 billion and we’re working tirelessly to take its magnificent growth to the next level.

Our new UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration will help tackle the barriers to growth, boost people’s digital skills and give firms a new route to develop their business acumen.

UKC3 Chair Richard Yorke said:

The UK’s thriving cyber sector is recognised as world leading and through greater collaboration, innovation and skills development we have a real opportunity to deliver growth that benefits businesses and individual citizens across the UK.

This is an exciting and pivotal time for the cyber industry and we encourage organisations to engage with us to drive growth in the sector.

The funding is part of the government’s wider work to develop the UK’s strength in cyber as we build back better after the pandemic and improve prosperity and security. Work is well underway to develop a new national cyber strategy, which the government intends to publish later this year.

Examples of cyber clusters across the UK include:

The CNI in Wales cyber security cluster helps organisations share intelligence and tackle cyber security challenges in Critical National Infrastructure (CNI).

The Women in Cyber Wales Cluster provides networking opportunities and support to women working or hoping to work in the Welsh cyber sector.

The ScotlandIS Cyber Cluster represents and supports Scottish cyber security businesses and organisations, helping them to grow and collaborate.

The North West Cyber Security Cluster brings together cyber security and IT industry professionals and organisations across Cumbria, Lancashire, Manchester and Merseyside.

The South West Cyber Security Cluster is a ‘not for profit’ collaboration raising cyber security awareness for business protection, innovation and skills in the south west of England.

NI Cyber brings together cyber security companies based in Northern Ireland which are developing world-leading cyber security technologies.