The ever-growing UK cybersector is set to acquire millions of investments and new cybergrowth action plans.
Setting up today’s Cyber Growth Action Plan, the government said it will create courses for the UK’s cyber industry, including expanding technologies, services and processes designed to protect digital systems.
It contributed to an already thriving industry, generating £13.2 billion in annual revenues and supported more than 67,000 jobs in 2024.
Cybersecurity Minister Feljar Clark said: “Cybersecurity is crucial to our economic strength and national resilience. Today’s announcement is backed by investment and we are serious about making the UK a global leader in cyber innovation and protection.”
Leading by independent experts from the University of Bristol and the Centre for Sector Economic Performance at Imperial College London, the plan explores the strengths of the UK cybersector and provides a roadmap for future growth.
This leads to a series of recommendations later this summer to outline the steps the government can take to make the most impact on UK cyber.
Supporting academics and start-ups in the UK cybersector
Additionally, new investments up to £16 million have been announced to generate growth for the two cyber programs.
First, up to £10 million will be invested in the CyberAsap programme over the next four years, helping UK cybersector scholars turn research into commercial ventures.
The program has already supported the creation of 34 spin-out companies, which have raised over £43 million in investments. The new funding aims to generate 25 more spinouts by 2030, attracting £30 million with further investments.
Based on current work on the Cyber Runway, the government’s cyber accelerator, up to £6 million, will also be allocated to support UK cyber startups and small businesses.
By supporting researchers and entrepreneurs through these programs, the UK will remain a global leader in cyber innovation and growth.
The importance of resilience in the digital world
Scheduled to be released later this summer, the Cyber Growth Action Plan informs the government’s national cyber strategy and ensures that the UK remains resilient and competitive in an increasingly interconnected world.
The report examines the supply and demand of cyber goods and services, including protection monitoring and encryption. This will help to uncover new trends and potential areas to be exploited in the UK cyber industry.
Finally, we will explore emerging technologies, including AI and Quantum, and identify opportunities to enhance the UK’s competitiveness. All of these factors contribute to protecting the digital economy and renewing growth in the UK’s cybersector.
Simon Shoe, a professor of cybersecurity at the University of Bristol and head of the project, explained:
“Based on inputs from all parts of the cybersector, the project will make independent recommendations to accelerate cyber growth, but will also create independent recommendations to increase cyber resilience in other sectors that are critical to UK security, industry and prosperity.”
Industry experts informing government policies
Senior cybersecurity experts from leading tech companies, AI labs, academia and other organizations advise governments on these cyber policies.
Cyberleaders from BAE Systems, Santander, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google Deepmind form new iterations of the government’s cyber advisory committee. This will play a key role in supporting government goals to enhance public sector cyber resilience.
This is consistent with the government’s cybersecurity strategy and supports the delivery of safe digital services across the government.
Cybersecurity has become a central component of the government’s plan to secure the economy and promote growth nationwide as part of its plan for change.
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