The ever-growing UK cyber sector is set to receive a boost of millions in investment and a new Cyber Growth Action Plan.
Setting out the Cyber Growth Action Plan today, the government said it will chart a course for the thriving UK cyber industry, including growing the technologies, services and processes designed to protect digital systems.
This will contribute to the already thriving industry, which generated £13.2bn in annual revenue and supported over 67,000 jobs in 2024.
Cyber Security Minister Feryal Clark said: “Cybersecurity is essential to our economic strength and national resilience. Today’s announcement is backed by investment, showing we’re serious about making the UK a global leader in cyber innovation and protection.”
Led by independent experts at the University of Bristol and Imperial College London’s Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance, the Plan will examine the strengths of the UK’s cyber sector and provide a roadmap for its future growth.
This will culminate in a set of recommendations later this summer for the government to outline the steps that can be taken to deliver maximum impact for UK cyber.
Supporting academics and start-ups in the UK cyber sector
Furthermore, up to £16m in new investment has been announced for two cyber programmes to generate growth.
Firstly, up to £10m will be invested in the CyberASAP programme over the next four years, supporting academics in the UK cyber sector to turn their research into commercial ventures.
The programme has already supported the creation of 34 spin-out companies, which have raised over £43m in investment. The new funding aims to generate an additional 25 spin-outs by 2030 and attract £30m in further investment.
Building on the current work of Cyber Runway, the government’s cyber accelerator, up to £6m will also be allocated to support UK cyber startups and SMEs – helping firms scale, access new markets through trade missions, and strengthen the wider UK cyber ecosystem.
By backing researchers and entrepreneurs through these programmes, the UK is set to remain a world leader in cyber innovation and growth, unlocking more jobs, supporting innovation, and boosting the UK’s cyber resilience.
The importance of resilience in a digital world
Due to be released later this summer, the Cyber Growth Action Plan will inform the government’s National Cyber Strategy, ensuring the UK remains resilient and competitive in an increasingly interconnected world.
The report will examine the supply and demand of cyber goods and services, including protective monitoring and encryption. This will help to uncover new trends and potential areas to capitalise on in the UK cyber industry.
Finally, it will explore emerging technologies, including AI and quantum, and identify opportunities to strengthen Britain’s competitive edge. These factors will all contribute to the protection of the digital economy and new growth in the UK cyber sector.
Simon Shiu, Professor of Cyber Security at the University of Bristol and leading the project, explained: “The UK cyber sector is successful and continues to grow, but so too are the challenges as demonstrated by recent events which have affected businesses and consumers.
“Based on input from all parts of the cyber sector, this project will make independent recommendations to accelerate growth in cyber, but also to increase cyber resilience in the other sectors critical to UK security, industry, and prosperity.”
Industry experts informing government policy
Senior cybersecurity experts from major tech companies, AI labs, academia, and other organisations are advising the government on these cyber policies.
Cyber leaders from BAE Systems, Santander, Amazon Web Services, Microsoft, and Google DeepMind will form the new iteration of the Government Cyber Advisory Board, which will play a key role in supporting the government’s goal to strengthen the public sector’s cyber resilience.
This aligns with the government Cyber Security Strategy and underpins the delivery of secure digital services across government.
Cybersecurity has become a central component of the government’s plans to secure the economy and drive growth nationwide, as part of its Plan for Change.
