Cyber security start-ups given financial boost

The UK government has announced the introduction of the Early Stage Accelerator Programme, designed to help cyber-security start-ups get funding, advice and support to develop their businesses.

The £250,000 scheme is part of the National Cyber Security Programme and will be run in partnership between the Centre for Secure Information Technologies, part of Queen's University Belfast, and the Cyber London enterprise hub. The programme opens to applicants in March 2016.

In November 2015, Chancellor George Osborne announced Government plans to double UK cyber security spending to £1.9 bn a year by 2020, as part of a wider strategy to tackle the emerging threat of cyber terrorism and state-sponsored cyber warfare. As part of this drive, the Early Accelerator Programme underlines the importance placed by the Government on the security industry to protect the UK economy from cyber attacks. Recent estimates suggest a 70% growth in the worth of the UK security industry since 2013 to over £17.6 bn.

The sector looks set to be busy this year with the increased threat of cyber security attacks and heightened awareness of the need to protect against the risks which are increasingly a concern for businesses.

For more information, help or advice in this area please contact Alex Craig on 0191 211 7956 or via [email protected].