LONDON, 2025-06-17
The UK is gearing up to supercharge its cybersecurity sector, which already generates a staggering £13.2 billion in revenue annually and supports over 67,000 jobs. A new cyber growth action plan has been unveiled to map out the future of this crucial industry.
The plan aims to bolster the UK’s cyber sector, fostering innovation and protecting public services through increased funding and expert guidance.
- £16 million in new funding will support cyber innovation.
- A new Cyber Advisory Board will guide public sector cybersecurity.
- The plan will focus on AI, quantum cryptography and other growth areas.
What is the UK government doing to boost its cybersecurity sector? The government’s plan involves a multi-pronged approach,including increased financial backing for startups and the establishment of a new advisory board,aiming to make the UK a global leader in cyber innovation.
Charting the Course: Future Growth
Over the coming months, experts from both defense and technology sectors will collaborate under the plan, led by the University of Bristol and Imperial College London’s Center for Sectoral Economic Performance (CSEP). Their mission: to thoroughly examine the UK’s cyber sector and forge a roadmap for future expansion.
This undertaking will lead to a series of recommendations, expected later in the summer, which will be incorporated into the forthcoming national cyber strategy. The government views this strategy as central to its plan for change, emphasizing the importance of a robust and resilient cyber landscape.
Did you know?-The UK’s cyber sector contributes considerably to the national economy, generating more revenue than the entire GDP of some small island nations. This highlights the sector’s importance to the UK’s financial stability.
Areas of focus include the supply and demand of security goods and services. The review will also explore emerging trends, such as artificial intelligence and quantum cryptography, to identify opportunities for growth and innovation.
Simon Shiu, professor of cyber security at the University of Bristol and project lead, commented on the current state of the UK cyber sector. “The UK cyber sector is successful and growing, but so to are the challenges as demonstrated by recent events which have affected businesses and consumers,” he said. “This project will make self-reliant recommendations to accelerate growth in cyber,but also to increase cyber resilience in the other sectors critical to UK security,industry and prosperity.”
Nigel Brandon, dean of the faculty of engineering at Imperial, highlighted the institution’s role.”The CSEP at Imperial is uniquely placed to work with the university of Bristol on this vital work in a rapidly growing and key sector for the UK economy,” he added. “This work is aligned with our ambition to help drive economic growth by boosting the UK’s innovation capacity, productivity and competitiveness.”
Reader question:-How can individuals and small businesses better protect themselves from cyber threats, given the increasing sophistication of attacks and the limited resources available to them?
More Funding for Startups
Beyond the main strategic review, the plan allocates £16 million in new funding to stimulate cyber innovation and transform ideas into profitable ventures. This investment underscores the government’s commitment to supporting the growth of the cyber industry.
A meaningful portion, £10 million, will be channeled through the CyberASAP accelerator, supported by UK Research and Innovation and Innovate UK. This funding will support the accelerator’s work through the end of the decade, aiming to generate 25 new UK cyber spin-outs and secure £30 million in investment.
The remaining £6 million will be directed to support cyber startups and small and medium-sized enterprises via the Cyber Runway scheme.This program assists emerging security businesses in expanding into new international markets.
Advisory Board
A revamped iteration of the government’s Cyber Advisory board (CAB) will be established to provide counsel and direction on public sector cybersecurity. The CAB, which first convened in 2022, will work closely with the government to fortify the resilience of Britain’s public bodies and ensure the delivery of secure digital services.
New appointments to the panel include Mark Evans, principal security strategist at Amazon Web Services; Vijay Bolina, chief details security officer and head of cybersecurity research at DeepMind; Ian Thompson, senior government cyber advisor at Google; and Sarah Armstrong-Smith, chief security advisor at Microsoft.
Armstrong-Smith shared her perspective on the board’s role.”From laggards to leaders – in an era where cyber attacks are coming thick and fast, GCAB has the opportunity to take a commanding role, setting the right path and principles for how the UK should respond to this systemic threat,” she said.”This requires a whole-of-society approach to build collective resilience that inspires confidence in times of uncertainty.”
Cate Pye, PA Consulting’s global partner lead for digital trust and cybersecurity, also joining the CAB, emphasized the importance of a collaborative approach. “It is indeed a really pivotal part of making sure that the whole of the UK contributes to our cyber security as this becomes increasingly essential to the way we live and work,” she said. “It is also an exemplar of how government and industry can work as one team to really change the way both government and the private sector pragmatically address cyber challenges together, building trust and competency in both.”
Cyber security minister Feryal Clark reinforced the government’s commitment. “Cyber security is essential to our economic strength and national resilience,” she stated.”Today’s announcement is backed by investment showing we’re serious about making the UK a global leader in cyber innovation and protection. Through our plan for change, we’re backing the sector to create high-quality jobs through the cyber growth action plan and ensuring our public services are built on secure foundations with the expert support of the Government Cyber Advisory Board.”
The Evolving Role of the UK in Global Cybersecurity
As the UK solidifies its commitment to cybersecurity, the roles various entities play within this evolving landscape become increasingly crucial. the government’s investment and strategic initiatives, highlighted in the recent cyber growth action plan, directly influence the responsibilities and focus areas for both public and private sector players. This strategic shift aims to establish the UK as a responsible cyber power, fostering innovation and protecting critical infrastructure [[1]].
The government’s plan places emphasis on several key areas-AI, quantum cryptography, and the overall supply chain for security goods and
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