New £14.5m cyber security innovation centre to be developed in London

The UK government has announced that a new cyber security innovation centre is to be developed in London, with up to £14.5m made available for the centre, pencilled in to open in 2018. 

The press release via Gov.uk states: 

London will cement its place as a world-leader in the fight against cyber attacks and threats with an investment of up to £14.5 million in a new innovation centre to develop the next of generation of cyber security technology to help keep the nation safe.

A competition to develop and design the new centre has been launched by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport.

The investment will be made over the next three years to bolster the UK’s cyber security defences and help make the UK the best place to start and grow a digital business and the safest place to be online.

The innovation centre will see government bringing together large firms to work hand in hand with innovative startups and industry experts to develop the new technologies businesses will need to protect themselves. This will help make sure the UK’s entrepreneurs are creating the solutions the market needs and securing crucial investment.

It will give startups access to expert technical mentoring, business support and advice to help them to grow in their early stages and contribute to the UK’s thriving £22 billion cyber security sector.

The new centre will build on London’s thriving digital start-up scene with one tech company estimated to be formed every hour in the capital. The city is also home to the headquarters of the newly created National Cyber Security Centre - a part of GCHQ - which opened earlier this year.

It is one of two new centres being developed to help make sure UK firms have access to the latest cyber technology to secure their businesses.

An innovation centre in Cheltenham opened earlier this year with the launch of the GCHQ Cyber Accelerator programme. Seven start-ups have so far graduated from the GCHQ Accelerator with a competition to find the next cohort due to close on 9 August.