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Cyber Growth Action Plan set to supercharge UK cyber sector

4 July 20252 min read
News
Cyber Growth Action Plan set to supercharge UK cyber sector

On Wednesday 18 June, the government announced a major boost to the UK cyber sector — a new Cyber Growth Action Plan.

The plan will examine the strengths of the UK’s cyber sector and provide a roadmap for future growth, with a promise to boost jobs and innovation.

The development of the plan will be led by the University of Bristol and Imperial College London’s Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance.

Independent experts from both universities will be gathering insights and recommendations in the second half of the summer, actively seeking contributions and expertise from industry to build a realistic picture of the current cyber landscape.

The Growth Action Plan will be comprised of 4 workstreams:

  • Sectoral Analysis: Understanding the demand for cyber products and services from across various sectors.

  • Strategy Alignment: Identifying opportunities from the government’s Industrial Strategy and upcoming legislation, such as the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill.

  • Future Technologies and Societal Trends: Examining future trends and their impact on growth opportunities.

  • Building on Strengths: Coordinating initiatives and communities across government and other sectors.

As part of the initiative, the government has committed up to £16 million in new funding aimed at supporting new businesses and cyber start-ups.

  • The CyberASAP programme will receive £10 million in additional funding to support its efforts in turning innovative research into commercial ventures.

  • Cyber start-ups and SMEs will be backed by £6 million to support with scaling operations, accessing markets, and trade missions — helping to build a stronger, more resilient cyber ecosystem.

The growth strategy is set to feed into the review of the National Cyber Strategy later this year, ensuring that its research informs the government’s Plan for Change — boosting innovation and economic growth through the cyber community. The strategy will explore growth opportunities across the sector, including the supply and demand of cyber goods, particularly protective monitoring and encryption, alongside emerging trends such as AI and quantum technologies. The researchers aim to identify opportunities to foster a globally competitive edge for the UK while safeguarding the digital economy.

Impact on the Sector:

techUK welcomes the government’s announcement of the Cyber Growth Strategy and opportunity it offers industry to help shape future cyber security. The announcement of the Plan reflects the government’s ongoing commitment to close collaboration with the sector and recognises cyber security as a pillar to the UK’s growth and economic security. The prioritisation of investment in innovation, start-ups and research will help ensure that the UK remains a global leader in cyber security. techUK looks forward to continuing to work with government on the development of the Plan and the upcoming refresh of the National Cyber Strategy.