New National Cyber Security Centre to be built in London

The new National Cyber Security Centre will be created with the aim of bolstering 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.

Minister for gigital Matt Hancock said: “London is one of the world’s most important tech sectors, with a record £5.6 billion investment in the industry in the past six months and a new tech firm formed every hour in the capital.

“Our investment in a new cyber innovation centre will not only cement the city’s position as a world leader but also boost the whole country by giving UK firms access to the latest cyber technology and allowing start-ups to get the support they need to develop.”

The new centre follows the creation of the National Cyber Security Centre, 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 also 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.

In the last few weeks London has also been confirmed as leading a host of new research projects to exploring how society can benefit from the power of interconnected devices while remaining safe, secure and resilient.

The projects are part of a £25m national investment over three years and are funded by the PETRAS Research Hub (led by UCL), as part of the Government-funded IoT UK research and innovation programme, as well as Lloyds Register Foundation, industry and public sector organisations.