Cyber war chest gets boost

New Cyber Growth Action Plan aims to turbocharge sector, fuel startups, and strengthen national resilience amid rising digital threats

In a major move to solidify the United Kingdom’s position as a global cyber security powerhouse, the government has unveiled an ambitious Cyber Growth Action Plan backed by up to £16 million in new funding. The announcement, made on 18 June as part of the broader “Plan for Change” agenda, outlines a sweeping effort to stimulate job creation, drive technological innovation, and fortify the UK’s digital defences against escalating global threats.
The new roadmap sets out the government’s intent to supercharge the £13.2 billion UK cyber industry, which already employs more than 67,000 people. Led by the Centre for Sectoral Economic Performance—a collaboration between the University of Bristol and Imperial College London—the plan will provide a comprehensive assessment of the sector’s strengths, identify emerging opportunities, and lay down actionable recommendations to be delivered later this summer.
Cyber Security Minister Feryal Clark hailed the investment as vital to ensuring Britain’s future readiness in an increasingly connected world. “Cyber security is essential to our economic strength and national resilience,” she said. “Today’s announcement is backed by investment showing we’re serious about making the UK a global leader in cyber innovation and protection.”
Boosting startups and research
The lion’s share of the funding—up to £10 million—will be directed to CyberASAP, an accelerator programme that helps academics transform cutting-edge research into commercial ventures. Since its launch, CyberASAP has already enabled the creation of 34 spin-out companies which have collectively raised more than £43 million in investment. The new funding aims to add 25 more successful spin-outs by 2030 and attract £30 million in private capital.
Another £6 million will be allocated to support cyber startups and small-to-medium enterprises (SMEs), through scale-up support, access to trade missions, and entry into new markets. This investment will build on the government’s existing Cyber Runway initiative, designed to back entrepreneurs and boost the UK’s wider cyber ecosystem.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden said the funding will help turn Britain’s innovative potential into tangible economic results. “Today’s investment will help to turn innovative ideas into successful businesses up and down the country,” he said. “Recent cyber attacks show just how important it is we foster the development of this sector—delivering the double dividend of high-paying jobs and stronger national defences.”
The Cyber Growth Action Plan is also expected to feed into the government’s upcoming National Cyber Strategy and forthcoming Industrial Strategy. It will examine both the supply and demand sides of the cyber market—looking at areas such as protective monitoring, encryption, AI, and quantum technologies. The findings will help shape government policy to future-proof the UK’s digital economy.
Professor Simon Shiu, Director of Cyber Security at the University of Bristol and lead on the economic performance review, said the plan would provide “independent recommendations to accelerate growth” and bolster cyber resilience across vital national sectors.
Professor Nigel Brandon, Dean of Engineering at Imperial College London, said the project aligns with the institution’s mission to drive UK innovation and productivity. “This work is aligned with our ambition to help drive economic growth by boosting the UK’s innovation capacity,” he noted.
Public sector defence and role of big tech
Alongside plans for business and academic growth, the government is also fortifying public sector cybersecurity. A reconstituted Government Cyber Advisory Board will include representatives from BAE Systems, Microsoft, Google DeepMind, Amazon Web Services, and Santander. These industry leaders will advise the government on cyber threats and help build robust defences across critical public services.
The board’s advice will feed into the upcoming Cyber Security and Resilience Bill, expected to be introduced later this year. The bill aims to protect essential infrastructure—including hospitals, energy providers, and IT suppliers—by setting stricter cyber requirements and resilience standards across the board.
The investment and planning come at a time when cyber threats are growing in frequency and sophistication. From ransomware attacks on hospitals to espionage campaigns targeting critical infrastructure, the risks are no longer hypothetical.
“The UK Cyber Sector is successful and growing, but so too are the challenges,” said Professor Shiu. “We must ensure our cyber resilience keeps pace with threats to UK security, industry, and prosperity.”
With cyber security now firmly positioned as a central pillar of the UK’s Plan for Change, the government’s latest announcement reflects not only a commitment to economic growth but also to safeguarding the country’s digital future.