Cyber Security Innovation
The West Midlands is leading the charge for a safer digital future.
Established as an international cyber innovation hub for extensive research and development, cyber security companies in our region are testing, trialling and developing next-generation products and services. Home to ‘pure-play’ and diversified cyber companies like Goldilock and TATA Elxsi, and leading R&D facilities like the Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute, our region has significant experience servicing international cyber security operations.
Your business can pioneer a new, UK cyber resilient future in our established cross-sector ecosystem, including Future Mobility, CleanTech and MedTech, with key disruptive technologies – including Artificial Intelligence, Big Data, Internet of Things (IoT) and Quantum – increasing industry requirements for watertight cyber defence. Anchored by leading R&D infrastructure, including the UK’s first and only telecoms lab, UKTL, cyber security firms can exploit unrivalled market opportunities in the West Midlands.
Game Changing Cyber Security Starts Here
Boasting an impressive collection of nationally recognised centres of cyber security excellence, a UK-first research laboratory and multiple cyber security research and testing facilities, every corner of the West Midlands offers an exciting opportunity for any established or scaling cyber business.
In Wolverhampton, you can access academia, industry and government expertise at the Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute.
If cutting-edge, multi-disciplinary expertise in areas like automotive and IoT security is what you’re looking for, access The Birmingham Centre for Cyber Security at the University of Birmingham – an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research recognised by the UK National Cyber Security Centre.
Did You Know?
The Cyber Security and Resilience Bill was announced in the King’s Speech in July 2024.
This bill will strengthen the UK’s cyber defences, ensuring the protection of critical infrastructure and digital services.
Cyber security success in the West Midlands – Goldilock
Goldilock Secure has accelerated its growth plans since relocating its headquarters to Wolverhampton.
The cyber security hardware specialist was named a finalist in the UK’s Most Innovative Cyber SME 2023 competition, hosted by The Department of Science, Information and Technology (DSIT) and Infosecurity Europe.
Game-Changing Tech
Goldilock exemplify the innovative spirit of the West Midlands.
For two centuries, the global economy has been shaped by West Midlands-borne technologies. It was a straightforward decision for Goldilock to base themselves in the region so that they could rub shoulders with academic giants and leverage the sheer amount of talent in the area.
This “major advantage” gave them access to the electrical and mechanical engineering specialists as well as the product designers they needed to revolutionise cyber security with their hardware-based product.
The driving force behind innovation in the West Midlands
To combat advanced cyber security threats on technology across a broad portfolio of applications, including Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CAV), FinTech and Industry 4.0, our region is investing substantially in talent and technology.
Furthermore, extensive work has been undertaken to develop new partnerships between government, academia and industry. This cohesive “Quad Helix Approach” – unique to the West Midlands – is bridging the gap between R&D institutions, public sector organisations, private sector companies and talent.
It is doing this by facilitating knowledge sharing through several R&D programmes and funding streams to address cyber security threats associated with digital transformation.
It was great to see the Government’s Cyber Strategy launch in Birmingham.
The strategy talks about collaboration and we are hoping to forge strategic partnerships and relationships with some of the world’s leading expertise in cyber and security, really putting the West Midlands on the international map.
How are West Midlands companies innovating cyber security?
Secure Services
Innovative cloud and cyber security provider, Metcloud, launched in Birmingham in 2017 and have rapidly established themselves as one of the most innovative providers in the UK. As a region actively looking to boost its cyber capabilities, Metcloud were able to secure funding from Midlands Engine Investment Fund to accelerate its growth and enhance its multi-award-winning platform.
Product Manufacturing
Albeego developed a compact and secure bonded router that solves connectivity and cyber network security issues associated with mobile routers. The Manufacturing Technology Centre in Coventry worked with Albeego engineers to develop processes which will allow the routers to reach production stage. This included design, technical specification, reduction of size and weight, testing, production-readiness, materials supply and regulatory processes.
Advanced Cyber Security for CAV
Cyber security startups, SMEs and corporates can innovate and scale disruptive, exciting new technologies in the West Midlands. The region’s academic excellence, industry expertise and world-class R&D infrastructure enables ambitious tech firms to trial, test and scale unprecedented cyber security products and services.
Secure-CAV
Moving from increased levels of driver assistance to complete vehicle autonomy (effectively IoT-style devices) is drastically increasing the opportunities for malicious actors to hack into vehicle systems.
Co-funded by Innovate UK and bringing together a multidisciplinary team of experts, the Secure-CAV project is developing cyber security solutions that can be embedded deep in the underlying electronic hardware. Participants include cyber security specialist consultancy Copper Horse, leading hardware-based cyber security provider Siemens EDA, Machine Learning (ML) experts from the University of Southampton and Coventry University’s Research Institute for Future Transport and Cities.
Quantum Random Number Generation (QRNG) Technology
The weakest link in current encryption systems is a reliance on numbers; not always necessarily random and therefore placing Connected Autonomous Vehicles at risk to hackers. Funded by the Centre for Connected and Autonomous Vehicles (CCAV) through Innovate UK, Crypta Labs and Coventry University’s Research Institute for Future Transport and Cities developed a Quantum Random Number Generator (QRNG) based on the randomness derived from the quantum properties of light to strengthen vehicle cyber security.
AirQKD
AirQKD addresses the cyber security of CAV for last-mile Quantum Key Distribution (QKD) systems between shared parties for 5G and connected cars. At the University of Warwick, part of the Midlands Future Mobility testbed, WMG created a Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) testing facility enabling AirQKD partners’ technology in key management, key consumption and security protocols to be used for secure communications.
An Innovate UK funded collaboration between public and private sector partners, the project combines BT’s expertise in building quantum-secure networks using QKD, with other new techniques for applying quantum security to mobile devices, developed by UK start-ups Nu Quantum, Angoka and Duality.
Academic Centres of Excellence you could Innovate with in the West Midlands
UK National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) recognised the University of Birmingham and University of Warwick as Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR) with engagement programmes for start-ups, scaleups, and spinouts for cyber security companies.
Centre for Cyber Security and Privacy at the University of Birmingham
In the heart of the region sits the Birmingham Centre for Cyber Security and Privacy, hosted by the University of Birmingham. This Centre conducts impactful, world-leading research in cyber security and privacy and prides itself on its collaborative and interdisciplinary approach, combining academia, government and industry to tackle cyber security challenges in our society. This leading research centre has built a reputation for their expertise in areas like:
- Automotive security
- Cloud security
- Electronic voting
- Security of machine learning
- Wireless security
Wolverhampton Cyber Research Institute (WCRI)
Based in the School of Mathematics and Computer Science at the University of Wolverhampton, cyber security companies can tailor in-house training programmes for their professionals to utilise the institute’s state-of-the-art cyber lab for real-life scenarios.
Through a team of twenty-four expert academics, WCRI works in collaboration with academic, industrial and governmental organisations to conduct research in cyber security, cyber-physical systems, data science and mathematical modelling. This is performed with an overarching focus on security for critical national infrastructure.
Cyber Security Training and Skill Development
The West Midlands is home to a thriving community of more than 76,000 tech professionals, but this didn’t just happen by chance. Our region offers you countless bootcamps, courses and opportunities to upskill, re-skill and level up your workforce to drive innovation and enhance capabilities.
The Cyber Security Innovation Research Centre at Aston University
Take advantage of our region’s ever-growing cyber talent pool as Aston University – Cyber University of the Year 2024 – continue building the next generation of cyber professionals through a series of exciting initiatives. Their Skills Bootcamp in Cyber Security Fundamentals is upgrading business professionals, boosting their career development, whilst Cyber Explorer incorporates gamified learning to prepare school pupils across the West Midlands for a more digital future.
West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre
Learn best practices for cyber security and deploy the most advanced technology to protect your organisation with the help of the Cyber Resilience Centre.
This stronghold of cyber security helps support and protect SMEs and supply chain businesses in the West Midlands by working with police forces, giving them access to emerging threats and trends.
Digital Bootcamp Training
Renowned for developing software engineering talent boosted by best-in-class STEM universities, the West Midlands Combined Authority’s (WMCA) ‘Digital Bootcamp Training’ is part of a £7m investment empowering the next generation of cyber talent – training up to 3,000 people per year.
Working with employers to identify skill gaps, WMCA is developing a cyber security workforce that businesses like yours can access, and in doing so will address national skill shortages in cyber security, coding and software development.
Free support services
We bring together a project team from relevant organisations across the region. This team includes property agents, recruitment consultants, public sector departments and universities. It delivers a comprehensive support package to quickly and easily help you establish and scale your business in the UK.
Who is making waves in West Midlands cyber security?
Discover how innovative West-Midlands based companies in the cyber security arena are tapping into the region’s R&D to tackle an array of common and evolving cyber threats:
