Cyber Security Innovation
Accelerated by digital transformation, a thriving cyber security ecosystem has emerged in the West Midlands.
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, including Goldilock Secure, Falanx Cyber and Microland, our region has significant experience servicing international cyber security operations.
Businesses can pioneer a new, UK cyber resilient future in nascent clusters including AdvancedTech, 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 5G multi-city testbed, cyber security firms can exploit unrivalled market opportunities in the West Midlands.
Science & Tech Superpower 2030 in Cyber Security
Worth £10.5bn, the UK cyber security sector’s importance is strongly recognised by the UK Government and the West Midlands.
The technology has been identified as one of five key areas in the UK Government’s goal of becoming a Science and Technology Superpower by 2030.
As part of this, the National Cyber Strategy 2022 outlines how the UK will achieve national goals of cyber security and resilience.
The West Midlands played a key role in helping formulate this plan, with Professor Vladlena Benson from Aston University providing essential guidance and, with its world-class R&D infrastructure enabling companies to innovate in this field, will be at the forefront of its delivery.
The latest iteration of the National Cyber Strategy sets out the UK’s role as a responsible and democratic cyber power and laid down the framework on which the UK’s security and prosperity can depend. It’s the bedrock of everything we do to keep the UK cyber safe.
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 Herefordshire and the West Midlands on the international map.
How are West Midlands companies innovating cyber security?
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 Cybersecurity 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.
Who could your company innovate cyber security technologies with in the West Midlands?
Cyber Quarter - Midlands Centre for Cyber Security
Positioned in the ‘Cyber Valley’, where 15% of the UK’s top 600 cyber security companies are based, the centre provides office, incubator and accelerator space for cyber security companies to develop products in simulated environments and scale cyber security testing, research and development for commercial applications.
Backed by academic expertise from the University of Wolverhampton’s Cyber Research Institute, the trail-blazing £9m centre aims to become a global cyber innovation hub.
Midlands Cyber
The recognised Cyber Security Cluster for the West Midlands, under The UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3), is driving sector growth in the region. Its ‘Cyber Valley’, spanning Herefordshire, Worcestershire and Malvern, brings together the largest vibrant community of cyber experts (outside of London) to conduct collaborative research, develop commercial expertise and contribute to critical national infrastructure and commerce.
Cyber security companies in the region can explore connections and partnerships in new markets across the US, France and across the globe.
Innovation Alliance for the West Midlands Cyber Community
To make the West Midlands more resilient, while strengthening its cyber innovation hub, the cyber working group brings together UK cyber-related organisations and key influencers from the region, including cyber security startups SMEs, academics, the public sector and support organisations.
Cyber security companies can explore ways to advance the adoption and commercialisation of cyber security processes, policies, platforms and products in the region, with insights derived from group members in sectors across automotive, aerospace, defence, finance and rail; along with their extensive customer and supply chains.
Academic Centres of Excellence in Cyber Security Research
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
Committed to cutting-edge cyber security research, the centre is working alongside government agencies and industrial partners in response to the rapidly emerging cyber hacking challenges threatening the security of computer systems and personal privacy.
With an international reputation across a multitude of areas, cyber security companies in the region can engage with the Centre for Cyber Security and Privacy on real-world research projects from hardware TPM chip security and improving vehicle cyber security to making online banking apps safer. The centre is investigating exciting new kinds of cryptography that resist the power of quantum computation in research projects ‘FutureTPM’ and ‘Isogeny-Based Cryptography: From Theory to Practice’.
The Cyber Security Innovation Research Centre at Aston University
The centre serves as a focal point for UK cyber security management and cyber resilience and is building a network of cyber talent across a series of initiatives. The ‘Skills Bootcamp in Cyber Security Fundamentals’ supports cyber business professionals with career development and a talent pool of new entrants embarking on a career in cyber security.
Alternatively, ‘Cyber Explorer’, is teaching cyber skills to school pupils in the West Midlands and showcasing how the skills being taught in class are linked to real-world situations through an immersive, gamified learning experience.
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.
West Midlands Cyber Resilience Centre
Local cyber security startups can benefit from the centre’s work with local universities and police forces to understand the latest emerging cyber hacking threats, trends and best practices for cyber resilience and new technology. Access to timely guidance will help prepare and protect their clients from cybercrime activities.
HORIBA MIRA Vehicle Resilience
Vehicle Resilience (VRES) brings together the three key disciplines of cyber security, electromagnetic resilience and functional safety to help businesses deliver safe, secure and connected products. Cyber security support services for companies range from training and technical seminars, process development, engineering consultancy, verification and validation to audit and assessment. All are underpinned by a cutting-edge cluster of over 14 facilities and a continuous R&D programme.
MTC
Cyber attacks on Operational Technology (OT) can pose fundamental risks to infrastructure, manufacturing and customers.
MTC, established to prove innovative manufacturing processes and technologies in an agile environment, is implementing a strategy roadmap to tackle the main challenges of cyber security within manufacturing.
Having obtained licences and equipment which provide network monitoring tailored to OT environments, their testbed allows businesses to test and analyse technologies.
MTC are now looking for new partnerships with expert cyber security companies to research cutting-edge cyber security operational capabilities.
How the West Midlands Combined Authority is encouraging cyber security
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 for public and private sectors focusing on national skill shortages in cyber security, coding and software development.
National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC)
With 22% of the UK’s cyber security workforce represented by women, NCSC 2023 CyberFirst Girls Competition aims to inspire girls aged 12 and 13 to pursue a career in technology and cyber security.
Sutton Coldfield Grammar School students from the West Midlands have been crowned winners with the competition covering topics from cryptography and logic to artificial intelligence and networking.
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.
Who else 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
