Open Call: Cyber Local 2025-2026 (United Kingdom)

Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, will work with Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) to invest up to £1.8 million in innovation projects.

Aims

• The aim of this competition is to develop impactful regional activities and events that focus on supporting the growth of the cyber security sector and the development of cyber security skills.

Specific Themes

• Your project must focus on one or more of the following:
  • strengthening the local cyber security sector through area partnerships and forging links between industry, public sector and academia
  • supporting the development of strong and innovative cyber security ecosystems
  • increasing opportunities for local people to pursue a career in cyber security, paying particular attention to underrepresented communities
  • cyber security skills for local people or communities to reduce the skills gap
  • upskilling underrepresented demographics in the cyber security sector

Funding Information

• They have allocated up to £1.8 million to fund innovation projects in this competition.
• Your total project costs will be up to 100% funded, up to the maximum grant of £150,000. Your grant funding request detailed within your application must not exceed £150,000. If your grant funding request exceeds £150,000 then your application will be made ineligible. Your project costs can be higher than your grant funding request.
• You can make reference to any additional voluntary contribution in your application answers. It must not be detailed in the finance section.

Eligible Projects

• Your project must:
  • be delivered in one of the nine specified geographical areas
  • demonstrate clear impact in the cyber security sector of the region through the development of strong and innovative cyber security ecosystems or increasing opportunities for activities to reduce the skills gap
  • have endorsement of your area steering group
• The nine specified geographical areas are:
  • North West England
  • South West England
  • Yorkshire and Humber
  • North East England
  • East Midlands
  • West Midlands
  • South East England
  • East of England
  • London
• Your project can:
  • consider self-sustaining mechanisms to continue after the funding period
  • consider scalability and how the idea could expand within the area or be replicated elsewhere
  • demonstrate collaboration with other local organisations or government bodies to boost reach and impact
  • complement or build on and not replicate CyberFirst activities in regions with an active CyberFirst regional partner
• They welcome applications that support women into the cyber workforce and initiatives that are aimed at inspiring young girls to consider a technology career.
• They also welcome applications that encourage the adoption of Government products, such as Cyber Essentials or the professional titles introduced by the UK Cyber Security Council.
• Portfolio approach:
  • They want to fund a variety of projects across different locations. They call this a portfolio approach.
  • They are prioritising projects that have a presence or are already operating in the geographical area where the project is going to be delivered.

Ineligible Projects

• They are not funding projects that:
  • are not in scope for this competition
  • do not have clear impact in one or more of the nine specified geographical areas
  • do not have an impact or application in cyber security
  • duplicate activities of the CyberFirst programme
• They cannot fund projects that:
  • involve primary production in fishery and aquaculture
  • involve primary production in agriculture
  • are not allowed under De minimis regulation restrictions
  • are not eligible to receive Minimal Financial Assistance
  • are dependent on export performance, for example, giving an award to a baker on the condition that they export a certain quantity of bread to another country
  • are dependent on domestic inputs usage, for example, if they give an award to a baker on the condition that they use 50% UK flour in their product

Eligibility Criteria

• Your project
  • Your project must:
    • have a grant funding request between £25,000 and £150,000
    • last between three months and six months
    • carry out its project work in the UK
    • intend to exploit the results from or in the UK
    • not start before 1 September 2025
    • end by 31 March 2026
    • have endorsement of your area steering group
• Lead organisation
  • To lead a project or work alone your organisation must be a UK registered:
    • business of any size
    • academic institution
    • research and technology organisation (RTO)
    • charity
    • not for profit
    • public sector organization
• Project team
  • To collaborate with the lead, your organisation must be a UK registered:
    • business of any size
    • academic institution
    • charity
    • not for profit
    • public sector organisation
    • research and technology organisation (RTO)

For more information, visit Innovate UK.