Cyber entrepreneurs and start-ups

In October 2021, the Department for International Trade published updated UK Defence and Security Export Statistics for 2020. This suggested that UK cyber security exports have grown from approximately £3.96 billion in 2019 to £4.24 billion in 2020. Cyber security is becoming one of the fastest growing startup sectors, with funding increased by a staggering 940% for UK cyber security startups since the beginning of lockdown – with £496m being raised in the first half of 2020.

There are also a growing number of incubators and accelerators that are targeting cyber security innovation like Lorca, cyber runway, Cyber ASAP to name a few.

If you are a student and want to start a cyber business, but are not sure how to go about this, then this workshop is the place to go.

The workshop will look at the basics of setting a business, how to commercialise your idea, how to create your pitch decks, options available for sourcing resources for your startup, understand the difference between incubators and accelerators, etc. You will also hear directly from some of the leading tech incubators and accelerators.

Speakers

• Diane Gilbert, Innovation Ecosystem Lead, Plexal
• Zahid Khimji, Co-founder and MD Managed IT & Cyber services, Klyk
• Aliyu G. Yisa, Co-Founder & CEO, Fezzant | Co-founder, CyBlack
• Jude Osamor, Lecturer in Cybersecurity, Glasgow Caledonian University

About The Ethnic Minority in Cyber (EMiC) Network

While there is a growing cyber security skills gap and high shortage in the UK cyber sector, a recent survey found that only 17% cyber professionals are from the ethnic minority background across all cyber roles. The EMiC network is a pilot network for the Black, Asian and Ethnic Minority cyber academia, professionals and businesses with the long-term aim of significantly improving representation across the cyber sector.