Universities Join Forces with £6m Cybersecurity Scheme for Manchester's SMEs
The University of Manchester will be part of a new £6 million cybersecurity scheme launching today (Monday 3 September)
The initiative, which will be known as the GM Cyber Foundry, is in collaboration with Manchester Metropolitan University (MMU), Lancaster University and the University of Salford. The scheme will protect Greater Manchester’s small and medium-sized companies against malicious computer attacks.
Cyberattacks pose a £860m risk to the region’s businesses each year according to estimates by the Lloyds City Risk Register. To combat these threats some of the region’s leading universities are combining expertise and research in cybersecurity to create new products and services for SMEs.
The Foundry will match the research strengths of each university to the business needs of the local community; projects therefore can be developed in a targeted and streamlined way through business development intervention. It will also enable cybersecurity research capability, which is in great demand in the region, to be managed efficiently.
Dr Daniel Dresner, Academic Coordinator for Cyber Security in School of Computer Science at The University of Manchester says: “We'll jointly run targeted business engagement sessions, to supply specialised cybersecurity support and guidance, and also identify projects that can harness research and innovation expertise from the four partner universities. The goal is to see the development novel cybersecurity products and services.”
Manchester’s vibrant digital and creative sector generates more than £3bn in economic output each year the city is growing as a centre for digital excellence, as seen with the opening of a Government Communications Agency site (GCHQ) in the city next year.
Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, says: “Through the work of the Cyber Foundry, our world-leading universities are giving start-ups and SMEs the freedom they need to create and innovate, but within digital environments that are safe and secure from cyber criminals.
“With over £25m being invested in fibre broadband connectivity, a planned £5m Cyber Innovation Centre, and the new GCHQ site, Greater Manchester is both a major hub for digital development and research, and a trusted place to do business.
“Greater Manchester is a rapidly expanding software and technology hotbed, and we’re perfectly positioned to become one of the top-five digital city-regions in Europe.”
The GM Cyber Foundry has been approved by the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government, which allocated £3m of European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) funding to the scheme.
Dr Dresner added: “I'm thrilled to be working with SMEs again on pragmatic, applied cybersecurity research to make working in GMCA's business ecosystem that bit safer.
“Direct innovation with them is the next logical step after my part in a Technology Strategy Board supported project that created the only information security benchmark designed with SMEs in mind.”
Source: manchester.au
Latest Jobs
-
- New Business Sales lead | UK - Cyber Security | New Logo sales
- United Kingdom
- Uncapped OTE
-
New Business Sales lead | UK - Cyber Security | New Logo sales UK Remote An established EMEA technology organisation is hiring a senior New Business Sales lead to take ownership of UK growth. An opportunity built for someone ready to take advantage of competitors who have taken their eye off the ball and turn that into sustained market share. This role is for someone proven. A self-starter who does not need micromanagement, knows how to win market share, and wants the backing of a larger business while building success their own way. You will lead and shape new logo acquisition, define and execute go-to-market strategy with regional leadership, and drive growth across cybersecurity, digital transformation, Microsoft modernisation etc. This is a new business sales role, with budget and full sales lifecycle responsibility. The goal being to build a wider a sales function beneath you as revenue scales. Experience across Financial services, manufacturing, industrial etc helpful. UK-based, remote-first, client-facing when needed. Competitive base salary with uncapped earnings.
-
- Business Development | Healthcare | Warm accounts | UK
- England
- N/A
-
Business Development | Healthcare | Warm accounts | UK Healthcare Cyber Security UK Based An experienced Business Development Manager is required to drive new cyber security revenue across a warm healthcare account base. This role is focused on new business and account growth, engaging healthcare organisations to understand risk, priorities, and operational challenges, and positioning appropriate cyber security solutions and services. Key Responsibilities Drive new business sales into a warm healthcare account base Develop and close new opportunities across healthcare organisations Build senior level relationships with IT, security, and procurement stakeholders Own the full sales lifecycle from first conversation through to close Work closely with technical pre sales and delivery teams Experience Required Proven B2B new business sales experience within cyber security or technology Healthcare sector experience desirable Strong consultative sales and closing capability Ability to achieve UK Security Clearance is required UK based with flexibility to travel What’s on Offer Warm accounts with new business focus Clear revenue ownership Competitive base salary with uncapped commission
-
- Technical Pre Sales Cybersecurity Consultant. Healthcare
- England
- N/A
-
Technical Pre Sales Cybersecurity Consultant UK Remote | Healthcare Focus Overview We are seeking an experienced Technical Pre Sales Cybersecurity Consultant to support healthcare organisations by delivering advisory, solution design, and security uplift services. This role focuses on improving security outcomes, addressing operational challenges, and enabling informed technology decisions across complex and regulated environments. The position blends technical pre sales expertise with a consultative approach, working closely with clinical, technical, and commercial stakeholders to shape effective cybersecurity solutions. The individual must be able to achieve UK Security Clearance. Key Responsibilities Provide technical pre sales support across cybersecurity solutions and services for healthcare organisations Engage stakeholders to understand security challenges, risks, and operational pain points Deliver advisory guidance and recommendations to strengthen security posture and resilience Translate customer requirements into clear, outcome focused technical and commercial solution designs Act as a trusted technical advisor throughout the sales and early delivery lifecycle Produce clear technical documentation, recommendations, and customer facing materials suitable for regulated environments Collaborate closely with sales, delivery, and technical teams to align solutions with customer needs Experience and Skills Proven experience in technical pre sales or cybersecurity consultancy Experience working within healthcare or other highly regulated sectors Broad knowledge of cybersecurity technologies, managed services, and risk based approaches Strong communication skills with the ability to engage both technical and non technical stakeholders Confident operating in a client facing, consultative role UK based role with remote working Occasional travel for customer engagement as required
-
- Contract Technical Pre Sales Cyber Security Healthcare. SC clearance needed
- England
- Outside IR35
-
Contract Technical Pre Sales Cyber Security Healthcare Outside IR35 Contract | UK Remote | Healthcare Focus Existing SC clearance is required. Overview Seeking an experienced Technical Pre Sales Cybersecurity Consultant is required to deliver advisory and uplift services across complex healthcare organisations. This Outside IR35 contract operates on a consultancy basis, focused on improving security outcomes, addressing operational pain points, and supporting informed Cyber Security decisions. The role combines deep technical pre sales capability with consultative advisory delivery, working across clinical, technical, and commercial stakeholders to shape effective and proportionate cybersecurity solutions. Responsibilities Provide technical pre sales consultancy across cybersecurity solutions and services within healthcare environments Engage senior stakeholders to understand security challenges, risks, and operational pain points Deliver advisory guidance and uplift recommendations to improve security posture, resilience, and maturity Translate healthcare requirements into clear, outcome focused technical and commercial propositions Act as a trusted technical advisor throughout the pre sales and early engagement lifecycle Produce concise technical documentation, recommendations, and advisory outputs suitable for regulated healthcare settings Experience Strong background in technical pre sales or cybersecurity consultancy Experience working with healthcare or other highly regulated environments Broad understanding of cybersecurity technologies, managed services, and risk based security approaches Ability to communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and non technical audiences Comfortable operating independently in a client facing advisory role