Growth in number of UK cybersecurity start-ups slows

The number of cybersecurity start-ups in the UK remains high, however the number of newcomers to the scene has fallen in the past year, according to a new study. The vast majority reside in London, while they remain at an average headcount of 10 or fewer members, amid a tightening human capital market.
Cybersecurity remains a fast-evolving ecosystem that presents new threats to enterprises every day with hackers becoming increasingly innovative in their attempts to break into corporate networks and steal valuable data. As such, cybersecurity start-ups are playing an even more critical role in providing disruptive and innovative solutions to novel cybersecurity challenges. In order to help keep track of the innovative new industry, consulting firm Wavestone created the 2018 UK cybersecurity start-up radar, in order to capture this environment.
The first edition of the Wavestone report analysed a total of 158 cybersecurity start-ups, and found that there is a strong variety among start-ups in cybersecurity when it comes to their area of specialisation. At the same time, firms are largely staffed by young professionals, and are heavily London-based. Interestingly, the number of start-ups emerging in the sector seems to have slowed in the past three years, despite the demand for cybersecurity services having risen steeply in that time.
According to the research, Identity & Access Management and Data Security & Collaboration are the two largest areas of specialism, though Wavestone also issued a note here that these are two of the broadest categories they devised to measure the market. Conversely, the least represented areas were Physical Security, Anonymisation and Deception, each scoring 1%. The narrow margin between each category suggests that overall, UK cybersecurity start-ups are well-spread out, indicating a healthy market with a wide range of cybersecurity topics drawing entrepreneurial interest.
Meanwhile, to gauge a further sense of maturity regarding the cybersecurity market, Wavestone looked at both founding year and the number of employees. The majority of British start-ups still have 10 employees or less (62%), having been founded in the last 4 years and subsequently taking time to grow their headcount. This may be because the market has neared its maximum saturation point as a growing number of firms have come to compete for a small pool of talent.
This would be supported by the further finding that from Wavestone’s sample, 28% were founded in 2015, with slightly more of the remaining population being established post-2015. In the last year, however, the number of new start-ups has fallen. This could be because there is now limited space for new competitors to take off, or, Wavestone note, because their solutions are not mature enough to be visible in the market yet. Unsurprisingly, the 4 start-ups founded this year all have less than 10 employees each.
At the same time, the heightened level of start-ups tend to focus on a small part of the UK. While the focus on these hubs means start-ups have access to the world’s market more easily, again it limits their access to talent. 65% are London-based, which the researchers believe is explained by the growing demand from the UK’s financial services sector to secure their IT systems in the wake of several cyber-attacks over the last 3 years.
Outside of London though, cybersecurity start-ups are much more widely dispersed. The next most popular location was innovation hub Cambridge, with a comparatively minute 5% of the cybersecurity start-ups analysed. Similarly, the other notable cities were some distance from London’s majority, including Belfast (4%) and Manchester (3%).
Commenting on the results, authors Florian Pouchet and James Willcox said, “The overall UK start-up landscape is booming, and the UK is certainly a European hub for cybersecurity start-ups to establish themselves. We found that a large number of them came from abroad to set-up in the UK, from far-and-wide locations such as Hong Kong, Israel and the US.”
source consultancyuk
Industry: Cyber Security News

Latest Jobs
-
- Account Manager - IT Services
- Germany
- €90000 plus OTE and Car
-
Are you a deal closer with a hunter mindset? Do you know how to uncover business pain points, and turn them into long-term digital transformation partnerships? Our Client are growing their sales force across Germany and looking for an ambitious, straight-talking Account Manager to take the lead on new client acquisition. You’ll focus on mid-sized to large enterprises across Germany helping to shape their digital future with tailored IT solutions in Workplace, Cloud, and Security. • Drive Growth: Own the full sales cycle for new business across your region. • Solution Sell: Build bespoke offers in Security, Digital Workplace and Cloud solutions • Build Relationships: Establish a solid pipeline through smart prospecting, marketing-driven leads, and your own network. • Represent a brand known for trust, delivery, and tech excellence—with 4,000 employees globally and a growing team within Germany. What You Bring • Proven new logo sales experience in the IT services space (not hardware!) • Deep knowledge in one or more of: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace, or Cloud • Confidence to lead enterprise deals and pitch directly to senior stakeholders • Fluent German and good English skills Sind Sie ein Abschlussprofi mit Hunter-Mentalität? Wissen Sie, wie man geschäftliche Pain Points identifiziert und in langfristige Partnerschaften zur digitalen Transformation verwandelt? Unser Kunde baut derzeit sein Vertriebsteam in ganz Deutschland aus und sucht eine ambitionierte, ehrliche Persönlichkeit als Account Manager, die den Lead bei der Neukundengewinnung übernimmt. Ihr Fokus liegt auf mittelständischen bis großen Unternehmen in Deutschland, denen Sie mit maßgeschneiderten IT-Lösungen in den Bereichen Workplace, Cloud und Security den Weg in die digitale Zukunft ebnen. Ihre Aufgaben • Wachstum vorantreiben: Verantwortung für den gesamten Vertriebszyklus im Neugeschäft Ihrer Region. • Lösungsorientierter Vertrieb: Entwicklung individueller Angebote in den Bereichen Security, Digital Workplace und Cloud-Lösungen. • Beziehungen aufbauen: Aufbau einer stabilen Pipeline durch gezielte Ansprache, marketinggenerierte Leads und Ihr eigenes Netzwerk. • Marke repräsentieren: Werden Sie Teil eines Unternehmens mit 4.000 Mitarbeitenden weltweit und einem stark wachsenden Team in Deutschland – bekannt für Vertrauen, Verlässlichkeit und technologische Exzellenz. Was Sie mitbringen • Nachgewiesene Erfahrung in der Neukundenakquise im Bereich IT-Services (kein Hardwarevertrieb!) • Fundiertes Wissen in mindestens einem der Bereiche: Cybersecurity, Digital Workplace oder Cloud • Selbstbewusstes Auftreten im Umgang mit Enterprise-Deals und Entscheidungsträgern auf Top-Level • Verhandlungssichere Deutschkenntnisse und gute Englischkenntnisse
-
- Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance
- London
- To attract the right person
-
Job Title: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3. Microsoft Security stack | Ability to achieve SC Clearance Location: Hybrid remote | London / Berkshire Overview: Senior SOC Analyst Level 3 to join a specialist Managed Security Services business. You will be responsible for advanced threat hunting / triage, incident response etc with a strong focus on the Microsoft Security Stack. Key Responsibilities: Lead and resolve complex security incidents / escalations Conduct advanced threat hunting using the Microsoft Security Stack. Build, optimise and maintain workbooks, rules, analytics etc. Correlate data across Microsoft 365 Defender, Azure Defender and Sentinel. Perform root cause analysis and post-incident reporting. Aid in mentoring and upskilling Level 1 and 2 SOC analysts. Required Skills & Experience: The ability to achieve UK Security Clearance (SC) – existing clearance ideal. (Sorry no visa applications) Current experience working with a SOC environment Microsoft Sentinel: Development and tuning of custom analytic rules. Workbook creation and dashboarding. Automation using Playbooks and SOAR integration. Kusto Query Language (KQL): Writing complex, efficient queries for advanced threat hunting and detection. Correlating data across key tables (e.g., SignInLogs, SecurityEvent, OfficeActivity, DeviceEvents). Developing custom detection rules, optimising performance, and reducing false positives. Supporting Sentinel Workbooks, Alerts, and Playbooks through advanced KQL use. Deep understanding of incident response, threat intelligence and adversary techniques (MITRE ATT&CK framework). Strong knowledge of cloud and hybrid security, particularly within Azure. Additional Requirements: Must hold or be eligible to achieve a minimum of Security Clearance (SC) level. Nice to have certifications (e.g., SC-200, AZ-500, GIAC) are desirable. Strong problem-solving and analytical skills. Excellent communication for clear documentation and team collaboration. Please follow Wheaton’s Law.
-
- New Business Sales Hunter | Cyber Security (UK Based)
- London
- To attract the right person
-
New Business Sales Hunter needed | Cybersecurity (UK Based) Are you looking for uncapped commission, a fun and sociable team that drives success with no politics? If so...You must Be UK based - and able to achieve UK SC clearance. (sorry no visas) Have a demonstrable history of sales success in Cyber Security Follow Weatons law. The role: Seeking a proven New Business Sales Hunter to join an established, successful and expanding cyber security firm. New business focused - £1m GP year one target (ramped). Sell a blend of security services & professional services. Ideal experience selling some or all of the following Cyber strategy & risk management Managed detection & response (MDR) Penetration testing Compliance & audit support You: Strong cybersecurity/IT services sales track record. Confident selling into mid-market & enterprise. UK based - London commutable 1x per week. Hunter mindset, full sales cycle ownership. Don't just send an email to apply give me a call on 07884666351
-
- CyberArk Architect
- London
- Upto £110,000 plus bonus and benefits
-
Are you ready to lead from the front and drive innovation in the Identity & Access Management (IAM) space? We’re looking for a seasoned CyberArk Architect who has CDE-CPC ideally or experience with privilege Cloud, someone who can lead with vision, execute with precision, and inspire teams to deliver excellence. As a key leader in our organisation, you’ll bring your strong business acumen and a technology-focused, innovative mindset to the table. You’ll be driving strategic initiatives, shaping transformation programs, and empowering teams to think big and deliver even bigger. Acting as a subject matter expert in CyberArk Leading strategic transformations in: Identity Governance Privileged Access Management (PAM) Access Management Customer Identity and Access Management (CIAM) Building and maintaining strong, collaborative relationships within the team Communicating clearly and confidently — both written and verbal — to deliver updates, raise potential issues, and share insights If you are interested in the above position we are looking for people with: deep expertise and a successful track record in IAM strategy, delivery, or assurance with CyberArk Hold relevant certifications such as CDE in Privileged Cloud or Guardian Have experience in a client-facing role (preferred, but not essential) Thrive in a hybrid working environment and are available to work from our or client London office three days a week Lead with clarity, communicate with impact, and adapt quickly to changing priorities