Heritage of Innovation
This is Golden Valley, rooted in the place from which emerged Britain’s incredible cryptological and cyber strengths, a place built for the next generation of changemakers who will again shape the future of the world.
Gloucestershire has a rich history of early computer development and war-winning code breaking, a history in cyber security that dates back to 1952 and has since acted as a magnet for cyber and tech businesses far and wide, with a gravitational pull that is felt globally. As a result, Gloucestershire boasts a cyber-ready infrastructure and ecosystem like no other.
From Bletchley to GCHQ
Over a century ago, Signals Intelligence played a vital role in the First World War, leading to the creation in 1919 of the Government Code & Cypher School in London.
Later known as GCHQ, the Government Code and Cypher School (GC&CS) moved to Bletchley Park in 1939, where its experts famously decrypted the Enigma cipher. The most well-known codebreaker on the team was Alan Turing, whose groundbreaking work at Bletchley laid the foundations for modern computer science.
In 1952, GCHQ relocated to Cheltenham, beginning the region’s deep-rooted cyber legacy. By 2003, it moved into its iconic “doughnut” HQ in Benhall.
This 70-year history has made Cheltenham a global hub for cyber and tech, with an ecosystem and infrastructure uniquely geared for innovation. It’s why Gloucestershire has been chosen as the home of the new IDEA building and the place in which future changemakers can thrive.
