Published on 5 May 2022
The upcoming Golden Valley Development will create a home to the UK’s flourishing cyber sector, supporting the National Cyber Security Centre’s mission of making the country the safest place to live and do online business. Ultimately, it will become one of the globe’s internationally recognised cyber hotspots.
At its heart will be Cyber Central, the UK’s new hub for the cyber, digital and creative sectors. The innovation centre within Cyber Central will create a place where small and large businesses, as well as those with an interest in cyber, can collaborate and make new discoveries in the fight against cyber crime. The centre will generate new employment opportunities and create a requirement for a broad skills set, helping to streamline the region’s talent pipeline and in turn address the country’s digital skills gap.
The UK has always been a major player in global tech developments and cyber has become of paramount importance as the use of technologies becomes more widespread and more businesses and education centres attempt to secure their confidential information.
While we might be amongst the leaders when it comes to cyber security, with the UK being the fifth most secure country for tech, we are also part of the global cyber landscape and this market is predicted to reach $539.78/£453.56 billion by 2030.
The need for support in the cyber tech sector across the world is expected to grow, especially since the digital landscape has changed and is now more active than ever before. In turn, the number of attacks has increased resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent nation altercations. Each cyber centre from across the world makes up the wider cyber ecosystems, where a diverse range of participants all exist to form a collective force.
In this article, we explore the leading cyber centres from across the globe and the Golden Valley Development’s role within this ecosystem.
Where are the world’s leading cyber centres?
We start off with San Diego. You might think of San Francisco’s Silicon Valley as an obvious international cyber hotspot, but this is another Californian city creeping up on its title. It is home to the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command, a key piece of military infrastructure that attracts some of the hottest cyber talents in the country. The area now has over 150 cyber-focused companies calling it home, including Sentek Global and Attack IQ.
Cork might be Ireland’s second city, but when it comes to cyber security it is showing the rest of the country how things can, and should, be done. The city was home to Apple’s first European site in 1980, followed by Dell in 1998, but in more recent years, Dublin has established its name as an Irish tech centre of excellence since welcoming a Facebook headquarters into its fold. However, Cork’s cyber centre is really coming into its own, with McAfee, Trend Micro, IBM, and AT&T’s cyber security HQs now based in the city.
The East Coast of the States might be better known for its Fintech, but Boston’s tech centre is world-renowned. Home to MIT and Harvard, it is no surprise that some of the country’s, and the world’s, best tech talent can be found here. Secure password provider SQRL, security analytics company Rapid7, and defence contractor Raytheon bring in millions of dollars and reams of engineers every year to Boston’s roster.
Software service Check Point, compliance-focused Forescout, and even a cyber incubator, Team8, are based in Tel Aviv. Its universal military service may have attracted tech companies and engineers to the city, but its output reaches much further. Its ad-tech community also deserves an honourable mention as an emerging trend in tech.
Australia might not be top of mind when it comes to leading tech centres, but they shouldn’t be overlooked. The Government is investing in national cyber security as a response to increased attacks that have been witnessed globally. This includes three new cyber innovation centres in Queensland, which we know is a state not a city, but the investment in this region was worth a mention. Based in Brisbane, Townsville, and the Sunshine Coast, these centres look set to rival Canberra’s Australian Cyber Security Centre.
These examples provide a point of reference at the start of a journey to understanding what makes a successful centre of cyber excellence, as well as how they are unique. In turn, all these centres are working together as part of the greater ecosystem, helping to prevent cyber attacks and protect countries from harm.
How the Golden Valley Development will support global cyber innovation
Through the Golden Valley Development, the home of Cyber Central UK, we will reach out and collaborate with other leading global institutions to support them in their mission, whilst establishing Cheltenham as an innovator on the world’s stage.
Cheltenham’s cyber scene has become internationally significant as shown by recent developments worldwide. Last year, CyNam and 14 of the town’s most innovative companies attended Slush 2021, in Helsinki, Finland, which brought together global founders, investors, executives, and media.
Great things are happening in Cheltenham’s cyber tech sector and you could be part of it. If you would like to find out more about the project, please visit our website. For any other questions, contact us here.