£800,000 for Cyber Academics across the UK to commercialise research

Are you an academic in cyber with an idea that you think has commercial potential?

The Cyber Security Academic Startup Accelerator Programme (CyberASAP) could be an effective route to help you explore and develop its marketability. It’s the only pre-seed accelerator programme in the UK’s cyber ecosystem, supporting and enabling academics to convert great research into great cyber innovations.

Details of the funding competition for CyberASAP 2022/23 are available here, where you will also find a link to join the Competition Briefing on 8th Feb at 12pm (link to join here). If you’re interested in applying, we strongly recommend that you provide your details here so that we can keep you up to date.

More than 100 teams from over 50 universities right across the UK have already participated in the programme and we are committed to continuing to support and encourage the widest possible participation of academics, including from under-represented groups. CyberASAP Alumni have secured more than £17m in further funding to progress their projects, and successful outcomes include acquisition by technology firms; receiving seed funding; joining other accelerator programmes; securing government grants; partnering with commercial enterprises and creating start ups (21 companies to date).

This year, as last, we welcome applications from PETRAS projects, part of UKRI’s programme focused on Security of Digital Technology at the Periphery (SDTaP), alongside those in the usual “open” competition.

What Academics say

“CyberASAP was our catalyst. It was a pivotal moment in turning a pipedream into something that seemed possible.” Lorna Armitage, CAPSLOCK (University of Bradford).

“CyberASAP provides the key essentials in knowledge, skills, and tools for transforming academic ideas and concepts into market products”. Dr. Uchenna Daniel Ani, (University College London & SDTaP)

“CyberASAP has been a whirlwind of excellence, business communication and the ‘how to’ models of change”. Ellen Kay, Founder CyberMind Technologies (University of Wolverhampton)

You can find out more about the programme’s impact here and read some Alumni case studies here.

So, if you’re an academic in cyber and have the basis of a commercialisable idea you’d like to develop, find out more about applying to join CyberASAP 2022/23.

The Competition Details

Full competition details are available from Innovate UK here. Key dates as follows:

• Funding competition opens on Monday 7th February 2022
• Funding competition closes at 11am on Wednesday 2 March 2022
• A webinar briefing about the competition is scheduled for 12 midday on Tuesday 8 February 2022. Click here for the joining link and sign up here to express your interest and for programme updates.

Anyone wishing to support, or receive updates about the programme should provide their details here to receive more information.

*CyberASAP is funded by the UK Department of Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) and delivered in partnership by Innovate UK and Innovate UK KTN. Innovate UK manages and monitors grant funding to the universities; Innovate UK KTN delivers the programme.