Cyber East – building a cyber security cluster

With the rise of digital adoption and connectivity in the manufacturing and engineering sector, the importance of cyber security is ever increasing.

Cyber East aim to build a platform for collaboration within the cyber security industry in the East of England the latest cyber security cluster has launched with its base in Norwich.  Cyber East is an industry body that works alongside the UK Government to develop the cyber security industry in the UK. Co-directors Darren Chapman of CyberScale, and Shaun Mary of Lovewell Blake have secured funding from the Governments Department for Culture, Media & Sport alongside the UK3C initiative.

Bringing together a team that has a presence in Norfolk, Suffolk & Cambridgeshire the Cluster has ambitions of covering all six counties in the East of England.

Darren Chapman says that “There is a real need for cyber security businesses to come together and collaborate on growing the sector as well as raising awareness within the business community.  Our main aim is to partner with cyber security businesses in the East of England and provide a platform for collaboration and growth within the Cyber Security industry”.

Alongside this the Cluster is also seeking membership from partner organisations as well as businesses who are looking to build their cyber resilience and better protect their organisation from the increasing risks from cyber-attacks.  In order to share knowledge, skills, and capabilities across the region Cyber East will also build a network of partnerships with a range of organisations working across academia, research, training and innovation in the Cyber industry.

“The impact of cyber-crime in the East of England is very real with recent significant incidents reported from the legal, education and retail sectors. The losses this has led to between Jan-July 2021 in the East alone is over £233m according to Action Fraud – an eyewatering amount.  No business is too small, and all sectors are at risk” says Shaun Mary.

Membership is free to all businesses, organisation and partners looking to join, and members will benefit from networking, an events programme, collaboration with other members, cyber security guidance, training courses & insights from regional cybercrime units and resilience centres.

Cyber East will be running their first virtual event in February with some great speakers and a chance for you to learn more about the Cluster’s plans are in 2022 and beyond.