Manchester City Council has revealed that it is looking to collaborate with the city’s leading academics and businesses of all sizes in order to identify the digital security needs and threats and, in turn, devise innovative responses for them.
Also, through its accelerator hub, startups will be nurtured and the commercialization of their offerings would be encouraged.
The council aims to make the new hub a focal point of the city’s thriving cybersecurity ecosystem whilst also diversifying its talent. Some other initiatives that have been taking place in Manchester, some of which include: the Cyber Resilience Center (a joint venture between Greater Manchester Police and Manchester Digital) as well as the Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry.
In fact, the 2020 Tech Nation report deemed Manchester as Europe’s fastest growing major tech cluster.
“This is an exciting project which will help stimulate economic growth and create jobs in this fast-growing sector which is emerging as one of Manchester’s distinctive strengths,” said Sir Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council.
"Such initiatives are more important than ever as we begin to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and look to the future. As the world continues to face cybersecurity challenges, the digital security innovation hub will place Manchester in the forefront of driving creative solutions and responses and help make this a trusted place to do business… We’re looking for an operator with a strong track record to run this high-profile facility,” he added.