Tag Archives: DSIT

Cyber Across Global Governments: International Cooperation and National Strategies

Cybersecurity has become a pillar of national security, digital economy growth, and global diplomacy. From ransomware attacks on hospitals to interference in democratic elections, governments worldwide now treat cyber threats as matters of statecraft—not just IT hygiene. While national strategies differ, a few shared patterns have emerged: defence of critical infrastructure, capacity building, and international coordination.

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Cyber Across US Government: Agencies, Frameworks, and Innovation Pathways

The United States is arguably the most influential force in global cybersecurity, but its governance model is sprawling, federal, and often opaque to outsiders. Responsibility is distributed across military, civilian, and intelligence agencies—each with their own authorities, funding mechanisms, and strategic priorities.

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Stakeholder Grid Example 3: WM CWG & West Midlands Cyber Ecosystem

The West Midlands Cyber Working Group (WM CWG) plays a pivotal role in uniting industry, academia, government, and grassroots cyber communities across the region. This article outlines how WM CWG applies stakeholder mapping to guide its coordination efforts, balancing the interests of funders, civic authorities, partners, and community actors.

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Innovation Canvas Example 3 – West Midlands Cyber Working Group (WM CWG)

The West Midlands Cyber Working Group (WM CWG) is a collaborative, region-wide forum uniting cyber leaders from business, academia, government, and civil society. It facilitates quarterly convenings, shared strategy development, and joint funding bids to strengthen the regional cyber ecosystem. Operating as an open, grassroots-led group, WM CWG is aligned with DSIT goals, WMCA priorities, and the UK Cyber Strategy. It seeks to drive investment, skills, and coordination through regional initiatives. Here’s an example “innovation Canvas” for the WM CWG.

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Stakeholder Grid Example 2: Psyber Inc.

Navigating influence in a new and emerging field like cyber psychology requires clarity, confidence, and strategic alignment. As a startup working at the intersection of AI ethics, human factors, and cybersecurity resilience, Psyber Inc. operates in a diverse and sometimes opaque stakeholder landscape.

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Cyber Across European Governments: Key Bodies, Funding, and Coordination

The European cybersecurity landscape is layered, fragmented, and fast-evolving. Unlike the centralised approaches of some governments, the EU’s model of collective sovereignty means cybersecurity is coordinated, rather than controlled by Brussels. National governments still manage their defence and digital sovereignty, but major funding, regulation, and cross-border frameworks increasingly come from the EU level.

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Stakeholder Grid Example 1: Cyber Tzar

Understanding your stakeholder landscape is key to scaling effectively—especially in cybersecurity, where trust, standards, and adoption often hinge on who’s in the room. This article explores how Cyber Tzar, a cybersecurity scale-up specialising in supply chain risk and cyber risk scoring, applies the Stakeholder Mapping Grid to guide its strategic engagement.

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Innovation Canvas Example 2 – Psyber Inc.

Psyber Inc. applies psychology to cybersecurity, developing behavioural risk dashboards that assess human factors behind cyber threats. Built on academic research in cyberpsychology, the platform translates user sentiment, stress, and behavioural data into actionable cyber risk insights. Psyber Inc. is led by a neurodivergent, female founder and focuses on ethical, responsible AI. It addresses rising demand for insider threat detection, resilience measurement, and human-centric cyber tools across defence, education, and enterprise. Here’s an example “innovation Canvas” for Psyber Inc.

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Cyber Across UK Government: Departments, Programmes, and Policy Players

The definitive guide to who shapes cyber policy in Whitehall, and how to work with them.

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Inside the UK Cyber Ecosystem: A Strategic Guide in 26 Parts

An extensive guide mapping the networks, policy engines, commercial power bases, and future-shapers of British cybersecurity.

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Innovation Canvas Example 1 – Cyber Tzar

Cyber Tzar is a SaaS platform providing advanced cyber risk quantification for enterprise supply chains. It delivers cyber risk scoring, benchmarking, and compliance assessment through big data analytics, AI, and proprietary IP. Its “credit score for cyber” approach supports better risk visibility for insurers, CISOs, and supply chain managers. Cyber Tzar is revenue-generating, scaling through strategic partnerships, and aligned with DORA, ISO 27001, and other regulatory frameworks. Here’s an example “innovation Canvas” for Cyber Tzar.

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How to Create and Use an Innovation Canvas (and Why It Matters)

Innovation is often portrayed as spontaneous and unpredictable. But behind every meaningful breakthrough lies a structured process. Whether you’re launching a new product, transforming a service, or reimagining your organisation’s direction, clarity and rigour are critical.

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The Insider’s Guide to Influencing Senior Tech and Cybersecurity Leaders in the UK

Influencing senior leaders in cybersecurity and technology is no small task, especially in the UK, where credibility, networks, and standards carry immense weight. Whether you’re a startup founder, a scale-up CISO, or a policy influencer, knowing where the key conversations happen (and who shapes them) can make the difference between being heard and being ignored.

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Steering Regional Resilience: Reflections on Two Years Supporting DSIT’s Cyber Local Programme

As Chair of the West Midlands Cyber Working Group, I’ve helped lead DSIT’s Cyber Local steering group for the region over the past two years. Working alongside regional experts, I’ve supported the selection of projects that strengthen cyber resilience on the ground, including Aston University’s powerful work on cyber violence against women and girls. This experience has reinforced just how critical locally informed funding is to building practical, inclusive, and impactful cyber capability.

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Professionalising Cyber: Reflections from Conway Hall

A first-hand reflection on the UK Cyber Security Council’s recent “The Journey to Professionalisation” event at Conway Hall, exploring the ongoing professionalisation of the cyber security sector. Highlights include the expansion of recognised specialisms, the development of the UK Cyber Skills Framework, and discussions on AI, early-career challenges, and the need for a more inclusive, realistic skills framework to support a growing cyber economy.

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Exit Strategy 12: Summary and Bringing It All Together: Your Roadmap to a Successful Exit

Throughout this series, we’ve explored every stage of the exit process, from understanding the basics of an exit strategy to maximizing value during negotiations. Each article has delved into the nuances of preparation, industry dynamics, and strategic decision-making, all aimed at empowering you to achieve a smooth and successful exit.

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Scaling Cyber: A Startup Founder’s Journey from Idea to Exit

This virtual book is a guide to the entrepreneurial journey, drawn from real-world experiences in cyber startups. It distils insights from my time on the NCSC for Startups accelerator (cohort 13, 2023), the DSIT Cyber Runway Scale programme (2024/2025), and my mentoring on DSIT’s Cyber ASAP programme. It’s a collection of lessons, reflections, and hard-earned knowledge from the founders, investors, and industry leaders I’ve met along the way. Thanks to Marcel Duchamp you can think of it as a “ready made”, a curated work built from my blog articles, assembled to help you navigate the path from startup to scale, and beyond.

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The Ides of March: Reflections on Cyber, Startups, and Scaling Innovation

The Ides of March is a fitting time to reflect on betrayal, resilience, and the realities of UK cybersecurity. In the past two weeks, I’ve balanced DSIT’s Cyber Local funding process, chaired the West Midlands Cyber Working Group (WM CWG), led two funding bids, scaled one startup in a brutal funding climate, and booted up a second from scratch. Along the way, I’ve won the Pitch Battle at Cyber Runway Live, launched the UK’s first dedicated universal cyber risk score and comparison site, and tackled everything from weaponised AI threats to Kafka-powered scalability, all while navigating the messy, unpredictable, and often painful journey of building something that lasts.

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Exit Strategy 11: Maximising Value During Negotiations: Strategies for a Successful Deal

The negotiation stage of an exit strategy is where the value of your hard work and preparation truly comes to fruition. Securing a favourable deal requires balancing your business’s worth, buyer expectations, and strategic interests. To maximize value, you need to enter negotiations well-prepared, stay focused on key priorities, and employ effective tactics.

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Exit Strategy 10: Building a Resilient Business: Preparing for Unexpected Exit Opportunities

In business, opportunities often come when you least expect them. An unsolicited offer, an industry consolidation wave, or a sudden market shift could present the perfect moment to exit. However, without preparation, even the best opportunities can slip away. Building a resilient business ensures you’re always ready to capitalize on these moments while maintaining long-term growth and stability.

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