UK cybersecurity accelerator alumni secure more than £75Mn in funding
Innovate UK’s cybersecurity accelerator for university researchers has reached a significant commercial milestone as its tenth group of startups goes through the programme.
The Cyber Security Academic Startup Accelerator Programme (CyberASAP) has seen alumni from previous cohorts secure more than £75 million in follow-on funding.
Funded by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) and delivered by Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation, CyberASAP has entered its tenth year of operation with a new cohort of academic teams joining the programme.
Innovate UK said the funding demonstrates the programme’s ability to help academic cybersecurity research reach commercial markets.
To date, the programme has supported academics from more than 83 UK universities, leading to the formation of 45 commercial companies alongside multiple technology licensing agreements.
Several established spinouts have contributed to the funding, including CAPSLOCK, which secured private venture capital and scaling investment after participating in the accelerator.
Dr Andrea Cullen MBE, Co-founder of CAPSLOCK, said: “CyberASAP gave us the confidence, language, and process to talk about our business to investors, customers and each other. It also gave us a grounding in the commercial side of things, such as pitching, understanding customers, and thinking about a route to market.”
“These were concepts that we hadn’t had to consider before. These skills stayed with us, and when we built CAPSLOCK, they helped us significantly in how we approached things,” she said.
“Ten years on, it’s great to see so many founders developing successful businesses,” she concluded.
CyberASAP provides a framework to help academic cybersecurity research be used in commercial applications.
Participants receive specialised guidance in market validation, value proposition development, and commercial awareness. The programme introduces academic innovators to essential professional networks, including industry mentors, strategic partners, and potential investors.
Emma Fadlon and Robin Kennedy, Co-Directors, CyberASAP at Innovate UK Business Connect, said: “We are supported by a fantastic network of sector leaders and commercialisation experts. Their collective insights have guided our participants and alumni to ensure the technologies being developed are aligned to real-world threats and commercial opportunities.”
“Over the past decade, this support has helped alumni turn promising research into investment-ready businesses, unlocking growth, attracting significant follow-on funding and contributing to the programme’s wider impact. As cyber threats continue to evolve, we’re proud that the outcomes from the programme have, in their own way, helped make all our lives that little bit safer.”
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