Cyber Local 2025/2026 – Expression of Interest form
Important Information
The Cyber Local programme is funded by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and delivered by Innovate UK. Cyber Local provides grant funding for activities and events that support the growth of the cyber security sector and the development of cyber security skills. Before submitting an Innovate UK Cyber Local grant application you must first submit an Expression of Interest to the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology.
Your Expression of Interest
To qualify for Cyber Local funding your project must:
- Address a cyber security challenge faced by the region in which it will be delivered
- Not duplicate any existing initiatives
- Be delivered in one of the nine English regions (listed below)
- Be delivered over 3 or 6 months and before 31 March 2026
- Demonstrate clear impact in the cyber security sector of the region through a focus on one or more of the following thematic areas
- Strengthening the local cyber security sector through area partnerships and forging links between industry, public sector and academia
- supporting the development of strong and innovative cyber security ecosystems
- increasing opportunities for local people to pursue a career in cyber security, paying particular attention to underrepresented communities
- cyber security skills for local people communities to reduce the skills gap
- upskilling underrepresented demographics in the cyber security sector
Where possible, we encourage applicants to engage with their local cyber cluster to understand the challenges faced by their local cyber sector and identify where support for delivery might be required. You can find your local cyber cluster via the UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration (UKC3)
Expressions of Interest will be reviewed by regional cyber steering groups which are made up of local cyber security stakeholders. The role of the steering group is to ensure that Expressions of Interest 1) address a local need, and 2) do not duplicate existing local initiatives. DSIT will share Expressions of Interest with local steering groups. Only those whose Expressions of Interest are endorsed by the regional steering group will be able to submit a full application for Cyber Local funding to Innovate UK.
Click here to download the interest form.
Key Dates:
- Completed Expressions of Interest should be returned to [email protected] by midnight on Friday 14 March
- Steering Group decisions will be shared with applicants by Tuesday 1 April
- Innovate UK Cyber Local Grant Competition will open on Monday 17 March
- Innovate UK online Applicant Briefing Event Tuesday 18 March
- Innovate UK Cyber Local Grant Competition will close on Wednesday 30 April
Click here to download the interest form.
Guidance for completing your expression of interest:
- Your project description should not be more than 350 words in length in total (not including the headings given).
- The lead applicant must be based in the region in which the project is to be delivered
- Respond to all of the headings provided above. Failure to do so may adversely impact your application.
- No additional material or supporting documentation should be provided beyond responses to the headings above.
- Try to explain what the problem is that you are looking to address, and why this is particularly relevant to the region in which you hope to deliver the project.
- Try to explain what the key outputs or deliverables will be from the project. This will help the Steering Group to understand how you’ve thought about how to address the challenge identified.
- When estimating the cost, try to provide a breakdown of how the money would be spent. Projects must cost between £25k-150k.
- Please contact [email protected] if you have any questions or queries not answered here.