A £150,000 support programme is launching to help East Midlands businesses – particularly those in manufacturing, logistics, and professional services – strengthen their defences against cybercrime.
Led by Dr Ismini Vasileiou, associate professor at De Montfort University Leicester (DMU) and founder and director of the East Midlands Cyber Security Cluster, it offers practical, hands-on support to businesses that want to improve how they manage cyber risk, train staff, and future-proof their operations.
The project will be delivered in collaboration with 1284 Communications and Bulb Studios.
Funded through the Government’s Cyber Local scheme, this project takes a hands-on approach to tackling one of the region’s biggest economic challenges: how to make cyber resilience not just the responsibility of IT departments, but a core part of how organisations think, operate and grow. It was one of just 20 projects funded across England, selected from more than 110 applications.
Dr Vasileiou said: “The programme is designed to meet businesses where they are. It’s aimed particularly at small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that do not have dedicated cyber security expertise in-house or rely on the same trusted person to ‘do the IT’.
“The reality is that cyber threats have changed. Ransomware, phishing scams and data breaches are constantly looking for weaknesses. Whether you’ve got a full IT team or just someone who’s always ‘looked after the computers,’ now’s the time to think differently.
“It’s about building confidence and capability. Our mission is to make cyber resilience as second nature as health and safety.
“As a region powering the UK’s manufacturing, logistics, and professional sectors, the East Midlands urgently needs practical, localised cyber support to protect its businesses and sustain economic growth. This project turns national ambition into local action – equipping East Midlands businesses with the tools to become resilient, confident, and digitally secure.”
The pilot will directly support 30 businesses to embed cyber resilience at every level – from boardrooms to shop floors. This will include:
- 15 businesses which will take part in a structured programme to build organisational cyber resilience, focusing on governance and strategy
- 10 businesses who will be supported to develop internal cyber workforce plans, identifying and reskilling existing staff into cyber roles
- 5 businesses who will host academic placements from DMU to trial research-led cyber innovations
Alongside this, a sustained outreach campaign will target traditionally underrepresented organisations, ensuring the benefits of the project are widely felt and not just confined to those already engaged in the cyber sector.
