The Accelerator Network, along with Digital Catapult, was commissioned by DCMS to build the Cyber 101 national programme to support and upskill Cyber SMEs. The programme ran between January 2017 to March 2021 as part of the Department for Digital, Culture, Media & Sport (DCMS) funded activity to grow the UK’s cyber security sector and the capability of cyber security startups and scaleups. The programme was a key part of the first National Cyber Security Strategy, led by the Government, collaborating with the private sector. The programme delivered 3 core components via Business Skills Bootcamps with tailored advice from industry experts on how to develop and scale up cyber business, Deep Dives to discover solutions on how to transform key challenges into business opportunities, and Demo Days showcasing pitches of solutions to customers, partners and investors.

Ian Merricks, Chair of The Accelerator Network shared: “It was my great pleasure to host the 5 year celebration of the DCMS backed Cyber 101 initiative that The Accelerator Network and Digital Catapult plus partners have delivered since 2017. The Zoom-hosted celebration on 25 March, 2021 had a guest introduction from Minister of Digital Infrastructure, Matt Warman MP, praising our work as an “immense achievement” and one that “DCMS has been really proud to support over the course of the current cybersecurity strategy”. The occasion was an opportunity to pause and reflect on the important work done by Cyber 101; as the Minister said, “a huge testament to the hard work that delivery partners have put in not just to give their cohorts of SMEs a foundation in essential business skills, but also in introducing them to potential customers and investors”.