LORCA seeks cyber stars to tackle industry’s two biggest cyber security challenges
The London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement (LORCA) today launches the open call for its second cohort of cyber innovators to help solve the most pressing issues most in need of innovative technical solutions, as identified by industry leaders earlier this month at the cyber innovation centre. LORCA is looking for applications from scaling companies with promising responses to the two biggest cybersecurity challenge areas.
The first of these challenges is to develop solutions that make it easier for employees to keep cyber-aware and safe. Key figures in the sector identified that cybersecurity often fails to account for the human element of attacks and breaches, when ultimately people are at the heart of all activity. Therefore, there is a significant need for new technologies that train employees to become cybersecurity assets, rather than risks.
The second challenge identified concerns supply chains. As these, and the data that flows through them, become increasingly complex, there’s a growing need for new technologies to help better manage the cybersecurity risk in an effective, scalable, and sustainable way.
Those accepted onto the LORCA programme will receive a year of bespoke, world-class support to engineer and iterate their solution and scale their businesses quickly – all within a dedicated space at LORCA’s base at innovation hub Plexal (which is based at Here East and has been developed by owner Delancey’s DV4 fund). Participating companies will be given a unique opportunity to be supported by leading experts, including one-to-one commercial and technical support from Deloitte’s Cyber Risk Service team. World-class academic and engineering support will be provided by the Centre for Secure Information Technologies (CSIT) at Queen’s University Belfast. Plexal will provide innovation support, curate professional service providers and convene a wider community of interest to drive up solutions from different sector verticals.
Applications from across the UK and beyond are welcome. Organisations will need to be revenue generating, be UK registered, have a commitment to grow their business in the UK and provide a clear solution to one of the two industry challenges. Interested organisations are invited to apply by Friday 2nd November. Shortlisted organisations will then be invited to meet the selection panel in early December and the cohort 2 programme will commence in early January 2019. The full selection criteria and expression of interest are available on LORCA’s website: www.lorca.co.uk/get-involved/membership/how-to-apply/
The open call from the UK government-backed innovation centre follows the launch of its first cohort in June 2018. LORCA’s role is to work across industry to understand the most pressing cybersecurity challenges and nurture the most promising, scalable solutions to address these challenges. LORCA is a key pillar of the wider National Cyber Security Strategy 2016 to 2021, which aims to position the UK as a world leader in cybersecurity innovation and, ultimately, make the UK the safest place to be online.
Lydia Ragoonanan, director of LORCA, said:
“As the UK’s dedicated space for industry-led cybersecurity innovation, it was important for us to engage with key figures from industry to make sure we’re addressing their most pressing problems. We know there are companies out there with enormous potential to provide solutions to these challenges, and we’re proud to bring together all the elements needed for truly collaborative innovation.”
Minister for Digital Margot James said:
“We are doing all we can to help our innovative start-ups thrive and maintain our position as Europe's leading tech hub.
“This initiative will see some of the most talented entrepreneurs and companies benefit from expert advice to turn their creative ideas into practical business tools and develop the cyber security technology of tomorrow."
Paul Goswell, managing director of Delancey, said:
“It’s fantastic to see LORCA working closely with industry to solve significant business challenges, marking Here East as a place for unique collaboration with Europe’s most innovative companies.
“The new LORCA cohort will help strengthen the UK’s position as the global leader in cyber security.”
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