Lancaster University Enterprise Zone

SecureD University Enterprise Zone

The Secure Digitalisation University Enterprise Zone is a focal point to drive economic growth, create jobs and help businesses develop innovative new products and services in a secure manner.

  • Secure Digitalisation

    Supporting organisations to defend, innovate and grow their business through fully funded programmes such as the Lancashire and Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry.

  • Beyond Cyber Security

    Join some of Britain's top computing experts as they show companies the benefits of proper web practice, and de-mystify cyber security by inviting businesses from across the country to attend a series of free talks to learn how they can boost profits through cyber security.

  • Knowledge Exchange Partnerships

    Knowledge Transfer Partnerships (KTP) is a UK-wide programme which has been helping businesses for over 40 years to improve their competitiveness and productivity by connecting them to the UK’s rich academic resources.

  • Zero-Day Entrepreneurship

    Entrepreneurship skills development programme exclusively for MSc Cyber Security students at Lancaster University, helping to enable future Cyber Innovation.

  • Internships and Student Projects

    The benefits to completing an internship or placement year are endless. They provide invaluable insights into roles and industries, help you to gain transferable skills and make job applications stand out to employers.

  • Articles & Resources

    A series of articles and other related resources along the theme of cyber security and cyber innovation. Written in mind for a general non-technical audience.

What is SecureD?

The SecureD University Enterprise Zone enables effective, impactful and innovative opportunities for knowledge exchange between businesses and the University. We will drive economic growth, create jobs and help businesses develop innovative new products and services.

Building upon Lancaster University’s world class strengths in data science, advanced manufacturing, health innovation and cyber security, the ‘Secure Digitalisation University Enterprise Zone (SecureD UEZ)' supports businesses to benefit from digitisation in a safe and secure way.

SecureD encourages the widespread adoption of Industrial Digital Technologies to drive economic growth, while ensuring vital digital elements are safe and protected. This is achieved through a package of bespoke support, as well as delivering a suite of world-class manufacturing facilities for businesses to benefit from.

SecureD will focus on the key regional priority sectors of advanced manufacturing and digital health services, and has been enabled through more than £1.47 million in funding from Research England, part of UK Research and Innovation.

The UEZ will support high-growth technology businesses through a package of bespoke assistance, via our Secure Digitalisation Accelerator Programme, as part of Cyber Works. This programme supports new and existing companies in adopting industrial digital technologies, such as additive manufacturing, securely and safely.

Lancaster’s SecureD UEZ responds to three Government strategies: The Made Smarter review, the National Industrial Strategy and the National Cyber Security Strategy.

SecureD Projects

SecureD is offers a wide range of practical projects delivering knowledge exchange and business support to facilitate the process of secure digitalisation.

  • Cyber Works

    Cyber Works offers a range of impactful and innovative opportunities for knowledge exchange between businesses and the Cyber Security Research Centre (CSRC)

  • Lancashire Cyber Foundry

    Supporting organisations to defend, innovate and grow their business throughout the Lancashire region, focusing on supporting those embracing the digital region in both the urban and rural areas of Lancashire.

  • Greater Manchester Cyber Foundry

    Supporting organisations to defend, innovate and grow their business throughout the recently crowned "Cyberopolis" that is the Greater Manchester region. Quickly becoming the nation's leading place for digital business.

About the University Enterprise Zones

The University Enterprise Zones (UEZs) are specific geographical areas where universities and business work together to increase local growth and innovation.

This scheme is funded through £5 million from the Research England Development (RED) Fund, with Chancellor Philip Hammond providing an extra £5 million at the 2018 Budget to allow up to 10 further UEZs to be established across England.

UK Research and Innovation Chief Executive, Professor Sir Mark Walport, said: “20 University Enterprise Zones funded by Research England will be important focal points for collaboration in business-friendly environments, driving innovation and delivering benefits that will be felt across economies at the local, regional and national scale.”

David Sweeney, Executive Chair of Research England, said: "The University Enterprise Zones will act as focal points for collaboration in business-friendly environments, driving innovation and delivering benefits that will be felt across economies as local, regional and national scale. They demonstrate that universities are at the cutting edge of technology incubation and are committed to delivering on the government's place agenda."

The SecureD University Enterprise Zone benefits from the academic and research excellence of Lancaster University, ranked among the top-10 nationally by all UK league tables, and builds on a strong pedigree of business engagement, further cementing the University’s position as an economic anchor institution for the region.