Cyber Runway
Cyber Runway is the UK's largest government-funded cyber accelerator, delivered by Plexal with DSIT backing, supporting cyber entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups through six streams from launch to scale, having supported 349 cohort members across five editions (2021–2025).
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2017
- Headquarters—
- Headcount—
- GTM typeB2B
- OfferingServices
What Cyber Runway does
Cyber Runway is a UK government-funded cyber accelerator programme delivered by Plexal and backed by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). Launched in 2021 as the UK's largest cyber accelerator and aligned to the £2.6bn National Cyber Strategy, the programme supports cyber entrepreneurs, startups, scaleups and SMEs through six streams: Launch (one-week bootcamp), Grow (foundational scaling), Scale X (high-growth acceleration), Ignite (founder leadership development), CNI (Critical National Infrastructure) and NW Net Zero (green economy security). Across five editions from 2021 to 2025, Cyber Runway supported 349 cohort members who collectively raised over £200m in investment, with 48% of participating companies based outside London, 44% led by BAME founders and 34% female-led.
The programme operates as a free, grant-funded accelerator: participants retain 100% of IP and equity while receiving business masterclasses, mentoring, CSIT engineering support for product testing, investor pitches, enterprise introductions and international trade missions to RSA Conference (San Francisco) and Slush (Helsinki). The programme concluded in 2026 after five editions, with Plexal continuing to operate adjacent programmes including LASR (Laboratory for AI Security Research), the Barclays Eagle Labs Scaleup Programme, HMGCC Co-Creation, AI Security Challenge and Growth Partnership. Plexal itself was founded in 2017 by clients of real estate advisory Delancey and reports £31m of public sector contracts contributing £731m to UK GDP since inception.
Cyber Runway's core technology is the accelerator delivery model itself — no proprietary platform or software is built — combined with curated introductions to CSIT engineers for technical product testing. Its revenue model is fully grant-funded by DSIT, with no participant fees, distinguishing it from commercial accelerators that take equity. Customer segments span the full UK cyber startup lifecycle from ideation (Launch) through scaleup (Scale X), with segment-specific emphasis on Critical National Infrastructure buyers and regional diversity via the NW Net Zero stream.
Cyber Runway firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Cyber Runway
- Legal name
- Plexal (Group) Limited
- Website
- https://plexal.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2017
- Operating status
- Operating
- Short description
- Cyber Runway is the UK's largest government-funded cyber accelerator, delivered by Plexal with DSIT backing, supporting cyber entrepreneurs, startups and scaleups through six streams from launch to scale, having supported 349 cohort members across five editions (2021–2025).
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Cyber Runway industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Cybersecurity Accelerator Programs
- NAICS
- Computer Training (611420)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Cybersecurity (EDAAAPAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber Governance (GRC) (BPAHAFAF), AI Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAMAA)
Keywords
Cyber Runway business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales
Revenue model
- Government Funding: Cyber Runway is fully funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) and delivered by Plexal at no cost to participants. Companies retain 100% of their IP and equity.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Multi-year contract | Free accelerator programme with no cost to participants |
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels4 records
Cyber Runway product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Cyber Runway is a UK Government-funded cyber security accelerator program delivered by Plexal. It supports cyber entrepreneurs, startups, and scaleups through six distinct streams—Launch, Grow, Scale X, Ignite, CNI, and NW Net Zero—tailored to different stages of business maturity. The program is offered at no cost to participants, having supported 349 cohort members who collectively raised over £200 million, and is scheduled to conclude in 2026.
Product overview
Cyber Runway is the UK's largest cyber accelerator program, delivered by Plexal and funded by the Department of Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT). The program is designed as a multi-stream offering that addresses the biggest challenges facing cyber security, including diversity and inclusion and regional representation. Cyber Runway operates through distinct streams: Launch (one-week bootcamp for cyber entrepreneurs), Grow (for startups and SMEs to lay growth foundations), Scale X (for scaleups to blast away barriers), Ignite (bespoke support for founders to develop as leaders), CNI (connecting cyber SMEs with critical national infrastructure sectors), and NW Net Zero (securing technologies linked to the green economy in the North West). Members retain 100% of their IP and equity. The program is part of Plexal's broader innovation ecosystem which includes LASR (Laboratory for AI Security Research) for AI security, the Growth Partnership for tailored 1:1 business guidance, LORCA, NCSC For Startups, HMGCC Co-Creation challenges, and workspace facilities across Stratford, Shoreditch, and Cheltenham.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cyber Runway: The UK's largest cyber accelerator programme supporting cyber entrepreneurs, startups and SMEs through multiple streams including Grow, Scale X, Ignite, CNI, and NW Net Zero.
- Cyber Runway 5
- Cyber Runway Ignite
- Cyber Runway CNI
- Cyber Runway NW Net Zero
Products and services
- Launch stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program designed for cyber security founders at the earliest stages of venture development, providing mentorship, technical support, and ecosystem introductions. Aimed at UK-based cyber security startup founders.
- Grow stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program designed for cyber security startups moving from validation toward scaling, providing investor introductions and growth support. Aimed at UK cyber security startup founders.
- Scale X stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program focused on cyber security scaleups preparing for institutional investment and significant growth. Aimed at UK cyber security scaleup founders and leadership teams.
- Ignite stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program aimed at igniting innovation among cyber security entrepreneurs, providing structured mentorship and ecosystem access. Aimed at UK cyber security entrepreneurs.
- CNI stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program focused on cyber security startups serving Critical National Infrastructure (CNI) sectors, providing sector-specific support and introductions. Aimed at UK cyber security startups addressing CNI needs.
- NW Net Zero stream Stream of the Cyber Runway program focused on cyber security startups in the North West of England, with emphasis on the Net Zero agenda and related cyber security challenges. Aimed at UK North West cyber security entrepreneurs.
Quantifiable outcome
- 349 cohort members supported across programme history, raising over £200m collectively
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Cyber Runway
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Cyber Runway technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
AI capability1 record
Cyber Runway partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- LASR (Laboratory for AI Security Research)coreLASR is a public-private partnership that Plexal co-founded, bringing together world-leading experts from academia, industry and government. It focuses on AI security research aligned to national objectives and complements Cyber Runway's focus on cyber security innovation.
- CSIT (Centre for Secure Information Technologies)coreCSIT engineers provide technical support to Cyber Runway members, helping test new products or features and providing advice on technical decisions. CSIT is a key technical partner in the accelerator ecosystem.
- NCSC (National Cyber Security Centre)coreNCSC works with Plexal on cyber initiatives. Cyber Runway is aligned to NCSC's mission to make the UK the safest place to live and work online. NCSC for Startups was a related initiative.
- International Trade Mission PartnersminorOrganisations facilitating Cyber Runway trade missions to RSA Conference San Francisco and Slush Helsinki, enabling UK cyber SMEs to access international investment and commercial partnerships.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves3 records
Expansion highlights6 records
Cyber Runway competitors and assessment
Company assessmentBroad incumbents
- Tech Nation (Closed): Former UK government-backed tech accelerator (closed 2023) that ran cyber-specific programmes and shaped the ecosystem in which Cyber Runway operates.
- SETsquared Partnership: University-led UK startup accelerator network supporting deep tech and cyber founders with mentor networks and investor access; comparable scale and government connections.
- Digital Catapult: UK government-backed advanced digital technology accelerator addressing deep tech including cybersecurity and AI; competes for the same DSIT-aligned cohort and mandate.
- Barclays Eagle Labs: UK-wide tech accelerator and workspace network that co-delivers the Plexal Scaleup Programme; competes for the same scaleup cohort with broader sector coverage including cyber.
Direct peers
- CyLon: One of Europe's earliest cyber accelerators, running cohort-based programmes for early-stage security startups with mentorship and investor introductions — directly comparable cohort model.
- CyberASAP: UK government-funded academic cyber accelerator helping university researchers commercialise security research — comparable cohort-to-market pathway funded by Innovate UK.
- HMGCC Co-Creation: His Majesty's Government Communications Centre's challenge-based programme delivered by Plexal, sourcing cyber and defence-tech solutions for national security — peer programme from the same operator.
- LORCA: London Office for Rapid Cybersecurity Advancement — the UK's other major cyber accelerator, formerly delivered by Plexal and now closely adjacent to Cyber Runway in focus on scaling UK cyber startups.
- NCSC For Startups: NCSC's cyber startup engagement programme, a predecessor to Cyber Runway delivered by Plexal; both target UK cyber founders with technical and commercial support from government.
Regional players
- Cyber Wales: Wales-based cyber cluster and accelerator network supporting UK cyber startups with a regional focus; adjacent cohort model with narrower geography.
Market position
Strengths4 records
Weaknesses4 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks5 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Cyber Runway social profiles
Digital presenceCyber Runway compliance and trust
Trust signalCompliance5 records
Cyber Runway financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Cyber Runway leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Cyber Runway funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Cyber Runway M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments1 record
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Cyber Runway
What does Cyber Runway do?
Cyber Runway is a UK Government-funded cyber security accelerator program delivered by Plexal. It supports cyber entrepreneurs, startups, and scaleups through six distinct streams—Launch, Grow, Scale X, Ignite, CNI, and NW Net Zero—tailored to different stages of business maturity. The program is offered at no cost to participants, having supported 349 cohort members who collectively raised over £200 million, and is scheduled to conclude in 2026.
Is Cyber Runway a public or private company?
Cyber Runway is a private company. It is classified as state government owned and is currently operating.
When was Cyber Runway founded?
Cyber Runway was founded in 2017.
How does Cyber Runway make money?
One revenue line is on record: government Funding.
Who are Cyber Runway's main competitors?
Broad incumbents on record are Tech Nation (Closed), SETsquared Partnership, Digital Catapult and Barclays Eagle Labs. Direct peers are CyLon, CyberASAP, HMGCC Co-Creation, LORCA and NCSC For Startups. Cyber Wales is listed as a regional player.
Does Cyber Runway have an API?
No public API is recorded for Cyber Runway.
What industry is Cyber Runway in?
Cyber Runway's product category is Cybersecurity Accelerator Programs. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAAAPAC, Cybersecurity, with a secondary code of BPAHAFAF, Privacy, Data Protection & Cyber Governance (GRC). Its NAICS code is 611420.