Wales Cyber Innovation Hub

What Wales Cyber Innovation Hub does

Wales Cyber Innovation Hub (CIH) is a not-for-profit cyber resilience programme, hosted within Cardiff University and co-led with the University of South Wales, the Alacrity Foundation, and TramShed Tech. Funded by the Welsh Government and the Cardiff Capital Region, CIH operates from the sbarc|spark facility in Cardiff and is structured around three integrated pillars: NCSC-assured, CyBOK-aligned cyber training (covering cyber hygiene, OT security, cloud security, risk governance, and incident response); physical and virtual OT/ICS cyber testbeds used for incident exercising and technology validation; and a 12-month Venture Building Programme that combines a £1,750 monthly stipend, co-founder matching, workspace, and mentorship to convert cybersecurity ideas into market-ready startups.

The technical backbone is a set of proprietary testbed environments — physical industrial control system rigs with PLCs, HMIs, and safety systems, plus a portable Industry 4.0-compatible field-site box — alongside virtual simulations including a connected-highway model with gantries and a driving simulator for vehicle cybersecurity demonstrations. Supporting the core pillars are the CyberInvent PhD Academy (fully funded 3-year doctoral study with a £19,237 annual stipend and pathway into the Venture Building Programme) and CyberSight25, a market-pull framework in which 25 global experts define 25 real-world challenges that drive venture creation priorities.

CIH's business model blends public-sector grants with commercial training and testbed fees. Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region grants are the primary funding base and carry reporting and 12-year data retention obligations. Commercial revenue comes from NCSC-assured training course fees booked through Cardiff University's portal (organisations include National Highways, Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, Principality Building Society, First Choice Housing Association, and Corpus Christi Catholic High School) and from testbed bookings for incident exercising and workforce development. High-level programme KPIs target the creation of at least 25 new cyber companies and the training of at least 1,500 people in cyber skills by 2030.

Name

Wales Cyber Innovation Hub

Legal name

Cyber Innovation Hub (CIH) - Part of Cardiff University

Website

https://cyberinnovationhub.wales

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Wales Cyber Innovation Hub is a not-for-profit programme, part of Cardiff University, funded by Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region. It delivers NCSC-assured cyber training, physical and virtual OT/ICS testbeds, and a venture building programme for cybersecurity startups.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Training and Testbed Services

NAICS

Computer Training (611420), Business Schools and Computer and Management Training (6114), Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity Technical Skills (Security Engineering, SOC, Pen Testing) (EDABAFAF)

akta.pro secondary industries

Cybersecurity Training & Awareness Programs (BPAEANAF), Cybersecurity Learning Platforms (EDAFANAF), Information Technology (IT) & Cybersecurity Certifications (EDAAANAA), IT, Software & Cybersecurity Training (EDAGANAF)

Keywords

• Cyber training programs
• OT cybersecurity training
• Cyber testbed simulation
• Venture building program
• Cyber workforce development

Headquarters

HQ city

Cardiff

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Government Grants and Public Funding: CIH is a not-for-profit programme funded by Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region. Core funding supports operations, training delivery, testbed development, and venture building. High-level KPIs include creating at least 25 new cyber companies and training at least 1,500 people in cyber skills.
2. Training Course Fees: Revenue from delivering NCSC-assured cyber training courses to organisations. Courses are booked via Cardiff University's course booking portal. Organisations include Dŵr Cymru Welsh Water, National Highways, housing associations, and public sector bodies.
3. Testbed Access and Simulation Services: Organisations book testbed sessions for technology validation, incident exercising, and workforce development. National Highways, First Choice Housing Association, and others have used testbeds for immersive simulations.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Wales Cyber Innovation Hub delivers NCSC-assured, CyBOK-aligned cyber training courses, physical and virtual OT/ICS cyber testbeds for incident simulation and technology validation, and a 12-month funded Venture Building Programme with a £1,750/month stipend and co-founder assembly via the Alacrity Foundation. It also runs the CyberInvent PhD Academy and CyberSight25 challenge series. The programme is delivered from the sbarc|spark hub in Cardiff and is part of Cardiff University, funded by the Welsh Government and Cardiff Capital Region.

Product overview

Wales Cyber Innovation Hub is a not-for-profit initiative backed by Cardiff University and the University of South Wales, aimed at transforming the Cardiff Capital Region into a leading UK cyber cluster. The Hub operates three integrated pillars: Cyber Training (NCSC-assured courses and CyBOK-aligned programmes spanning cyber hygiene, OT security, cloud security, risk governance, and incident response at multiple levels); Cyber Testbeds (physical and virtual environments for simulating attacks, validating technologies, and building workforce capability); and the Venture Building Programme (a 12-month funded startup programme at £1,750/month providing team assembly via Alacrity Foundation, workspace, and mentorship). Supporting these are the CyberInvent PhD Academy (fully funded doctoral study with entrepreneurship training) and CyberSight25 (a challenge series defining 25 real-world cyber problems from global experts to drive venture opportunities). All offerings are aligned to national priorities and delivered in partnership with industry leaders including Airbus, Thales, and CGI.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Cyber Training
• Cyber Testbeds
• Venture Building Programme
• CyberInvent PhD Academy
• CyberSight25
• Incident Exercising
• Cyber Escape Rooms
• SOC Enablement
• Cyber Consultancy
• Strategic Research

Quantifiable outcome

• 98% reduction in NHS medical image anonymisation processing time through Pontiro venture
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Cardiff UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead academic partner and data controller for CIH. Cardiff University is an Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Education (ACE-CSE) and Academic Centre of Excellence in Cyber Security Research (ACE-CSR). CIH is part of Cardiff University (registered charity no. 1136855). The university provides academic credibility, NCSC assurance, research backing, and course delivery through its course booking portal.
• University of South WalescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner and ACE-CSE recognised institution. Co-delivers NCSC-assured training courses alongside Cardiff University. Strengthens the academic foundation of CIH's training programmes and provides access to university facilities and research expertise.
• Alacrity FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerDelivers the startup team recruitment and co-founding team assembly function of the Venture Building Programme. Recruits and assembles commercial, technical, and product co-founders around validated startup ideas. Alacrity's apply-now page directs prospective co-founders to the CIH Venture Building Programme.
• TramShed TechcoreTechnology or IntegrationNamed as a core CIH partner alongside Cardiff University, University of South Wales, and Alacrity Foundation. Provides technology development expertise to support the venture building and testbed capabilities.
• ThalesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeatured as a trusted partner and logo on the CIH website. Collaborates with CIH to shape challenge area priorities and provides industry expertise. Works with CIH on defining real-world problems worth solving through the Venture Building Programme.
• AirbusminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNamed as a trusted partner on the CIH website. Shapes CIH's challenge area priorities to ensure ventures address genuine industry demand. Provides industry validation and potential partnership pathways for startups.
• CGIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a trusted partner providing input into CIH's challenge areas. Supports the Venture Building Programme by helping shape priorities that address real market needs, consistent with CGI's cyber security consulting work.
• BIC InnovationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMarketing company contracted by CIH to support establishment of the website and send marketing communications on behalf of CIH to individuals who have opted in. Personal data may be shared with BIC Innovation for marketing purposes with explicit consent.
• The AlliancesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered with The Alliances team to deliver CyberSight25, drawing on their unique network and expertise to capture the biggest cyber problems from global industry leaders. The Alliances' founder Lee Thomas introduced Justin Williams of MTN Group as a CyberSight speaker.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Immersive Labs: Bristol-based cyber resilience platform providing continuous simulation-based cyber training, exercises, and skills validation to enterprise and public-sector clients. Directly comparable to CIH's NCSC-assured training and OT/ICS testbed offerings, both targeting workforce cyber readiness with hands-on lab environments.
• Plexal: London-based innovation hub and cyber accelerator delivering venture building, workspace, and corporate innovation programmes with strong public-sector backing. Closely comparable to CIH's startup programme structure — co-founder assembly, mentorship, testbed access, and industry-partner validation in a single campus.
• Cyber Runway (DSIT / Plexal): UK government-backed cyber accelerator delivered by Plexal on behalf of DSIT, with bootcamps, mentorship, and venture support for early-stage UK cyber companies. Peer to CIH's publicly-funded Welsh initiative in mandate, cohort structure, and policy alignment.
• CyLon (HutZero / Cyber Runway alumni network): UK/Europe's longest-running dedicated cybersecurity accelerator, now Cylon Labs, providing cohort-based venture building for early-stage cyber startups. Direct comparator for the Venture Building Programme and CyberInvent PhD-to-startup pathway at CIH.
• Alacrity Foundation: UK/US technology venture builder backed by Nesta and founded in partnership with international technology companies, recruiting and assembling co-founding teams around validated deep-tech IP. Direct partner of CIH for the Venture Building Programme and the structurally closest peer on the venture-creation side.
• Cyber Resilience Centres (UK network): UK network of regional police-affiliated Cyber Resilience Centres providing affordable cyber resilience services, training, and exercises to SMEs, public sector, and charities. Closely comparable to CIH's regional mandate, public-sector orientation, and practical training/testbed mission across Wales and the UK.

Emerging players

• RangeForce: Cloud-based cyber range and skills development platform providing interactive SOC and OT simulation training for enterprise security teams. Peer to CIH's testbed-driven training approach, with a comparable focus on hands-on OT/ICS scenarios and enterprise workforce validation.
• CybSafe: UK SaaS platform delivering AI-driven cyber awareness, behaviour, and culture training to enterprises. Comparable as an alternative delivery model for the cyber hygiene and awareness training pillar of CIH's portfolio, though software-led versus CIH's hub-based delivery.

Broad incumbents

• CREST: UK-based not-for-profit accreditation body for cyber security service providers, defining standards for penetration testing, incident response, and threat intelligence. Comparable to CIH in the UK cyber quality-assurance ecosystem that underpins training and provider credibility.
• SANS Institute: Global leader in cybersecurity training, certifications, and cyber range exercises for technical practitioners. Comparable as a practitioner-led cyber training and certification provider that organisations turn to for SOC, pen testing, and OT security upskilling — overlapping with CIH's NCSC-assured training portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/cyber-innovation-hub-wales
• Instagraminstagram.com/cyberhub.wales

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Wales Cyber Innovation Hub