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Digital Innovation Support

The Cyber Foundry offers student projects and technical assistance to SMEs in the Lancashire and Cumbria regions. 

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Logos associated with this project include: Funded by UK Government, Lancaster University and Cyber Foundry.

What's Involved?

Our Digital Innovation Support projects typically last for 3 months and our technical team works with Lancashire and Cumbrian SMEs to develop a prototype of a technical idea or innovation and advise on future decisions and projects, as well as providing essential cyber security advice.

The Cyber Foundry has assisted with projects from web-based psychology dashboards and mobile guided tours to in-depth cyber security assessments of existing code and Virtual Reality applications.

This project is fully funded by the UK Government.

Register your interest
Two people working together and collaborating on a project.

This process begins with a meeting between the Cyber Foundry technical team and the business to discuss the initial ideas and help mold these ideas into a project achievable within the given time frame.

The Cyber Foundry will then advertise the project to their large network of student interns and interview the relevant candidates.

The selected student is then placed within the company for the agreed period of time, to allow them to gain valuable insights and experience.

The student will create a product for the business, which could be taken to market or utilised in further discussions with investors.

At the end of the project the business is provided with a comprehensive handover report that covers security risks and features, next steps for the company to take, and detailed documentation of the product or process that has been developed.

Benefits to Business

Enhanced innovation capability:By participating in this project, SMEs can significantly enhance their innovation capabilities, potentially leading to new products or services that can drive business growth.

Market and investment readiness:With a developed prototype & comprehensive documentation, SMEs are better positioned to attract further investment or bring the new product to market.

Catalyst for change:Student projects & tech assists can be a significant catalyst for technical innovations & business growth for SMEs.

Prototype Development

This project assists SMEs in developing a prototype of their technical ideas or innovations, which can be important to demonstrate the viability of a concept to potential investors or for initial market testing.

Expertise and Guidance

Businesses will obtain expert advice on the development of their project, ensuring that it is technically sound and feasible. 

The guidance obtained will help SMEs with future strategic planning and resource allocation.

 

 

Cyber Security Insights

Essential cyber security advice is provided, helping SMEs to understand and mitigate potential security risks associated with their projects and ensure robust security measures are in place to keep their business safe and secure. 

Student Interns

By utilising a student intern, SMEs can gain access to additional support and fresh perspectives, which can be particularly beneficial for resource-constrained companies.

Interns will gain valuable real-world experience, which can be a mutually beneficial as they bring up-to-date knowledge and enthusiasm to the new project.

Diverse Applications

The Cyber Foundry has experience with a wide range of project types, from web-based applications and mobile tours to cyber security assessments and VR applications. This wide range of knowledge means that the Cyber Foundry can support a variety of business needs and innovations.

 

"Working with Lancashire and Cumbrian SMEs on their innovative technical projects is incredibly rewarding.

Student projects and tech assists not only help businesses to develop prototypes of their ideas but also provide crucial cyber security advice, which helps to inform future strategies. By placing skilled student interns within these companies, we offer them valuable support and fresh perspectives, while also giving students real-world experience.

"We support businesses and give the tools to continue their tech development journey. It's a true win-win situation that fosters growth and innovation in our region."

Alexander Lee, Technical Manager, Lancaster University

Costs & Eligibility

This programme is fully funded by the UK Government and available to businesses which are eligible under following criteria:

  • Based in Lancashire or Cumbria
  • Employ fewer than 250 full-time equivalent (FTE) employees
  • Annual turnover of less than €50 million (or the equivalent in GBP)

Find out more about how and why Lancaster University and our funding bodies holds your information.

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Linked icons

  • The Cyber Foundry

    The Cyber Foundry offers a range of impactful and innovative opportunities for knowledge exchange between businesses, and security and protection sciences at Lancaster University.

  • Cyber Resilience

    Designed to help Lancashire and Cumbrian SME businesses to develop cyber resilience and implement strategies to help their businesses defend, innovate and grow.

  • Cyber Works

    Cyber Works enables effective, impactful and innovative opportunities for knowledge exchange between businesses and the Cyber Security Research Centre (CSRC) based at Lancaster University.