After a successful Year 9 Demo Day, Cyber Security Academic Startup Accelerator Programme (CyberASAP) is gaining momentum towards its 10th anniversary kick off, which is due to start later this month.
This comes as the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology (DSIT) has committed a further £10m over the next four years in additional funding to CyberASAP. Delivered by Innovate UK, the programme has bridged the gap between academia and industry, accelerating the commercialisation of cutting-edge cyber technologies from inside UK universities. So far, programme alumni have raised £47.4m in follow-on investment, resulting in 43 cyber companies, multiple acquisitions and licences to industry.
On the 25th of February 2026, at Level 39 in London, the 14 year 9 finalists presented to investors and industry professionals and stakeholders. These projects addressed pressing cyber problems from modern VR age verification and deepfake ad detection to quantum security and fraudulent blockchain activity.
Dr Pascal Berrang, from the University of Birmingham’s School of Computer Science, presented SynapTrack, a new system that provides next-generation anti-money laundering framework for blockchain systems, with automatic adaptation to new criminal tactics. He said: “Demo Day really exceeded our expectations. Showcasing SynapTrack’s ability to trace illicit blockchain transactions to such a knowledgeable audience sparked exactly the feedback we needed, particularly around refining the experience for compliance teams.”
Additionally, several successful alumni companies returned to demo their innovations in an Alumni Showcase, including:
- CybPass: CybPass powers trust in autonomous systems by building the AI-native safety, security, and compliance backbone that enables responsible autonomy at scale.
- Cavero Quantum: To protect the global digital economy by ensuring every connected device, from tiny SIM cards to national infrastructure, possesses the autonomous quantum-safe resilience required to establish unbreakable, continuous digital trust.
- Cyber Innovations Ltd: Cyber Innovations Ltd strives to make human-layer cyber resilience accessible, measurable, and sustainable for every organisation.
- FACT360: FACT360 aims to help companies identify anomalies in human behaviour inside and outside of organisations in real time. FACT360 can also be used to provide post incident investigation tools.
- Pentestify: Pentestify has brought together the brightest minds in blockchain, cybersecurity and AI to deliver the most innovative solution to addressing the looming security concerns for RWA, ZKP and institutional protocols.
The event opened with a message from the Baroness Lloyd of Effra CBE, who underscored the strategic importance of strengthening the UK’s cyber resilience and highlighted the pivotal role that academic innovation plays in maintaining the nation’s competitive edge. Her remarks emphasised the value of early engagement between investors and emerging research driven companies, setting a focused and forward-looking tone for the afternoon’s discussions.
The year 9 cohort marked a positive step towards achieving greater diversity in cyber security, with 6 out of the 14 project teams (43%) led by women. In the UK, government research suggests that women make up only around 17% of the cyber workforce. Through its government funding, CyberASAP proudly encourages diversity by giving academics with early-stage ideas the chance to get involved with access to resources and commercial expertise that can be worked on alongside their usual academic responsibilities.
Notably, two of this year’s cohort were also recognised at the Most Inspiring Women in Cyber Awards 2026, which was held on the 26th February 2026 at The BT Tower, London. Gizem Acar Tekin, CEO and Co-Founder of Photarix, a Lancaster University project, was recognised as a One to Watch for her work on quantum security. Dr. Chidimma Opara, project lead on GUARD, a Teesside University project, was named amongst the top 21 ‘Most Inspiring Women’ for her industry contributions as a lecturer at Teesside University.
Alumni of CyberASAP remain part of the Innovate UK ecosystem after graduating, benefitting from opportunities, such as mentorship and trips to showcase abroad. This year, six alumni attended RSAC in San Francisco, from the 23rd to 26th March, to showcase some of Britain’s most exciting early-stage cyber innovations.
“Taking our CyberASAP alumni to RSA was a proud moment – not just for the programme, but for British innovation as a whole,” said Emma Fadlon, Co-Director of CyberASAP, Innovate UK Business Connect. “These ventures represent the very best of our homegrown talent, with rigorous research, world-class ingenuity and that distinct ‘best of British’ determination to solve global challenges. Seeing them showcase on an international stage like San Francisco is exactly what CyberASAP is about: backing brilliant ideas and helping them stand tall on the world stage.”
