25 years ago, at the turn of the millennium, the term ‘cyber’ conjured up visions of the Y2K bug and the catastrophic potential consequences flowing from it. The Matrix had not long been released, Facebook wasn’t even live and the phone in your pocket was probably made by Nokia or Motorola.
Fast forward to 2025 and the average smartphone in your pocket reputably has the combined computing power of all the computers used in the Apollo 11 moon landings. Also, in the intervening years, with so many ‘giant leaps’ (pun intended) in the digital realm, Northern Ireland has established itself as a global leader in cyber security.
At the core of our success has been the visionary and innovative work of our universities and the talented individuals which they have nurtured, which, coupled with our region’s success in attracting significant foreign direct investment, has created a dynamic local ecosystem, clustering around Belfast and the North–West providing high quality and well–paid jobs.
Presently, Northern Ireland is home to over 130 cyber security companies, employing circa 2,750 professionals in diverse roles, underpinning the security of our critical national infrastructure, from our banking systems right through to energy, telecommunications and health. Representing £237 million GVA to our economy, cyber security remains a key driver for our economy, our international reputation for academic and entrepreneurial excellence and, most crucially, the safety of our digital society.
NI Cyber was founded back in 2017 to support, encourage and inspire innovation amongst our wide–ranging group of companies, with the goal of helping them to capitalise on our hard–won competitive advantage, through better connectivity with academia and government. Focusing on our core pillars of community, innovation and skills, we work to galvanise the whole of our ecosystem to maintain and enhance the momentum of digital security in all its forms.
As we enter the second quarter of the 21st century, the landscape in which our industry ecosystem operates is unrecognisable from that 2000. More than ever, our interconnected world needs to have information security experts from all backgrounds with advanced skill sets to meet the complex challenges that our society faces, be they from threats from cyber criminals, the increasingly volatile geo–political landscape or from the advent of AI and all the opportunities (and threats) it poses.
So how do we keep up the momentum that has been built over the past number of years?
- Young talent: As a region, it is essential that we continue to invest in a strong pipeline of talent coming through our universities, FE Colleges and through work–based apprenticeships. We are wholly supportive of CyberFirst initiatives in schools and the challenge remains to be able to build a strong case for STEM subject selection, particularly for girls at GCSE and A–Level.
- A secure cyber space should be guarded by people from a range of backgrounds and perspectives. Why? Different viewpoints can create a more comprehensive understanding of risk management, leading to more reliable security outcomes. Across the UK as a whole, women make up just 17% of the cyber workforce ( 24% being the software sector average). Our cluster is working with Danske Bank UK to support women working in risk, infosec and cyber roles to thrive.
- Creating inclusive workforces for people who are neurodiverse can give companies a genuine competitive advantage, so we continue to encourage government to support schemes such as Digital Skills Academy’s which provide bespoke tailored support to help create positive environments for people to thrive.
- A healthy industry is a balanced one. Our success as a region at attracting FDI is commendable and reflects the superb talent we have here. For our industry to continue to flourish, we need to encourage more local start–ups. An on–going challenge is to encourage would be founders to delve into their passion for innovation, building new products and services, right here in NI. As a region, our cyber start up rate is low and if we are continue to hold our coveted place on the global stage, we need to encourage more people to take the plunge.
Our region is modest about its successes and this is something that needs to change. With such a rich pedigree and a proven pathway for success, NI has the potential to continue to lead the charge for a secure and prosperous cyberspace well into the next quarter of the century and beyond.
Joanne English is the Cluster Manager for NI Cyber (Northern Ireland Cyber Security Cluster CIC).
