Quote from Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council
An operator is being sought to run a new cybersecurity hub which will put Manchester in the forefront of the response to digital threats.
The Manchester Digital Security Innovation Hub will be based in Heron House in the heart of the city - alongside GCHQ - and be able to draw on that world-class expertise, as well as that of the city's universities.
It will be a place for collaboration between Manchester's leading academics, businesses of all sizes from the largest corporations to the smallest start-ups, public sector organisations and the voluntary sector to identify digital security threats and innovative responses to them.
It will also be somewhere, through its accelerator hub, where start-ups and growing businesses can be nurtured, and the commercialisation of new products and services can be brought forward.
The new hub will be a focal point for growing Manchester's thriving digital security eco-system and help enhance its global profile while further developing and diversifying its talent pool. This infrastructure is going from strength to strength with Manchester now home to intelligence agencies, growing numbers of specialist businesses, academic research excellence and initiatives such as the Cyber Resilience Centre and Cyber Foundry. All of these players are keen to be involved in the Hub.
Manchester was named in the 2020 Tech Nation report as the fastest-growing major tech cluster in Europe with a strong platform for further growth. The digital, creative and technology sector here currently consists of around 10,000 businesses employing 86,000 people and contributing around £5 billion a year to the city's economy. Major investors in recent times include Amazon, booking.com and BAE Systems Applied Intelligence.
Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said: "This is an exciting project which will help stimulate economic growth and create jobs in this fast-growing sector which is emerging as one of Manchester's distinctive strengths.
"Such initiatives are more important than ever as we begin to recover from the Covid-19 pandemic and look to the future.
"As the world continues to face cybersecurity challenges, the digital security innovation hub will place Manchester in the forefront of driving creative solutions and responses and help make this a trusted place to do business.
"We're looking for an operator with a strong track record to run this high profile facility."
For more details about the tender process and requirements visit procurement portal The Chest at www.the-chest.org.uk
The Manchester Digital Security Innovation Hub is supported by Greater Manchester Combined Authority through the Local Growth Fund.
Applications close at 5pm on 28th September It is anticipated that the digital security innovation hub will be up and running in spring 2021.