NCSC for Startups
Supports United Kingdom cyber startups with mentoring and expertise from the national cyber security ecosystem.
NCSC for Startups launched in 2017 as a flagship UK government programme designed to accelerate cyber security startups and close the gap between innovative founders and the technical expertise of the National Cyber Security Centre, which operates as part of GCHQ. The programme was delivered by Plexal in partnership with Deloitte, CyNam, Hub8, and QA. Over its run, more than 75 startups graduated, collectively securing over £550 million in investment and creating more than 1,700 jobs across the UK cyber sector.
The programme was open to UK-registered, for-profit cyber security companies at any maturity stage, from MVP development through to established products seeking market expansion. No equity was taken and no cash grants were disbursed; the benefit consisted entirely of mentoring, technical exchange sessions with NCSC subject-matter experts, and facilitated access to the broader government cyber ecosystem. As of approximately 2023–2024, the programme concluded active cohort intake; Plexal now provides continued support exclusively to the 75-plus alumni network.
No 2025 or 2026 application cohort has been announced. The NCSC has indicated that experience gained from running the programme will be shared with other government departments, and alumni-facing resources including a May 2024 guidebook remain available via Plexal. New applicants cannot currently enter the programme. Teams monitoring the space should watch for any future relaunch announcement via the NCSC or Plexal channels.
Equity-free accelerator providing UK cyber startups with mentoring, technical exchange, and access to the NCSC/GCHQ government cyber ecosystem — no direct cash award.
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