Government funding to help SMEs protect their IP

Up to 500 UK small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) are in line to pick up a share of a government funding package designed to support them in protecting their intellectual property (IP) from hostile actors, whether they be larger competitors or state-backed threat actors.

In exchange for a £500 buy-in, the Secure Innovation Security Review (SISR) scheme will see eligible businesses receive £2,500 worth of government support to help shore up their resilience.

This support will include tailored risk guidance from approved experts, offering advice on strengthening onboarding checks for new employees to reduce instances of insider threat, and other key security measures to guard against cyber attacks. This will include site visits and assessments against a framework developed by the National Protective Security Authority (NPSA) and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC).

“States, state-backed competitors and cyber criminals target cutting-edge ideas and valuable data, exploiting gaps in cyber and protective security defences to launch attacks that can cripple organisations and steal their most sensitive innovations,” said NCSC chief executive Richard Horne.

“That’s why building resilience is no longer optional – it’s essential for business growth and survival,” he said. “I encourage SMEs across the UK to take advantage of the NCSC and NPSA-backed Secure Innovation Security Reviews scheme.”

Crucially, the support will be aimed at combating the efforts of certain states not always friendly to the UK to steal technological, economic or military secrets to enhance their own capabilities, rather than engaging in fair competition – China being the most frequently implicated foreign power in such instances of theft.

The government said that such threats were becoming significantly more advanced than merely recruiting an insider to exploit physical access to a victim organisation, and underlined the importance of incorporating both kinetic and cyber security into one’s risk management strategy.

Indeed, statistics produced by the NPSA recently showed that just 39% of such organisations have only one protective security or cyber measure in place, and 55% do not conduct pre-screening of new personnel.

“Small businesses are the lifeblood of our economy and they need security to thrive,” said security minister Dan Jarvis. “With 98% of businesses reporting a lack of knowledge to identify security threats, it is crucial they are equipped with the tools necessary to protect themselves against increasingly volatile threats.

“This initiative supports businesses to build the skills and the confidence they need to grow,” he said.

To take part, organisations must employ under 250 people and operate in one of the sensitive sectors set out in the National Security and Investment Act of 2021, or Invest 2035 – these include areas such as artificial intelligence, life sciences, advanced semiconductor development, renewable energy and more.

Robert Shaw, Innovate UK executive director of strategy and performance, said: “Innovate UK is proud to be a partner in delivering Security Reviews for spinouts and startups in such critical sectors.

“If these innovators can protect valuable intellectual property and their competitive edge, and demonstrate their commitment to security to investors and customers, they will be better placed to realise their growth potential in the UK, and globally,” he said.