Freeport East and University of Essex join forces to help businesses

FREEPORT East and the University of Essex have joined forces to help businesses improve their cybersecurity defences.

They will also explore the role of artificial intelligence (AI) in digital risk management.

The Cyber Innovate to Elevate (CItE) programme is being led by Freeport East and launches in September 2025.

Funded through Innovate UK's Cyber Local initiative, it aims to support 10 to 15 small and medium-sized businesses across northern Essex and south-east Suffolk over six months. Advertisement Advertisement

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Freeport East has identified that many SMEs in the region are grappling with mounting cybersecurity challenges amidst limited resources and increasing regulatory pressures.

The programme aims to tackle these issues by providing practical, scalable cybersecurity solutions tailored to the businesses' needs.

Steve Beel, chief executive of Freeport East, said: "Creating new jobs and becoming a global hub for clean energy, international trade, and digital services has always been the goal of Freeport East.

"With this new initiative partnering with the University of Essex, not only can we boost job growth in the East of England, but we also enable local businesses to stay secure and competitive in an increasingly digitalised economic environment." Advertisement

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The CItE programme will facilitate the formation of fully funded project partnerships between local companies and the University of Essex's cybersecurity experts.

This collaboration aims to address well-publicised cyber risks in the trade, logistics, and clean energy sectors, thereby strengthening regional capability and trust.

Dr Robert Singh, director of the Research and Enterprise Office at the University of Essex, commented: "At the University of Essex, we are proud to be at the forefront of the Cyber Innovate to Elevate programme, which is an exciting new collaboration through which we will help SMEs across the Freeport East region address critical cybersecurity needs.

"By connecting cutting-edge academic expertise with real-world business challenges, this initiative not only addresses immediate cyber risks but also helps build a more resilient and future-ready regional economy."

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The new programme will also involve master's and doctoral students who will assist in solving real-world cyber challenges, thereby contributing to the formation of a future-ready workforce.

Dr Marta Fernandez De Arroyabe Arranz, deputy director of the University's Institute for Analytics and Data Science and a reader at Essex Business School, said: "Cybersecurity is no longer a peripheral concern for SMEs--it's central to their resilience, customer trust, and long-term success.

"Our Cyber Innovate to Elevate programme is designed to directly address this.

"By combining tailored support, academic collaboration, and regional insight, we're not just raising awareness--we're turning it into action." Advertisement Advertisement

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The CItE roll-out builds on the earlier success of the Innovate to Elevate initiative by Babergh and Mid Suffolk District Councils.

This earlier initiative gained interest from over 200 businesses and saw the University of Essex deliver 22 innovation projects across the region.

The latest bid was submitted to a competitive Innovate UK funding call, where only 20 projects were funded out of 145 applications.

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The Freeport East-University of Essex collaboration achieved a top-tier score of 85.4 per cent, demonstrating both the strength of the proposal and the region's growing role in national innovation strategy. Advertisement

CItE is part of Freeport East's broader commitment to supporting local innovation, enhancing digital capabilities, and building a model of cyber resilience that can be replicated across other Freeport regions.

For more information about the programme or to register for the webinar, visit the University of Essex website or Eventbrite.