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Northern Reach, the tech and innovation economic development consultancy which delivers the Lancashire Digital Hub programme for Lancashire County Council, recently held a series of B2B workshops focused on the county’s cyber sector in Chorley, Burnley and Lancaster. Funded by Lancashire County Council, and delivered in partnership with cyber specialists Plexal, the events explored the challenges faced by SMEs interested in working within the National Cyber Force’s (NCF) supply chain, and the wider opportunities set to be offered by the emerging North West Cyber Corridor. The workshops covered a range of topics including how… Keep reading

Lancaster University has started a campaign to encourage forward-thinking businesses across the North West to tap into the skills and talents of its science and technology students via paid-for internships. The University is targeting companies from across all sectors, highlighting how they could benefit from accessing a talent pool of over 4,000 students with sought-after technical skills in disciplines such as chemistry, computing and communications, cyber-security, engineering, environmental science, maths and statistics, physics, and psychology. They are also promoting how the Lancaster University Science and Technology internships scheme has a strong record of working with businesses on project which have… Keep reading

Innovate Lancashire, Lancashire County Council’s (LCC) dedicated innovation economic growth programme, has bolstered its business engagement capabilities with two new appointments to its core delivery team. Trudi Waldram has been appointed Innovation Engagement Manager, a role which will involve identifying Lancashire companies, including startups and scaleups, which have high growth potential. Working across Lancashire’s innovation ecosystem, and taking a sector-agnostic approach, Trudi will help these companies access the resources, funding, and expertise they need to maximise their full commercial potential. Prior to working for Innovate Lancashire, Trudi was… Keep reading

School pupils and students from across Lancashire experienced what a high-tech career in the cyber industry could look like as part of a week-long cyber skills takeover involving more than 200 Lancashire schools, colleges and universities. Part of the 2025 Lancashire Cyber Festival, and organised by the Lancashire Cyber Partnership, the cyber education week stretched from 2nd – 7th February. The week saw over 12,000 children and young people – from primary school pupils thorough to university undergraduates – taking part in cyber related activities and learning about future job opportunities set to be created by the county’s cyber sector. Keep reading

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) recently hosted a gathering of SMEs, large employers, government agencies, academics, and local policymakers, who are involved in accelerating growth within the county’s cybersecurity and defence sectors. Part of a series of business engagement workshops delivered by Lancashire County Council (LCC) in partnership with the innovation company Plexal, the event was co-produced by the Lancashire Cyber Good Practice Network (LCGPN). Based at UCLan’s Centre for SME and Enterprise Development, and led by UCLan’s Helen Hesketh-Roberts,  the LCGPN is a peer-to-peer network of Lancashire cybersecurity professionals, researchers, and organisations, who share best… Keep reading

Fuuse, the Lancashire electric vehicle charging platform, which is headquartered at the Fraser House co-working hub in Lancaster, has announced its acquisition of Everyday EV. With offices in Nottingham and Bristol, Everyday EV is a 24/7 EV support service providing remote and onsite assistance to both charging point operators (CPOs) and drivers. Its free-phone telephone support service can also be white labelled for charge point operators, installers, fleets, and manufacturers. Fuuse anticipates that Everyday EV’s assets will complement their existing suite of driver support services which help deliver a positive and consistent charging experience… Keep reading

CCI Photonics, a Lancaster University spinout which aims to help clinicians prescribe antibiotics more effectively has become one of the first companies to receive a £200k investment from PraeSeed, a six-week cohort investing programme for early-stage businesses. It will use the funding to further trial its InfectiScan device, a point-of-care test that can be used by GPs and pharmacists to accurately detect infection types in patients so the best antibiotic can be prescribed. This is turn will help tackle the ongoing threat of antimicrobial resistance (AMR), hastened by patients taking incorrect or unnecessary antibiotics. CCI Photonics, which… Keep reading

Fraser House, Lancashire County Council’s (LCC) co-working hub based at Lancaster’s White Cross business park, is this month enjoying a double celebration. In addition to being five years since plans for its creation were first revealed, it has just been recognised by Prolific North as one of the north’s very best workspaces in their prestigious annual Tech Awards. Just pipped to the top spot by Manchester’s Turing Innovation Catalyst, some of the judge’s comments which accompanied Fraser House’s Highly Commended accolade included “an awesome example of the power of regional communities in fostering innovation” and “the progress… Keep reading

Lancashire’s cyber skills pipeline enjoyed a further boost recently with the opening of a new training hub at Burnley College. The Security Operations Centre, a dedicated cyber security suite where students can experience simulated cyber-attacks and respond using cutting-edge equipment, was officially opened this month by Abena Oppong-Asare MP, Parliamentary Secretary at the Cabinet Office. Technology students led Ms Oppong-Asare through several cyber exercises centred around about personal, national and commercial security. In addition, media students took the opportunity to interview her about the future of cyber security, and how today’s students can help shape its future. Minister Oppong-Asare, said:… Keep reading

Heysham-based high value electech business Forsberg has recently announced the appointment of Lancaster University’s Nathan Daniels as a Knowledge Transfer Partnership (KTP) Associate. KTPs are government-backed schemes which help companies to accelerate innovation by connecting them to university expertise and facilities. They can also involve having a recently qualified graduate or postgraduate – such as Nathan – embedded into company to help drive a specific research project. As part of the three-year KTP between Lancaster University and Forsberg, Nathan – a PhD student who has previously completed a BSc and MSc in Computer Science… Keep reading

Lancashire’s aerospace industry – which supports thousands of high-skilled and high-value jobs across the county – has enjoyed a significant boost through the extension of the Watchtower initiative. First launched in 2022 by the North West Aerospace Alliance (NWAA), Watchtower was a £1million support programme originally developed to help mitigate the impact of the Covid pandemic on Lancashire’s advanced engineering and manufacturing sectors (AEM). Funded by Lancashire County Council (LCC), the initial project supported interventions across a wide range of areas including diagnostics, talent retention and innovation. It also identified and signposted businesses to new growth opportunities and potential partnerships. Keep reading

Blackburn has announced plans for a skills and cyber campus of ‘national significance’ in the town following a recent council meeting. Part of Blackburn with Darwen Council’s £250m Blackburn Town Centre Masterplan, £20m of national funding towards the scheme has also been re-confirmed by the new government. Phase one of the project, which will be centred on the Blackburn Market site on Brown Street, will comprise of a new contemporary building with landscaping and public space. The campus will sit within the Blackburn Business Innovation District, an investment zone featuring a new Innovation Hub and connections to The Making Rooms… Keep reading