Bristol-based cybersecurity scaleup Immersive Labs has secured a deal with the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) to upskill its staff and bring in new talent.
The partnership will see personnel from the Army, Royal Navy, Royal Air Force, Strategic Command and Civil Service access Immersive Labs’ simulations that throw users into realistic cybersecurity scenarios.
They include crisis simulations that recreate a cyberattack for decision-makers and more specific areas such as cloud and app security.
The MoD contract comes as part of its Digital Skills for Defence programme, aimed at improving the UK’s cyber resilience, and follows a trial of Immersive Labs by the UK Army.
“Throughout the world, cybersecurity threats are increasing, and national security depends on teams and individuals with the right capabilities to effectively and dynamically respond to cyber attacks of all kinds,” said Christine Maxwell, director cyber defence and risk, Ministry of Defence.
“We have chosen Immersive Labs to help our teams build vital skills to confront emerging threats and demonstrate their cyber resilience. As teams complete labs, we will be able to identify personnel within our organisation who demonstrate skills needed to fill cybersecurity gaps.”
The deal adds another notable name to Immersive’s client base, which already includes the likes of HSBC, Citi, Pfizer and Daimler.
It comes hot on the heels of Immersive Labs’ £60m funding round last month.
Found in Bristol in 2017 by James Hadley, a former analyst for British intelligence agency GCHQ, the tech firm has attracted investment from Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Citi Ventures and Summit Partners, among others.
In August it cut 10% of its workforce, equivalent to 38 staff, as part of its plan to focus on “high-growth opportunities in proven markets” amid the wider tech downturn.
Read more: Founder in Five: Q&A with James Hadley of Immersive Labs
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