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Regional Cyber Security: The New Hotspot
Explore the North West’s rise in cyber security investment and uncover new procurement opportunities nationwide.
Sponsored by PublicSectorExperts.com
Hey there👋
For the first time, the North West leads in external cyber security investment, attracting nearly half of all funding (£102m). With 50% of cyber firms now based outside London and the South East, opportunities are more widespread than ever. Is your business positioned to take advantage of this shift?
💡 Good to Know
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Accelerate your EdTech startup with expert coaching and unlock significant educational impact.
Connect directly with major buyers and secure valuable contracts for your Hillingdon business.
🔍 Today’s Focus:
Good to Know: Expert coaching to scale your startup.
Daily Spend Watch: £2.14B in contracts, who’s winning?
Opportunity Picks: Key DfE opportunity & partnership strategies.
News: Cambridge Innovation Plan, Big vision, real impact?
Tech Spotlight: Intelswift’s AI-driven customer service automation—streamline your workflows!
Let’s dive into the details👇
DAILY SPEND WATCH
📊 Public Sector Spending Analysis: Contracts Finder Report March 20, 2025
Market Analysis
£2.14 billion in public contracts shows infrastructure dominates (82.4%), followed by transport (8.7%) and technology (6.1%). The government's focus on physical infrastructure continues alongside digital transformation initiatives.
Large projects command 98.6% of total value despite being only 9.4% of contracts. Successful bidders need scale capabilities for major projects or niche specialization for smaller opportunities.
SMEs won 24.6% of contracts but received only 1.17% of total value. With 81% of funding in "UK-wide" projects, regional businesses must partner with prime contractors to access significant funding.
Infrastructure investment is surging while digital transformation spreads through numerous smaller contracts. The market shows increasing polarization between high-value consolidated contracts and smaller awards, squeezing out mid-sized opportunities.
OPPORTUNITY PICKS
Overview: This is a significant procurement opportunity from the Department for Education (DfE) seeking a supplier partner to design, develop and deliver a high-quality employment-based initial teacher training and leadership development programme.
💡 Winning Strategies
The DfE explicitly encourages market partnerships, even offering to publish an Organization Directory after the event. This suggests that building the right consortium could be critical to success. The most effective strategy would likely involve creating a partnership that combines:
Organizations with existing relationships with schools in disadvantaged areas
Entities with strong graduate recruitment capabilities
Accredited ITT providers
Leadership development specialists
This approach would address all core requirements while mitigating the risks associated with any single organization attempting to deliver across all regions and specialties independently.
NEWS
Big plans, smart minds, and… bureaucracy? The Cambridge Growth Company just signed an important agreement to support sustainable development. With political leaders and top experts on board, the goal is clear: more housing, better infrastructure, and a stronger focus on innovation. Will it work? With collaboration at its core, it’s a promising start.
The UK government is investing £100M to improve local sports facilities, upgrading pitches, changing rooms, goalposts, and floodlights. The funding will focus on under-represented groups and support multi-sport access. Clubs can apply now to bring better facilities to their communities. Part of the Plan for Change aims to boost participation and community health.
Experts from Greece, Cyprus, Bulgaria, and the UK met in Athens to discuss energy security and protecting critical national infrastructure. The two-day event covered legal and operational challenges, resilience policies, and defense strategies. UK officials shared insights on hybrid threats, infrastructure protection, and international cooperation.
TECHNOLOGY
🤖 Intelswift: AI customer service automation with agents, copilots, and workflows.
📝 Notebooks: AI whiteboard where marketers connect content and create faster.
⚡️Epiphany: Voice-to-action app captures ideas with just two taps.
TIP OF THE DAY
Time Management & Productivity: The Two-Minute Rule
Boost productivity with the Two-Minute Rule! If a task takes less than two minutes, do it immediately. Prevent small tasks from piling up and becoming overwhelming. Example: Respond to quick emails, file documents, or make a short phone call as soon as they arrive. Avoid inbox clutter and stay on top of things!
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Until next time!
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