From internationally recognised education and research, to managed cyber for real-world risk, Wales offers what ambitious investors and partners demand: a close-knit ecosystem, actionable skills, and a determination to lead.
“We do it all from Wales… It’s about the capability message, what we can do for the UK, and what businesses coming here can do alongside us,” says Leanne Connor, Business Manager at Thales. She is clear: Wales is where national risk becomes regional advantage; built to scale and committed to delivery.
Cyber: Building Resilience Across Sectors
Wales’ cyber sector doesn’t stand alone, it actively supports advanced manufacturing, energy, transport, health, and critical services. Professor Pete Burnap, Director of Cardiff University’s Cyber Innovation Hub, puts it simply: “The key offerings are in operational technology, the stuff that keeps the lights on.” Whether it’s Thales safeguarding energy systems, PwC reinforcing transportation, or Airbus defending industrial control systems, Welsh-based primes are securing the vital operations that underpin the UK today.
It’s about addressing risk in the real world. Welsh companies such as PureCyber and Securas have taken national leadership in managed cyber services, providing Security Operations Centres (SOCs) for local authorities and acting as outsourced cyber teams for businesses that don’t want to maintain in-house teams. “You don’t have to be an expert,” says Burnap. “In South Wales, you’ve got these companies on your doorstep, ready to protect your business and deliver practical cyber resilience as a service”.
The presence of major companies airbus, PwC, Thales, and now Amentum’s Cardiff-based digital team, alongside a dynamic SME cluster, means Wales offers not only safety and assurance, but scale and supply chain agility that global investors are searching for.
Resilience in Critical National Infrastructure
Securing critical national infrastructure (CNI) is a Welsh stronghold. Companies here are hands-on, building, testing, and defending the systems that underpin energy, transport, and manufacturing. Collaboration between universities and industry ensures that advances in AI-driven security, operational technology, and real-time defence against emerging threats happen here first.
Burnap continues: “If I was a global firm looking to move my cyber presence to the UK, I’d want to see evidence we’re pushing the boundaries on AI, OT, and CNI security. Wales has that, from research labs to spinouts and national-scale deployments”. The Welsh approach is pragmatic and deeply collaborative. Testbeds for live resilience trials run between sectors, and research-driven ventures, backed by industry primes, are spun out faster than in many competing regions. “Whether it’s defending legacy systems from real-time automated AI attacks or training the next generation of cyber professionals, Wales is already delivering for critical infrastructure across the UK” Burnap concludes.
Skills: The Pipeline that Powers Success
Cyber College Cymru, a groundbreaking programme bringing industry practitioners into FE colleges to teach over 150 students each year in simulated, high-pressure environments, prepares their students for the knife-edge of cyber defence. “If you want early careers talent that hits the ground running, hire a Cyber College Cymru graduate. They already know what they’re getting into and have worked with real industry professionals. They are a safer bet for employers, and fiercely loyal to Wales,” says Programme Lead Mike Halliday.
The Higher Education sector is no less ambitious or hands on. The University of South Wales (USW) and Cardiff University are both NCSC-recognised “ACE” centres; major proof points of Wales’ strength when only 16 exist UK-wide. Dr Rhys Driscoll at USW is adamant that “Wales isn’t following, it’s leading. We were the first in Wales to gain ACE accreditation, and our model - assessment through live, industry-set projects, not exams - is attracting global students and partners. Over 93% of our graduates get cyber jobs within 12 months, many retained by Welsh SMEs and multinationals alike”.
The reach is truly international. Collaborations with Norway and Canada bring in partner students and spread best practice, while alumni networks feed talent back into the Welsh ecosystem. “The ACE status opens up everything from business links to degree apprenticeships and international collaboration,” says Driscoll.
Opportunity, Inclusion, and a Ready Market
Wales’ cyber community is deliberately open and networked, creating opportunity for people at every stage, from career changers and returners to school leavers and seasoned engineers. Industry-led programmes, NCSC-recognised degrees, bootcamps, apprenticeships and community events all sit within a joined-up ecosystem, so talent can move fluidly between learning, hands-on experience, and employment without leaving Wales. Providing employers with a deeper, more resilient talent pool than a traditional graduate-only model and helps investors de-risk their long-term workforce planning.
Diversity is a central part of that story, not an add-on. Through initiatives like Women in Cyber Wales, community events such as B-Sides Cymru, and visible female and non-traditional role models across industry and academia, Wales is actively widening who sees themselves as ‘belonging’ in cyber. These networks create low-barrier spaces where people can ask questions, find mentors and build confidence, turning interest into progression rather than lost potential.
For Clare Johnson, founder of Women in Cyber Wales and Cyber Capability Lead at ITSUS Consulting, this is a social and an economic imperative. Her focus is on “making it as simple and friendly as possible to open the door”, so that women and underrepresented groups see cyber as a place they can thrive. She notes that the growth of the network, the presence of women on conference stages, and the number of Welsh organisations seeking advice on inclusive hiring all signal that “Wales is becoming a market you cannot ignore if you care about diverse, high-performing cyber teams”.
Investors and international partners benefit from the inclusion-first approach as it translates directly into market strength. Teams built from a wider range of backgrounds are better at understanding users, spotting blind spots in systems, and communicating risk clearly to boards and customers. Combined with a strong pipeline of homegrown talent from colleges, universities and reskilling routes, that makes Wales a strategic base to build resilient, future-ready cyber capability for the UK and far beyond.
Real Investment, Real Impact
Welsh cyber is investable, exportable, and proven. Case studies speak to this: PureCyber has become the scalable, outsourced cyber partner for a growing set of clients, expanding off the back of clear market demand. Amentum is investing in new skills labs and industry partnerships out of Cardiff. Local anchor SMEs fuel innovation and keep the supply chain robust.
“Whether you’re a global prime, a scale-up, or an ambitious SME, Wales gives you practical partnerships, access to world-class talent, and a culture that brings out the best in technology and people,” says Connor of Thales.
Join Us: Open for Collaboration, Ready to Lead
The offer here is different, and refreshingly real: world-class research, hands-on application, industry-driven education, and a government that actively supports the growth of the sector. The “triple helix” of government, business and universities is working for - and with - investors.
For companies seeking a UK home that is agile, reputable, and ready to innovate across every digital horizon, Wales is open for business, open for collaboration, and ready to lead with confidence.
