The Clitheroe cyber attack super-heroes awarded £300,000 to fight back

When your business is subjected to a cyber attack you can’t just turn it off and again - and not all super heroes where capes. Now Lancashire cyber specialist YUDU Sentinel has won competitive Innovate UK funding to develop technology to manage incidents when even the IT systems are down.

You can’t just turn a business back on when its been turned off by cyber attackers - and a cyber attack costs a UK business an average of £190,000, according to research from the Government

Now a Lancashire based cyber security business has been awarded funding in a highly competitive bid process from Innovate UK, part of UK Research and Innovation programme, to develop technology that could help critical national infrastructure operators respond to cyber-attacks.

Lancashire has been a good place for us to develop the business. There’s a strong network here

Lancashire has been a good place for us to develop the business. There’s a strong network here

YUDU Sentinel, based in Clitheroe has secured £295,000 through Innovate UK’s Cyber Scale programme and, was one of only 15 successful applicants from 143 bids. The award comes several years after YUDU received a loan from Rosebud and marks the latest stage in a relationship that has continued well beyond the original funding.

YUDU has been developing its Sentinel platform since 2018. It provides organisations with a secure way to communicate and manage incidents when their usual IT systems may have been compromised or become unavailable. The platform is used by organisations in highly regulated sectors including financial services, government and critical national infrastructure.

The 12-month Innovate UK project, which began in September, will see YUDU work with SP Electricity North West and Lancaster University to further develop the platform.

Part of that work will look at how AI can support teams during a live cyber incident, reducing the administrative burden while helping them maintain accurate records, understand what is happening and meet reporting requirements. Importantly, AI will support rather than replace human decision-making, with outputs reviewed and approved by people.

For YUDU CEO Richard Stephenson, the funding is also recognition of several years spent developing the technology. Richard said: “Securing Innovate UK backing is a real endorsement of what we have been building since 2018. As a relatively small Lancashire business working in a highly specialised sector, being selected through such a competitive process means a great deal.

“Lancashire has been a good place for us to develop the business. There’s a strong network here and we’ve built valuable relationships with Rosebud, universities and other organisations. Having people who understand what you’re trying to achieve and can make useful introductions has helped us along the way.”

YUDU received its initial Rosebud funding in 2020 but the relationship did not end when the loan was agreed. The Rosebud team has remained in with the business, making introductions and connecting it with organisations across Lancashire when opportunities have arisen.

Rosebud Fund Manager Martin Emmott said: “We’ve known Richard and the YUDU team for several years now, so it’s great to see them reach this point. To be one of only 10 businesses selected nationally is a significant achievement and says a lot what they have developed.

“Funding is one part of what we do, but our relationships with businesses continue after the initial funding. We get to know them, understand where they’re heading and, when there’s somebody in our network who could be useful, make that introduction. Lancashire does that particularly well.”

That network is particularly important for businesses such as YUDU, which is based in Lancashire but works with large organisations nationally and internationally. The company has spoken the value of being part of the county’s cyber community and its links with local universities and businesses.

County Councillor Brian Moore, cabinet member for Economic Development and Growth at Lancashire County Council, said: “YUDU is a great example of a Lancashire business developing specialist expertise here and competing successfully on a national stage.

“We want businesses with ambition to be able to access the right finance, knowledge and connections in Lancashire. Rosebud plays an important part in that, and it is particularly pleasing to see a business it first supported in 2023 continuing to progress and secure further investment.”

The Innovate UK project will run until August 2027.