May newsletter
Events and Awards season is truly in full swing and we're pleased to see two of our cluster companies win big at national awards ceremonies.
First of all, many congratulations to Salt Communications on winning 'Security Vendor of the Year at the 2025 Computing Security Excellence Awards.
At the CyberFirst Awards, Vertical Structure took the Award for 'Best SME' as well as Rose Templeton being recognised as Best Bursary Graduate All rounder.
Empower Girls event
The end of April saw the whole of the local software community come together to inspire the next generation of cyber leaders at the ICC Belfast | Waterfront Hall | Ulster Hall . Organised and supported by CyberFirst NI and Aflac Northern Ireland the event saw 600 girls from 22 schools across NI.
Well done to our steering committee member Victoria Logan and our CyberFirst NI colleagues Sara Lyons and Eamonn Brankin for a truly memorable event!
Cyber Access Network
Navigating a move into cyber security from a different field can sometimes be complex and sometimes you need a guide to help steer your direction. Working with the UK Cyber Security Council as part of their #CyberAccessNetwork launch, we welcomed a diverse range of people from different fields to our Cyber Switch event on April 30th. It was brilliant to have such a diverse group in the room, all sharing a common goal: getting into cyber. We kicked off with round-the-room intros, and what struck us most was the variety. Everyone brought their own perspective, and the shared energy was all about learning, connection, and taking that next step.
What happened:
Hays CV Clinic: Practical Tips from the Experts. A big thank you to Roisin and James from Hays for running the CV clinic.
CAN: A New Support Network from UK Cyber Security Council. Harry from the UK Cyber Security Council shared an overview of CAN – Cyber Access Network, a new (and free!) resource to support people breaking into cyber. It’s not a course or a certification — it’s designed to help people navigate the landscape, offering mentorship, advice, and connections to help you find your path. Explore CAN: https://bit.ly/can-ni
Panel Highlights: Honest Advice from People in the Know. We wrapped up with a panel featuring: Roisin Byrne & James O'Donoghue (Hays); Harry Hetherington (UK Cyber Security Council); Richard Kirk (Workplus); Jonathan Sproule (Proofpoint).
Key takeaways included:
The impact of AI on cyber roles is significant — change is coming fast, and new roles are emerging
Cyber is no longer the “department of no” — it’s becoming a business enabler, supporting innovation rather than blocking it- Jonathan shared his unique path into cyber and stressed the importance of networking and volunteering
Roisin offered a candid reminder: sometimes you may need to take a short-term pay dip to get your foot in the door — but it pays off
Richard highlighted the value of apprenticeships through Workplus — and issued a call for more employers to get involved
And perhaps most memorably, Richard reminded us that cyber, like healthcare, is one of the few careers where you are genuinely helping people every day.
Final Thoughts & What’s Next- Key advice if you're trying to break into the sector:
Get involved in the local cyber community - Pro tip: Join InfoSecNI at the Woodworkers for lockpicking
Don’t wait to be “ready” — apply, show up, and stay curious.
Big Thanks!
Thanks again to our amazing contributors, attendees, and partners. Thanks to Catalyst for hosting! If you’re inspired to take action: - Sign up to CAN here https://bit.ly/canrf-ni
w/ UKC3 - UK Cyber Cluster Collaboration
Welcome to Metacompliance!
We are delighted to welcome MetaCompliance to our cluster! As one of the leading Cyber Training companies in Europe and across the world, we're proud that the company, head quartered in Derry / Londonderry, has come on board to support our work in building a strong and robust cyber sector here in NI.
Upcoming events
May Breakfast Club
We're at CSIT on Thu 29 May!
Stephanie McKeown will take us through some of the important work she is doing at Lloyds Banking Group.
Tom Houston Digital Catapult, will give us an overview of the work going on at the recently launched Digital Twin Centre, and the soon to be launched Accelerator.
Tech n Tipples is back!
Join us for AI Adoption & Regulation – Real World Impact in partnership with A&L Goodbody
Join us at 4.30pm on 5 June at A&L Goodbody LLP's Belfast office!
As artificial intelligence moves from hype to practical implementation, how are businesses actually using it – and what are the real regulatory and legal implications?
Join NI Cyber and A&L Goodbody for an in-person event exploring the real-world impact of AI adoption across sectors. We’ll cut through the noise and focus on practical use cases, challenges organisations are facing, and what the evolving legal and regulatory landscape means for your business.
Expect candid conversation, expert insight, and plenty of time for Q&A and networking. Whether you’re leading AI adoption in your organisation or just starting to explore its potential, this session is designed to give you a grounded, useful understanding of where things really stand.
Contributors will include Aisling Byrne, partner in A&L Goodbody's Employment & Incentives group in Belfast and has over 20 years' experience in advising on employment and equality law.
Who should attend: Leaders and practitioners in cyber security, data, innovation, compliance, legal, risk and digital transformation roles.
Format: Short talks, panel discussion, audience Q&A, and informal networking over refreshments.
A&L Goodbody DORA webinar 16 June
This event will provide firms with an overview of the EU Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), including its relevance, key requirements, and potential opportunities for the sector in supporting in-scope financial entities in the EU with compliance.
Who should attend:
Cybersecurity product and service providers in NI;
Compliance and risk professionals within the local cyber sector; and
Tech companies exploring opportunities in regulated sectors.
What you'll learn:
What is DORA? Background and policy drivers.
Who does it apply to and how? (overview of in-scope EU financial entities and ICT third parties)
Core pillars of DORA: ICT risk management; Incident reporting; Digital operational resilience testing; Third-party risk and oversight
What this means for NI cybersecurity product and service providers.
How NI cybersecurity firms can position themselves as strategic partners to DORA-regulated entities.
Contributors:
Joanne English , Cluster Manager, NI Cyber
Russell Jones, Senior Associate, Finance, A&L Goodbody Northern Ireland LLP
Simon Whittaker, Chair of NI Cyber Steering Committee and Head of Cyber Security at Vertical Structure, an Instil company.
We're always on the look out for stories and updates from across the cyber community. If you have a story to tell, get in touch!