American trade visit deepens cyber collaboration
Cyber businesses from the American state of Maryland are meeting their Midlands counterparts this week as part of a reciprocal visit that is deepening relationships between the two locations.
Maryland is recognised as a cybersecurity leader within the USA and internationally, and is home to the headquarters of the US National Security Agency
Midlands businesses went to the annual CyberMaryland conference last autumn as part of a cyber trade mission.
The week-long visit forms part of a programme of trade and investment missions between the Midlands and US between 2016-18. Delegates from Maryland will also join Midlands companies on 21 June to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, formalising the cyber sector’s long future business partnership with the USA.
Gary Woodman, chief executive of Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, said: “We’re delighted to welcome the Maryland delegates to the Midlands for the first time, to see the world class businesses we have located in the area.”
The week of events has already taken in the Info Security Europe exhibition, where the Midlands’ cyber sector promoted the large number of investment opportunities it has available.
The delegation will also spend Thursday at a cyber collaboration event in Malvern, hosted by Qinetiq. Business from the West Midlands that are involved include borwell, Cyber Owl, DeepSecure, Eminent Group and Titania.
Woodman added: “We’ll be spreading the message that Worcestershire and the wider Midlands is a serious contender for investors to locate a cyber business.”
Worcestershire Local Enterprise Partnership, Marches LEP and Hereford Enterprise Zone are hosting the return mission from Baltimore, Maryland in partnership with the Herefordshire & Worcestershire Chamber of Commerce.
