InnovateHer lands £50,000 grant from Future Flight Fund
A Liverpool social enterprise inspiring women and girls to break into the male-dominated tech sector has received a £50,000 grant as part of Innovate UK’s Future Flight Fund.
InnovateHer will use the cash to expand its outreach activities for teens ages 13-17 by designing a cybersecurity learning programme on its e-learning platform, with supporting initiatives to be delivered in schools across the UK.
The Future Flight Fund is a £300m initiative which aims to transform the UK aviation industry by bringing together technologies in electrification, digital and autonomy that will create new modes of air travel and capability.
As part of the programme, up to £500,000 will be invested into various projects that will help to close the current skills gap that exists in the aviation sector through the creation of course content and materials that will support talent, training, and skill sets.
The interactive cybersecurity course from InnovateHer is being created to inspire and intrigue young people to consider careers in the sector and will align with the Future Flight emerging markets.
The course will be delivered in schools across the UK with the support of InnovateHer’s partner BAE Systems. The security space solutions provider has agreed a four-year partnership with the social enterprise, worth £480,000 over four years. The funds provided will help to roll out the cyber security course and supporting activities to over 8,000 students across Lancashire.
Chelsea Slater, co-founder of InnovateHer, said: “We are thrilled and honoured to have received the prestigious Future Flight Fund from Innovate UK, allowing us to introduce a transformative Cyber Pillar to our E-Learning platform.
“This support not only reaffirms our commitment nurturing digital resilience, but also positions InnovateHer as a driving force in shaping the future of cybersecurity education.
“In addition, the substantial investment of £480,000 from BAE Systems empowers us to bring this visionary project to life, reaching even more young minds, empowering them with the essentials skills to thrive in our digital age.”
