The North East’s biggest cyber security festival returns this October. Now in its ninth year, CyberFest has grown into a major national platform for showcasing the region’s cyber and secure AI excellence. Taking place across the North East throughout October, the festival will connect businesses, innovators, government and specialist clusters from across the UK, putting the region’s talent, ambition and capability firmly in the spotlight.
CyberFest is organised by CyberNorth, a membership community which brings together people, organisations and ideas from across the North East to drive progress in cyber security, AI, data and quantum technologies.
Although regionally grown, CyberFest is no longer just a regional event says Jon Holden, CEO of CyberNorth, “CyberFest is about bringing the UK’s cyber community to the North East and showing the country what this region can do. What started as a regional festival has grown into a national platform, bringing together businesses, government, innovators and industry leaders to connect, collaborate and create new opportunities.”
The mission is simple: connect, educate and empower the region’s digital ecosystem, while putting the North East firmly on the map as a place to innovate, invest, collaborate and build business.
More than 1,000 people attended CyberFest events last year and this year organisers CyberNorth emphasise the festival will build on that momentum, exploring the opportunities and challenges facing the UK.
The programme will feature high-impact events throughout October, including the CyberFest Community Conference on 19 October and the CyberNorth Awards on 21 October, alongside a series of specialist afternoon sessions exploring the critical role of cyber across adjacent industries.
At the heart of this year’s festival is the CyberFest Community Conference, a major gathering of the North East’s cyber community alongside national and international businesses, government, industry leaders and specialist clusters. The conference will deliver a packed programme of insight, debate and networking, starting with high-profile speakers from the UK Government’s National Cyber Security Centre, CFC Insurance and Information Security for London, covering everything from data and cyber resilience to the dark web and the rapidly evolving threat landscape.
Attendees will also hear from an expert cyber and AI panel, featuring industry leaders from organisations including the Department for Work & Pensions and Tombola, exploring the importance of human centric security cultures and the opportunities and challenges emerging as cyber and AI become increasingly interconnected.
Specialist afternoon sessions will bring cyber professionals together with experts from key adjacent sectors in Space, Defence, AI, Energy and Advanced Manufacturing, highlighting the region’s strength in cross-cluster collaboration and the vital role cyber security plays across different sectors, from securing the UK’s AI Growth Zone and protecting offshore energy infrastructure to safeguarding digital production lines and building regional capability for future defence threats.
Jon Holden added: “The North East has a huge opportunity to lead in secure AI and technology, but growth and security have to go hand in hand. CyberFest gives us a chance to put the region’s talent, businesses and innovation centre stage, while bringing the conversations that matter most directly into the North East.”
Secure AI will take centre stage at CyberFest this year, reflecting the North East’s growing ambition to become a leading UK destination for Secure AI innovation and growth, exploring how the region can maximise its position as an AI Growth Zone, while recognising that growth must go hand in hand with security.
The showcase continues on 21 October with the CyberNorth Awards, celebrating the people and organisations driving the region’s cyber and AI sector forward. CyberNorth is calling on North East businesses, organisations and cyber professionals to submit nominations before 5:00pm on 14 September 2026.
The awards are open to all CyberNorth members and affiliations and recognise achievements across six categories including Rising Star and Outstanding Cyber Professional.
Two new categories have also been added to the line up to celebrate the Micro Businesses and those on the international stage. This year’s prestigious judging panel includes representatives from the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport, Barclays, Northstar Ventures, TLT LLP and the North East Mayoral Strategic Authority, formerly the North East Combined Authority.
Jon Holden said: “CyberFest is about showcasing and celebrating the North East – we are helping to put the North East on the national stage, opening the region’s doors to the UK’s cyber and technology community and turning connections into real opportunities.
CyberNorth’s ambition is to attract new business, investment and talent to the region, forge partnerships across the UK and beyond, and showcase the North East as a leading destination for cyber, secure AI and technology innovation.
We have incredible businesses, brilliant people, world-class expertise and huge opportunities in front of us. CyberFest gives us a chance to bring all of that together and show the rest of the UK what is happening here.”
With a month of events, national and international organisations coming to the region, and conversations spanning some of the UK’s most strategically vital industries, CyberFest 2026 is set to put the North East at the heart of the UK’s cyber and secure AI conversation.
