SCOTLAND’s annual search for innovation among the cyber stars of the future has attracted global sponsors for this year’s event.

The Scottish Cyber Awards – hosted by the Scottish Business Resilience Centre (SBRC) – will see sponsorship from an array of international names and industry leaders.

This will be the third annual ceremony and has already attracted support from headline sponsor CGI, one of the world’s biggest independent IT and business consulting services groups, along with the Clydesdale Bank, Symantec, Accenture and Trend Micro.

SBRC said all available sponsorship opportunities for the awards sold out in record time.

The ceremony will again be held at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh, recognising businesses, academics and individuals for their commitment to enhancing Scotland’s world-leading reputation in the fight against cyber-crime.

Mandy Haeburn-Little, the SBRC’s chief executive officer, said: “It is fantastic to be able to announce our sponsors for this year’s Scottish Cyber Awards – and what an impressive line-up it is.

“To receive support from an internationally recognised company of such high calibre as CGI highlights the sheer importance of this industry and especially Scotland’s role within it.

“We’re truly delighted to have such a great mix of larger organisations and up and coming specialists supporting individual award categories, which will undoubtedly help to ensure that the awards are another great success as they have been in the last two years.”

Steve Smart, senior vice president at CGI UK, added: “Scotland is rapidly becoming a world leader for cyber security talent and innovation and we’re thrilled to support this brilliant event as headline sponsor, recognising those who are at the forefront of the industry.

“We’re very excited to discover the winners of all 11 categories and are looking forward to announcing the Champion of Champions 2018.”

The Scottish Cyber Awards will be held in November at the Sheraton Hotel in Edinburgh.

Ticket sales for this year’s ceremony – to be held in November – opened on Thursday.