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Bristol-based tech startup Immersive Labs has raised $8 million in Series A funding, led by Goldman Sachs. Founded by former GCHQ researcher James Hadley, the continuous multi-platform enables enterprises to develop their security skills online.

The cyber skills gap

"Organisations are struggling to recruit, train, and retain cybersecurity talent," according to Immersive Labs. As a result, enterprises could be putting themselves and valuable data at risk.

According to PwC, investment in building on existing employee skills is integral to a company's digital transformation. In order to address this, Immersive Labs offers resources and advice on finding the best hidden cyber talent in an organisation.

The SaaS platform offers a new approach to learning and it enables teams to gain demonstrable skills. All the labs are also available on-demand, so enterprises can develop and test cyber skills anywhere, whenever.

Immersive Labs also identifies talent, assesses cyber capabilities, and recruits without bias. By recruiting through the firm's Digital Cyber Academies™, enterprises can save time and boost diversity.

The cost of dysfunctional cybersecurity teams

86% of organisations have reportedly suffered repercussions due to a lack of collaboration between their network and cybersecurity teams. This is according to a recent International Data Group (IDG) report, sponsored by BlueCat Networks.

In the report, IDG surveyed hundreds of networking and cybersecurity professionals. Among these respondents, 34% attributed slow response to security events as the main repercussion of poor collaboration.

43% of network employees and 58% of cybersecurity professionals believe that their “counterparts lack a fundamental understanding of their role.” However, Immersive Labs could completely eradicate this dysfunction with its learning platform.

There are hundreds of labs available with a range of topics and disciplines, suitable for all abilities. As a result, network and cybersecurity teams can improve their cyber skills in "everything from Awareness and Security Analysis through to Incident Response and Digital Forensics."

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