Panel Discussion on Capacity Building, Competitiveness and Industrial Policy

On 12th June 2024 our CEO Patricia Shields was invited to take part in a lively panel session on capacity building, competitiveness and industrial policy for the EU Cyber Security Market. The event took place in Brussels after the general assembly for the ECSO of which we are a active member.

The panel was chosen to bring different perspectives to the subject matter and Cyber Cert Labs was representing the SME / start up point of view. Some of the points raised by our CEO were:

1. An EU wake up call needed to seize the market opportunities being created by the level of investment in cyber through the creation of new institutions & certifications, regulations, research, funding and community.

2. Breaking down the barriers to selling in other EU member states. EU buyer mindsets need to change and trust in EU cyber vendors needs to increase. Initiatives like Cyberhive EUROPE by ECSO and CYBERSECURITY MADE IN EUROPE Label are aiming to achieve this but they need our support to be successful!

3. We need to take some of the lessons from the US in terms of taking more risks, making funding more accessible and entrepreneur friendly but do it EU style!

4. National institutions like NCCs supporting cyber industry at an EU level not only at a country level. Promoting EU indigenous companies is paramount to market competitiveness.

5. Use our scarce cyber security resources better i.e. large companies collaborating with smaller niche cyber security SMEs to deliver on projects.

6. To create leading EU cyber enterprises that have global success, we need to find and support the founders. An EU level start-up and scale up Accelerator programme that provides the knowledge, funding and access to market.

Introduction