About three years after the launch of the Cyber Innovation Network (CIN) program, the Italian National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN) summarized the initial results during an event held in Rome: six collaboration agreements with incubation and acceleration operators, including the Innovative Companies Incubator of Politecnico di Torino (I3P); nearly 200 applications received in the first three CIN calls and 12 high-tech start-ups selected that have successfully completed acceleration or incubation programs, such as the Cybersecurity Incubation Program managed by I3P.
In addition, the Agency has invested a total of approximately €12.5 million in supporting innovation in national cybersecurity, including €1.2 million for the first CIN validation programs, €2.25 million for start-up development, and €9 million for the program supporting doctoral studies in cybersecurity.
The national meeting in Rome
These results emerged during the event “Cyber Innovation Network: from validation to vision”, held on February 18 and attended by approximately 200 representatives from government agencies, associations, academia, investors, corporate firms and start-ups involved in cybersecurity, as well as EU and non-EU representatives from countries with which collaborations on technology transfer are currently underway.
“We are the third country in the EU to hold a significant share of the cybersecurity market. For the past three years, ACN has been working to make Italy a European hub for cyber innovation. The Cyber Innovation Network is a concrete example of this vision: a place where the public and private sectors come together,” said Bruno Frattasi, Director General of ACN.
"The start-ups presented today represent a technological and economic asset that the country must wholeheartedly support. The Agency will continue to invest in these companies, thereby strengthening the country’s technological autonomy and resilience. In this journey, the synergy between the public and private sectors, between industry and research, is fundamental,” concluded Frattasi: “Only through continuous and stable collaboration can we generate truly effective solutions and build an ecosystem capable of addressing the digital challenges of the future.”
Collaborating for innovation
The Cyber Innovation Network is a strategic initiative that supports the growth of Italy’s cybersecurity ecosystem through structured partnerships with incubators, accelerators, and innovation stakeholders.
More than 30% of the start-ups which applied to the program focus on artificial intelligence, machine learning, and deep learning. The meeting served as an opportunity to highlight the collaborative approach between public institutions, businesses, start-ups, and doctoral students, offering a concrete chance to discuss technological development trajectories and opportunities to strengthen Italy’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
The morning of the event was dedicated to presenting the innovative solutions developed by the 12 start-ups, supported by the first three validation programs carried out in collaboration with I3P, Scientifica, and Nana Bianca. Overall, the day also fostered networking among young companies, investors, institutional representatives, and ACN-funded doctoral students through more than 100 meetings, facilitating the creation of new synergies and collaborations. Among the participating start-ups were the first four to complete I3P’s Cybersecurity Incubation Program: LevelQuantum, Mulini, Osmium Italy, and Synchropal.
In the afternoon, the focus shifted to the additional opportunities offered by the Agency and its institutional partners. Starting with the Cybersecurity PhD Fellowship Funding Program ("Programma di finanziamento delle borse di dottorato di ricerca sulla cybersicurezza"), whose first 18 projects were presented during the day, and continuing with the presentation of public procurement opportunities. In this context, CONSIP outlined the new “Innovative Start-ups” Call for Proposals on the Public Administration Electronic Market, designed to facilitate young companies’ access to public procurement.
The day concluded with a panel discussion on “The National Cybersecurity Ecosystem: Opportunities and Synergies Among Institutions, Businesses, and the Market”, featuring senior representatives from several Italian ministries, as well as insights from the innovative industry and international market analysts.
Ultimately, the event underscored the role of the Cyber Innovation Network as a strategic program designed to accelerate the growth of new technologies, foster the creation of high-impact start-ups, and strengthen collaboration among institutions, research organizations, and industry.
