On April 5th, 2024, during an event held in Rome, the Agency for national cybersecurity (ACN), Italy's authority protecting national interests in the field of cybersecurity, officially presented a new series of innovation support programs active throughout the country. The meeting was also attended by I3P, the Incubator of Politecnico di Torino, as a new partner of ACN and its Cyber Innovation Network for the support of young Italian companies developing cybersecurity technology solutions.
In an increasingly digitalised and connected world, cybersecurity has become of paramount importance: this is why the National Cybersecurity Strategy was launched, aimed at planning, coordinating and implementing measures to make the country safer and more resilient. The strategy gives a strategic role to the innovation chain, from interaction with scientific research to the creation and development of new highly innovative companies, with the intention of supporting public and private investment in start-ups and innovative SMEs with the most promising solutions in the cybersecurity sector.
In July 2023, I3P was one of five subjects selected for the establishment of the Cyber Innovation Network. The incubator has thus been admitted to sign a collaboration agreement with ACN, aimed at supporting and developing a specific incubation program for young companies active in the sector. Applications to join it and benefit from all its advantages will be collected through a call for start-ups.
The entrepreneurial support program will see I3P collaborate with Leonardo S.p.a., Cyber & Security Solutions division, and with C*Sparks, with the aim of providing start-ups with opportunities for technological development, market orientation and financial support for growth.
ACN considers the introduction and development of innovations in the area of cybersecurity to be of particular strategic interest, giving priority, but not exclusively, to technologies such as data science, artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, quantum computing, cryptography. Therefore, start-ups promoting emerging technologies, innovative solutions, new business and service models with applications useful for strengthening Italy's industrial and technological autonomy are considered of interest.
The incubation program dedicated to young companies active in this field and how to apply for its call for start-ups will be officially presented over the next few weeks. To receive all updates on the matter, you can subscribe to the incubator's free email newsletter (which is sent in Italian language) or follow the incubator on its social channels, such as I3P's LinkedIn page.