The second PwC Cybersecurity Day has been scheduled for 19 October this year and they are looking for the companies with next generation solutions in the field. 

Recent cyber-attacks have revealed that even national agencies can't protect their own arsenal of hacking tools. A few months after classified and compromising NSA information was leaked, international hackers crafted a malware - the infamous WannaCry - able to take over hundreds of thousands of computers all over the world. It has become clear that companies, administrations and governments need a new generation of Cybersecurity solutions to prevent, detect and mitigate cyber threats. 

"PwC Cybersecurity Day's goal is to help organisations fully understand the major international cyber security challenges and take advantage of new generation solutions in the field”, said Vincent Villers, Partner and Cybersecurity Leader at PwC Luxembourg said:

The second edition of the cybersecurity forum in Luxembourg aims at:

- Fostering strategic partnerships between private and public actors to understand global cybersecurity issues;

- Bringing together international IT specialists and experts to discuss the operational and organisational issues facing organisations, as well as share best practices and feedback;

- Promoting and accelerating innovation in the field of cybersecurity by building bridges between technological companies and their innovative solutions and investors; we set up an international competition bringing together on stage the ten best prepared companies to tackle cybersecurity challenges on the European and global market.

- Positioning the Grand Duchy as a European cybersecurity hub.

During the PwC Cybersecurity Day, ten fast-growing cybersecurity technology companies will compete in front of over 200 executives representing large companies or institutions from Luxembourg and abroad.

“The development of robotics, cloud, IoT in our increasingly connected society requires us to adapt, whether in our uses, in our daily professional or personal activity, as well as in the matter of security. Given the increasing complexity of attacks and the shortage of cybersecurity talent, the defence of computer networks is increasingly being entrusted to automated systems. Provided they are reliable, it’s key to recognise the threats and know how to use past attacks as a strength”, said Villiers. 

Three main topics will be spotlighted on the day, for which companies will compete to present their solutions:

  • Behavioural Analysis, since regular rule-based detection and prevention tools are no longer enough to cope with the latest threats;
  • Identity and Access Management, which is key to prevent most cyber incidents, including data leakage;
  • The security of IoT, which looks promising, but regularly shows security flaws, especially regarding privacy and customer data.

As with the previous edition, a selection committee of independent jurors will review applications and select ten finalists to pitch at the PwC Cybersecurity Day, on 19 October 2017, in Luxembourg.

Each finalist will have the opportunity to participate in a coaching programme by PwC’s Accelerator to prepare their pitch.

At the pitching competition, a jury of experts representing the market and the industry will evaluate each company based on its value proposition, internationalisation strategy, potential impact in Cybersecurity, and its elevator pitch performance.

The Most Promising Company Award will be conferred to the candidate that proves excellence at all levels, from strategy to execution. The audience will also have the chance to vote for the best solution and offer the People's Choice Award.

“This is a great opportunity for start-ups and technology companies to showcase their cybersecurity solutions and potentially find investors or public and private partners. This is the DNA of our approach to improve and accelerate the digital trust of organisations”, said Villiers.

The winners of the Most Promising Company Award and the People’s Choice Award will be announced at the Award ceremony on 20 October in Luxembourg, during the Cybersecurity Week gala dinner (www.cybersecurityweek.lu).

Companies can apply online for a chance to present their business case by 25 July 2017 on: www.cybersecurityday.lu