As part of its Open Innovation Program, the Kaspersky Innovation Hub (iHub) is announcing a new call for startups that are developing cybersecurity solutions with a special focus on small and medium-sized businesses. Winners will be offered to launch a pilot project with leading international cybersecurity company Kaspersky.
Kaspersky iHub is continuing its global Open Innovation Program aimed at fostering collaboration with innovative tech projects by organizing open calls for startups in search of new joint business activities. Following three successful rounds so far, the company has announced a new one and is inviting teams and individual projects developing solutions on the edge of cybersecurity designed for the needs of small and medium-sized companies. This includes protection for cloud users, data and applications, as well as network security technologies.
The best initiatives will be invited to take part in pilot projects, working jointly with Kaspersky on product development, with the further possibility of access to Kaspersky’s channel partners (including distributors and resellers), clients and prospects. The winners of the call will also receive technical and business mentoring from the company’s experts.
Starting in 2019, the Kaspersky Innovation Hub held three rounds of startup calls dedicated to such areas as Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT), transportation, blockchain and anti-fraud technology, all-life protection and gaming. Winners of the challenges had the opportunity to collaborate on joint business cases with Kaspersky, as well as to receive support for launch of their products.
Applications for the call are open for startups that already have a legal entity, product or prototype, and several closed deals or ongoing pilots. The Kaspersky team will assess technical and business validation, investment opportunity of the startups, along with their readiness and interest in collaborating with Kaspersky iHub to improve the global cybersecurity landscape. The scouting process will be organized on four technical platforms – GoTech, Dsight, Axis Innovation and F6S.
Decisions on which startups are selected will be based on the ability of their products or technologies to solve concrete cybersecurity use cases applicable to small and medium-sized businesses and will be tested through open challenges designed by Kaspersky and partners.
“Today, small businesses are one of the key drivers of the global economy, being the most represented in many countries and employing millions of workers worldwide. Despite the size of their organizations and their processes, they face similar challenges to their larger counterparts. With our new startup call, the Kaspersky Innovation Hub aims to enhance our efforts with innovators in order to meet the specific needs of small and medium-sized organizations and let them focus on business priorities while being confident in the security of their organizations,” says Vitaly Mzokov, Head of the Innovation Hub at Kaspersky.
Selected entrepreneurs will be invited to present their projects in front of a jury during Online Demo Selection Days on September 29-30, 2020.
For more details and to apply to take part in the challenge, please click here.
The closing date for online applications is September 13, 2020.
