News
24 Irish & European VCs in Ireland for European Cyber Security Event, hosted by Enterprise Ireland and European Cyber Security Organisation
June 2022 by Enterprise Ireland
24 VC investors from Ireland and mainland Europe will attend Cyber Investor Days in Dublin today, hosted by Enterprise Ireland, the European Cyber Security Organisation (ESCO), Cyber Ireland and Women4CyberFoundation.
The Cyber Investor Days is a series of cybersecurity business matchmaking events designed to provide access-to-finance and access-to-market opportunities for European cybersecurity start-ups and SMEs. Hosted in Dublin today, the event also showcases Ireland’s vibrant cybersecurity cluster.
The business match-making event brings together the most promising European cybersecurity start-ups and scale-ups to pitch their innovative cybersecurity solutions, hold B2B meetings with leading investors and corporations from Europe and beyond, and support female entrepreneurs. 24 VC investors will be in attendance, along with representatives from major corporates including Oracle, Microsoft, IBM, PWC, E&Y, Bank of Ireland, European Investment Bank.
The 12 European cyber security startups, including 8 Irish companies are pitching at the event. Combined the 12 startups are seeking €50 million investment. The companies include Akeero (Ireland), Angoka (United Kingdom), Calldefender (Ireland), Crashtest Security (Germany), CyberPie (Ireland), CYS4 (Italy), Cytidel (Ireland), GuardYoo (Ireland), Mesh Security (Ireland), Oblivious.ai (Ireland), Vaultree (Ireland) and XignSys (Germany). The startups are also shortlisted for the European Cybersecurity Startup Award. Confirming that the following 2 startups who were pitching earlier, were nominated today for the European Cyber Security Startup Award
Vaultree (Ireland)
Angoka (United Kingdom)
Kevin Buckley, Senior Development Advisor, High Potential Start-Ups, Enterprise Ireland, said: “Ireland has become an international leader in cybersecurity, home to more than 40 multinational companies with cyber security operations and over 60 Irish cyber security companies and start-ups. Collectively them employ over 6,500 people. This has grown from a uniquely rich cyber security ecosystem, that brings together business, research, and government support.
“Enterprise Ireland is delighted to host ECSO’s Cyber Investor Days along with Cyber Ireland and Women4Cyber Foundation. While putting a spotlight on Ireland’s cyber security strengths, the investor days provides a great platform for European cyber companies to connect with investors and new corporate customers.”
“I am proud to see how far the Cyber Investor Days has evolved since their launch in 2017”, says ECSO Secretary General Luigi Rebuffi. “This match-making event has gathered over 300 cybersecurity SMEs and start-ups from across Europe and given visibility to local and national expertise. With its vibrant cybersecurity landscape, Ireland is a perfect location for the 2022 edition of this event”, he concludes.
Dr Eoin Byrne, Cluster Manager, Cyber Ireland said: “We have innovative cyber security start-ups and companies from Ireland and across Europe pitching this week, however, we know there is a significant funding gap between Europe and the US for cyber security investment. From our recent report ‘State of the Cyber Security Sector in Ireland 2022’, we found that 26% of cyber security firms surveyed faced issues raising or securing finance. This matchmaking event is critical to provide access to finance, and access to markets, for Irish and European companies to scale rapidly, increase sales and serve larger clients.”
