Cyberaccelerator is the first accelerator in Ukraine to develop companies that offer cybersecurity products and services.
In an era where digital vulnerabilities pose serious threats, Ukraine has taken a proactive stride toward fortifying its cybersecurity framework. The inception of the pioneering CyberAccelerator, orchestrated by the USAID Cybersecurity Activity, marks a pivotal step in addressing escalating cyber risks.
The State Special Communications Service of Ukraine reported a consistent quarterly rise of 10-12% in cyberattacks since 2020, a trend echoed globally due to intensified digital adoption during the pandemic. The USAID Cybersecurity Activity experts also have worked on studying the cybersecurity market in Ukraine and shared some findings. Thus, the domestic cybersecurity market volume in 2019 was about $ 100 million. Half of this amount is the procurement of the public sector and state-owned enterprises, the leading share of hardware products.
By focusing on public-private cybersecurity infrastructure projects, out staffed cybersecurity services, outsourcing, and export-focused cybersecurity products and services, the Cyberaccelrator harmonized with the projected global cybersecurity market growth.
In a groundbreaking stride towards bolstering Ukraine's cybersecurity prowess, the SocialBoost team unveiled the Cyberaccelerator in April 2021. Esteemed partners, including Catalisto, DAI, ISSP, and VFI, epitomized the program's collaborative strength.
Distinguished as the first of its kind in Ukraine, the Cyberaccelerator extended its reach beyond national borders. It forged an unprecedented synergy, uniting mentors from 10 countries and global corporate allies and facilitating access to investment and grant opportunities. The three-month Cyberaccelerator program served as an incubator of innovation, propelling selected IT firms with pioneering cybersecurity solutions into a realm of growth and global recognition.
Participants of the program, spanning both IT product and outsourcing companies, were poised to benefit from extensive mentoring support and strategic guidance from cybersecurity and business development experts. This transformative journey empowered these enterprises to craft comprehensive strategies, and business plans vital for their market penetration and prominence within Ukraine and on the global stage.
The maiden batch of teams unveiled their projects in September 2021. A batch of trailblazers included Cyberlands BV, HX Technologies, Intelli Group, ITEXE, once.REST, Radar, Sekurno, Security Steps, the Ukrainian Interbank Association of Members of EMA Payment Systems, and Unlink VR Inc. As a testament to the program's efficacy, these pioneering teams embarked on pilot projects with esteemed banks, expanding their market footprint into the realm of critical infrastructure and driving increased sales through innovative subscription models.
In December 2021, the second batch of the Cyberaccelerator commenced, adding another layer of anticipation to the realm of cybersecurity innovation. Nine teams, including ZeroTolerance, Vadyus, nect WORLD, Global Cyber Cooperative Center (GC3), Calltools, elKYC, Go Wombat, Iriscan, and Internet biography, embarked on this transformative journey. Their presentations were initially scheduled for March 2022.
However, the program's trajectory was abruptly disrupted by Russia's full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
