Cybersecurity knows no national boundaries, and neither should collaboration. The Cross-Border Cybersecurity Tour #2, hosted at East Side Fab on March 18, embodied this principle by bringing together thought leaders, founders, researchers, and policymakers from France, Luxembourg, and Germany. The event facilitated meaningful dialogue and aimed to fortify Europe’s cybersecurity ecosystem through shared knowledge and cooperation.
The day commenced with welcome remarks from Jérôme Spinoza, Consul General of France in Saarland, Tobias Raab, Deputy Mayor of Saarbrücken, and Jürgen Philippi, Head of Startups and Entrepreneurship at CISPA. Their opening addresses framed the event around a central theme: How can Europe enhance its digital resilience in an increasingly complex threat landscape?
Europe Under Pressure: Navigating the Cybersecurity Landscape
The first session, titled "Europe under pressure," provided valuable insights from prominent speakers. Alexander Busse, CEO of Cybervize, discussed the role of automated compliance and its strategic implications for organizations. Guillaume Henry, CISO at UEM, shed light on the unique cybersecurity challenges faced by the energy sector. Grégory Flament from Advanced Mediomatrix emphasized the importance of data security as a sovereign asset.
Together, these perspectives illustrated the intricate interplay between regulation, infrastructure, and technology in shaping today’s cybersecurity landscape.
From Compliance to Competitive Advantage
In a thought-provoking keynote, Dr. Kilian Schmidt, CEO of Kertos, addressed a critical question: Is compliance merely a regulatory burden, or can it become a competitive advantage?
Dr. Schmidt’s presentation explored how automated compliance can empower organizations to not only meet regulatory requirements such as NIS2 but also enhance their market position and operational efficiency. The session included a dedicated Q&A, offering attendees practical advice and guidance, particularly for early-stage founders and aspiring entrepreneurs.
Bridging Theory and Practice
The afternoon sessions shifted the focus toward practical applications and knowledge exchange. Two parallel roundtables examined real-world cybersecurity use cases and supply chain challenges, as well as standards and frameworks, including ISO requirements. Another key topic was the human factor as a critical element of cybersecurity strategies.
Experts from across the European ecosystem shared their insights, including Eronika Lazar from the German Federal Office for Information Security (BSI), Anitha Arulrajakumar from the Luxembourg House of Cybersecurity, Kévin Sanna from Hub Grand Est Cybersécurité, Pierre-Jean Krauth from DigitalLab at ArcelorMittal France, Frédéric Raber from BSI, and Christophe Corne from Systancia. Their discussions underscored the importance of aligning regulation, industry needs, and innovation across borders, highlighting that effective cybersecurity relies as much on people and processes as it does on technology.
