The National Cyber Security Centre and the Innovation Agency Lithuania invite early stage cybersecurity startups and those interested in establishing them to the CyberUP Startup Accelerator. Successful teams will participate in a 3-month training programme starting on 12 September.

“Cybersecurity technologies have been growing rapidly in Lithuania. According to the StartupBlink Global Startup Ecosystem Index, Vilnius has been highlighted as the best city in the European Union for the cybersecurity industry. The CyberUP programme has been designed to further strengthen the sector and address the challenges faced by emerging startups. The accelerator will not only provide participants with the opportunity to develop their skills, but also strengthen Lithuania’s position as one of the fastest growing cybersecurity innovation hubs in Europe,” says Karolina Urbonaitė, Head of Startup Lithuania of the Innovation Agency Lithuania.

The CyberUP programme will give startups the opportunity to pitch their ideas to potential investors, receive personal advice and lectures, and gain cybersecurity and business knowledge. Startups will be able to get practical advice and develop competences in team building, business model developing and brand positioning, financial planning, market entry strategy and other areas.

“The Lithuanian cybersecurity community is growing and strengthening rapidly. The CyberUP Accelerator, which aims to accelerate the development of cybersecurity businesses in our country, will help to create even better conditions for this,” shares Antanas Aleknavičius, Deputy Director of the National Cyber Security Centre.

The programme is open to startups that are registered in the European Union and are developing or intending to develop cybersecurity innovations. Startups are micro or small companies with a high potential for innovation-driven business development, operating for no more than 5 years. Teams that have not yet established a legal entity can also join the programme. Teams selected to participate in the programme will commit to establishing a legal entity before the start of the accelerator.

“Participants will be selected on the basis of the team’s ability to develop a successful cybersecurity startup. The potential of the team’s idea and their motivation to implement it will also be assessed,” says Mr Aleknavičius.

The CyberUP Accelerator is funded by the EU Digital Europe Programme and co-funded by the Republic of Lithuania. The support provided to participants is qualified as de minimis aid.

Registration is open until 18 August. You can register here. For more information, please visit the webpage of the Innovation Agency Lithuania.