The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) has launched a business accelerator specialized in the foundational technologies and priority emerging technologies in cybersecurity and related fields, as part of the authority's initiatives to activate the local industry and innovation system for cybersecurity. NCA explained that the accelerator will be one of the important enablers to stimulate the local industry in cybersecurity and will support integration between the public and private sectors, as well as enhance efforts made in various initiatives within the national cybersecurity strategy, which contributes to stimulating and encouraging innovation and building a national system for the manufacture of cybersecurity technologies. The authority pointed out that the accelerator will support the most growing sectors in cybersecurity by activating national and international partnerships and expanding cooperation in exchanging expertise and knowledge to support the local industry of cybersecurity technologies, as it will contribute to the development of the sector and provide an attractive environment for the development of products and technologies, and stimulate investment in cybersecurity, and linking emerging companies with investors to empower a secure digital transformation within the framework of achieving the objectives of the Kingdom's Vision 2030, and attracting the most active companies and projects in cybersecurity technologies. The launch of the accelerator comes in a strategic partnership with the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE) and the Plug and Play Company, which is one of the largest international technology business accelerators, in addition to follow-up, evaluation, and application of the best standards for all phases of projects, as well as setting up workshops and supportive meetings, exchange of expertise and provision of consultations. According to NCA, the first phase of the accelerator's operation will be launched during the second quarter of 2022, as more details are to be announced accordingly. The business acceleration falls within the authority's efforts to develop the cybersecurity sector in the Kingdom by stimulating and encouraging innovation and working to explore creative solutions to cyber technical challenges that will contribute to enhancing the domestic product, creating job opportunities, raising the percentage of local content and increasing the number of companies specialized in cybersecurity and the establishment of start-up companies to contribute to achieving national goals.
