CypSec Impact Hub

Heidelberg, Germany - May 1, 2025

Regional value creation

The Cybersecurity Impact Hub (CIH) is a cybersecurity accelerator located in the Rhein-Neckar region, established to support the development of practical, security-oriented technologies across private, academic, and public sectors. It is operated by CypSec, whose infrastructure, software stack and research capabilities are made directly available to participating projects. The program provides structured support for early-stage ventures, student teams, established security providers, and public-sector stakeholders seeking to build, test, and launch cybersecurity solutions in a secure and legally compliant environment. Activities range from infrastructure access and joint development to formal collaborations on security innovation.

Security providers, startups, and research institutions working with CIH gain access to CypSec’s secure hosting infrastructure, technical expertise, and funding guidance. This includes direct support for national and European programs such as ZIM, KMU-innovativ, Horizon Europe, and Digital Europe. CypSec’s team offers targeted assistance with grant application strategy, project definition, technical documentation, and integration into multi-country consortia. Participants may also benefit from exposure to CypSec’s international partner network, as well as operational support for early marketing, sales enablement, and compliance-related readiness. With this structure, CIH allows participants to focus on research and development while reducing administrative complexity and accelerating time to deployment.

The impact hub is also designed to generate measurable regional value in Rhein-Neckar-Kreis and the surrounding areas. CypSec provides access to free secure digital services for small and medium-sized enterprises, public workshops on digital resilience, and training formats for educational institutions. The hub hosts seminars, meetups, and collaborative research activities in partnership with universities and local government, bringing visibility to regional innovation efforts and connecting them to broader national and European networks. This creates both immediate benefits for participating organizations and long-term structural support for the region’s cybersecurity and technology ecosystem.

Some of the more distinct value creations will focus on the following channels:

• Small and medium businesses will gain access to cybersecurity expertise, secure communication, and guidance on external funding. The strengthening of SME cyber-resilience also aligns with state efforts such as Baden-Württemberg’s “Cyberwehr” project that provides free incident hotlines and emergency response for SMEs. CIH’s team will offer similar first-line support and funding navigation, e.g. for ZIM or KMU-innovativ, embedding the hub in regional security infrastructure.
• Through its location, the hub connects students and researchers with real-world cyber projects. Joint hackathons, thesis collaborations, and prototyping labs will cultivate advanced R&D. This complements the region’s emphasis on science-driven startups. The hub can co-host conferences and workshops, raising the region’s profile in cybersecurity and bringing visitors to boost local tourism and hospitality.
• Public lectures and training, especially for schools, SMEs, citizens and local residents, on cyber hygiene and digital sovereignty will increase regional awareness. Partnerships with local institutions, such as universities and vocational schools, as well as agencies, ensure a pipeline of talent and create informal “open door” collaboration. The nonprofit arm can run community initiatives like Women4Cyber events, coding camps reinforcing social impact.
• Hosting national or international cyber summits or EU project meetings will highlight the region. The hub can hold regular meetups and demo days, integrating with the local startup scene. Overall, anchoring in local innovation clusters and state programs, CIH can amplify Baden-Württemberg’s cyber strategy and drive economic growth in Rhein-Neckar-Kreis and including its surrounding regions.

Accelerator Services and Programs

The core offering is CIH’s recurring accelerator program:

• Early-stage ventures receive technical hosting in secure infrastructures, business mentoring, and partner matching. The program provides grant-writing support for projects, e.g. for helping to apply to KMU-innovativ or EU grants, and connections to corporate and commercial partners for pilots.
• Student teams and university labs are invited to develop proofs-of-concept under expert guidance. Like Estonia’s Cyber Accelerator, which “cater[s] to early-stage cybersecurity startups and spin-off companies” and explicitly “welcomes student teams, researchers, entrepreneurs, and SME spin-off teams”, CIH will encourage academic spin-outs. Resources include access to CypSec’s full range of tools, vulnerability labs, and cybersecurity training content.
• Beyond startups, small / mid businesses can propose joint R&D projects (with partial funding via ZIM or the hub’s innovation budget). The hub will facilitate tech-transfer, pilot studies, and “test-before-invest” trials, which are akin to an EU Digital Innovation Hub approach. Services will include mentorship (tech and business), office hours for legal / funding advice, secure-dev environment provisioning, and networking. Emphasis is on practical security: secure software development practices, threat intelligence integration, and compliance readiness. The program structure draws on best practices: cohorts engage in workshops and site visits, with final demos to partners. Throughout, advisory teams assist participants in leveraging programs like KMU-innovativ (“supporting cutting-edge research in German SMEs”) and ZIM (“driving the development of pioneering technologies”).

International Support Structure, Collaboration and Network

CIH will be globally connected from day one. CypSec Group’s philosophy already emphasizes cross-border collaboration. The hub will tap existing CypSec alliances in countries like India, Serbia, Hong Kong, Egypt, Switzerland, Germany, Canada, and beyond. For example, joint R&D projects could pair local teams with an Indian security lab, using CypSec’s bilateral channels (e.g. Innosuisse-funded consortia or EU partnerships). Membership in European networks (ECSO, EDIH, Horizon consortia) will be pursued: ECSO describes European Digital Innovation Hubs as “a strong European network of regions to promote cross-border collaboration, expertise and services” in digital transformation. Participating in EDIH and ECSO communities lets the hub ensure visibility, knowledge-sharing and multi-country project opportunities. In practice, this means organizing international webinars, participating in Cybersecurity Made in Europe initiatives, and hosting foreign delegates. The nonprofit arm will coordinate with academic exchange programs and global cyber-defense clusters, ensuring local startups and students gain exposure and sales support to international best practices.

International funding options focus on:

• Horizon Europe (Pillar II: Digital, Industry & Space) represents the EU's flagship R&D funding (2021–27), supporting large collaborative projects, including cybersecurity and AI. It offers grants (often multi-million-euro awards) to consortia from EU / associated countries. Funding typically ranges in the mid- to high-single- or multi-million euros per project. Eligibility requires a consortium of organizations (SMEs, large companies, research institutes) from at least 3 countries. Calls are published in multi-annual work programs (e.g. Cluster 4 for digital, Cluster 3 for civil security). For example, Horizon Europe's Civil Security calls include topics like "vulnerability analysis and threat intelligence" (Call HORIZON-CL3-2024-CS-014). Deadlines follow the official portal schedule (e.g. annual/bi-annual calls). Strategic relevance aligns with EU digital/security priorities, which can fund core R&D for CIH’s innovative activities and infrastructure.
• EIC Accelerator (EU Innovation Council) provides blended funding for high-risk deep-tech SMEs. Eligible startups / SMEs can receive a lump-sum grant (up to €2.5M) for innovation activities plus an investment component (direct equity up to ≈€10M through the EIC Fund). This "patient capital" supports TRL. 6–8 tech with market disruption potential. Applications are evaluated continuously (short proposals any time, full proposals by fixed cut-offs, e.g. 1. Oct 2025 for full applications). Benefits include large, non-dilutive grant plus follow-on equity, coaching and EU visibility. Eligible are EU / EEA SMEs (single company or small consortium) with innovative cybersecurity solutions. Deadlines are not defined. Instead, calls appear on a monthly basis with the strategic relevance focusing on scaling breakthrough security innovations globally.
• Digital Europe Program (DIGITAL), EU's capacity-building fund (€8.1 B total), targets key digital infrastructures. One pillar (via the EU Cybersecurity Competence Centre) allocates about €1.5B for cybersecurity until 2027. It finances large-scale deployments: cybersecurity testbeds, encryption, certification labs, incident response networks, etc. Funding is by competitive calls (open to businesses, research and public bodies) for projects that enhance EU cyber resilience. Grants can be multi-million based on project size. Eligible are legal entities in EU / EEA / associated countries. Deadlines depend on the ECCC-managed work program (e.g. annual call schedules). Benefits include access to pan-European security infrastructure and networks, co-financing up to ~100% for R&D and deployment. Strategic relevance directly aligns with Europe's cyber capacity and innovation ecosystem, likely supporting CIH's research or secure infrastructure projects.
• EU Regional and Structural Funds (ERDF/ESIF) from the European Regional Development Fund and similar schemes offer grants for local innovation projects. SMEs in eligible EU regions have received 100% grants (often up to the high five/six figures) for cybersecurity-related R&D and facility establishment. These are managed via national / regional agencies. Typical funding includes tens to hundreds of thousands of euros per project. Eligibility criteria include companies investing locally. Calls run continuously or per region. Strategic relevance: Can seed research centers or pilot manufacturing sites (especially in "less-developed" regions), leveraging CIH’s European partner locations.
• InvestEU (Digital & Innovation Window) is the EU’s investment program, channeling guarantees and equity via the European Investment Fund for strategic technologies (including cybersecurity). It does not give grants but co-funds projects with debt / equity (e.g. InvestEU "SME and Infrastructure" or "Innovation Fund" instruments focused on digital security. Project sizes typically €10M+. Eligibility includes corporate projects that mobilize additional private funding. Benefits include lower-cost financing and risk-sharing for large-scale innovation or capacity-building. Strategic relevance aligns with EU policy goals if, and could co-finance CIH’s infrastructure beyond grant scopes.
• EUREKA / Eurostars represents a European partnership for SMEs: Eurostars-3 funds R&D-led projects led by innovative SMEs. It provides government funding (typically 30–60% of project costs) to consortia with ≥2 countries (EU, Switzerland included). Projects are up to 3 years with budgets often being around €0.5–3M, led by an R&D-performing SME with ≥2 partners (could include larger firms, labs). Benefits include a very SME-friendly (Swiss companies eligible) ecosystem, plus networking. Strategic relevance is great for cross-border R&D on security software/devices; CIH and external partners can co-develop products while each entity gets national funding.
• European Defence Fund (EDF), containing EU defense R&D programs (€8B fund) including cyber-defense. It funds projects (grants up to 100%) for defense-related tech, requiring consortium of 3+ EU member states. Typical call topics include secure communications, cyber-intelligence. Eligibility is limited to EU-member-led consortia (Switzerland is not EU/associated for EDF). Calls published yearly under EDF work programs. Strategic relevance align with EU defense objectives, and could fund military-grade platforms and R&D.

National funding options include:

• ZIM (Zentrales Innovationsprogramm Mittelstand) represents a key German SME R&D grant program (BMWK). ZIM funds individual or collaborative projects with high tech content. It typically covers ~40–50% of eligible costs in collaborative projects (60% for single-company projects). Grants range roughly €20k–€2M. Eligibility includes German SMEs (or consortia of SMEs and research orgs). Calls are continuous (applications any time). Key benefits include flexible, fast processing, broad tech scope (including cybersecurity hardware/software R&D). Strategic relevance is based on German interests, which can finance German-based R&D labs or partner projects (e.g. encryption, AI security) with substantial non-dilutive capital.
• KMU-innovativ (BMBF) represents a federal thematic funding for modern SME R&D. There are special topics (e.g. IT & Digitalization/Communications). Cybersecurity is often featured under "Telecommunications and Security". Grants may cover up to ~80% of costs, often €1–5M per project (can go higher with consortia). Eligibility is based on German SMEs or mid-caps partnering with research institutes. Deadlines differentiate with topic-specific calls, i.e. BMBF announcing them irregularly. Key benefits include deep support (grant plus networking with science). Strategic relevance is based on R&D objectives, ideal for CIH to fund advanced cyber R&D projects alongside a university.
• IT Security Funding (BMBF/BMVg) where Germany runs specific calls (e.g. "IT-Security in Civil Security" or DoD calls) for IT security and secure communications. These are often co-funded by Ministry of Education or Ministry of Defence, covering R&D and pilot deployments. Typical awards can reach several million euros. Eligibility foresees a consortia of German industry and academia. Strategic relevance targets CIH’s core field.
• EXIST Start-up Grants, while not for established firms, provide non-dilutive funds to very early startups (including technology spin-offs). Grants up to ~€150k (for salaries) plus €30k material, plus coaching. Eligibility focuses on university graduates / startups with tech product. Strategic relevance is based on academic R&D, and could help spin out research teams linked to CIH’s accelerator platform.

About the Cybersecurity Impact Hub Rhein-Neckar: The accelerator supports startups, SMEs, researchers, and public institutions in developing and testing cybersecurity solutions. It offers secure infrastructure, technical mentoring, funding guidance, and training opportunities, with a focus on regional value creation and European collaboration. For more information, visit cypsec.de.

Partnership Contact: Daria Fediay, Chief Executive Officer at CypSec - daria.fediay@cypsec.de.