Singtel Innov8 and NUS Enterprise have launched Innovation Cyber Security Ecosystem at Block 71 (ICE71), billed as Singapore’s first integrated regional cyber security hub to spawn and support early stage and growing start-ups, entrepreneurs and academics from around the world.
Supported by the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the Infocommunications Media Development Authority (IMDA), ICE71 aims to strengthen Singapore’s growing cyber security ecosystem by attracting and developing competencies and new technologies.
Singtel and NUS are jointly developing advanced cyber security solutions via the NUS-Singtel Cyber Security Research and Development Laboratory that was set up in 2016.
“ICE71 is a natural transition for the Singtel and NUS partnership and highlights the urgency of developing innovative solutions to address the rapid increase in the frequency, scale and sophistication of cyber security threats,” said Edgar Hardless, CEO of Singtel Innov8. “Through ICE71, we aim to nurture and groom suitable Singaporean and foreign cyber security start-ups to help bring their ideas to life.”
ICE71 is teaming up with London-based cyber security accelerator CyLon to provide a range of open learning platforms and support to cyber security start-ups through three initial programs – Inspire, Accelerate and Scale. Inspire is a five-day pre-accelerator boot-camp for researchers, students and aspiring entrepreneurs to test and qualify cyber security business concepts. Accelerate is a three-month accelerator program to equip early stage start-ups with financial, business structure and go-to-market strategies to progress their business. Scale is a landing pad designed to provide market access to help growing global and local start-ups to scale their businesses into the Asia Pacific region.
Beyond providing support services such as access to working space, funding, subject matter experts and networking events, ICE71 also provides start-ups with enterprise grade cyber security resources such as Singtel’s cyber-range to test and build proof-of-concept solutions in a virtual environment.
ICE71 is the second collaboration between Singtel Innov8 (the operator’s corporate venture capital unit) and NUS Enterprise (the entrepreneurial arm of the National University of Singapore). In 2011, both parties spearheaded the BLOCK71 initiative in Singapore, a strategic program to help start-ups gain one-stop access to the resources they need to effectively develop and market their solutions to customers.
ICE71 will be opening its doors in April 2018.
Be the first to comment