Monitoring the world of startups through a scouting activity allows the detection of weak signals for technology monitoring and forecasting. Startup radars may also use additional sources for curation, such as startup competitions. For instance, the CYD Campus organizes each year a start-up challenge on a topic related to cyberdefence, which allows the identification of promising technologies that best meet the needs of the Swiss Department of Defence (DDPS).
In addition, the Technology Observatory conducts its own content curation of start-ups using alternative sources:
- Swiss Cybersecurity Startup Map from Dreamlab Technologies
- Startups Getting a Lock on Cyber Security from start-up.ch
- Tech4Trust acceleration program from the Trust Valley
- etc
In 2023, the Trust Valley ranked the most promising companies in the fields of cybersecurity and digital trust here.
Startup radars
Swiss Cybersecurity Startup Map (Swiss Cybersecurity Start-Up Map)
The continued growth of Swiss cybersecurity startups is creating a hotbed of innovation here in Switzerland. Below is the Swiss Cybersecurity Startup Radar, as of December 2024:
CySec-Map-December2024Source: Swiss Cybersecurity Startup Map
SICTIC and digitalswitzerland ( SICTIC | digitalswitzerland )
SICTIC and digitalswitzerland aggregate a radar of the Swiss Tech Startup Ecosystem as of July 2023:
Swiss-Startup-Ecosystem-Map-1-1-2023Source: Swiss Startup Ecosystem Radar
Wavestone ( Wavestone )
Wavestone also offers an alternative cybersecurity startups radar for 2024 in France. The curation method is described in the video below (in French).
Maps
Swiss Cybersecurity Startup Map
The Swiss Cybersecurity Start-Up Map also provides a mapping of cybersecurity startups in Switzerland:
Swiss Cyber Map
This map lists the Swiss cybersecurity players in three categories: public sector (orange), academic sector (blue), and private sector (green). This map will be updated automatically from 2023. This map is a source for monitoring trends in the field of cybersecurity in Switzerland. Last update: June 2020.
Startup Challenge by Cyber Defence Campus
The Cyber Startup Challenge explores the startup technology landscape around an annually defined theme, with the goal of presenting innovative technologies to the Federal Department of Defense, Civil Protection and Sports (DDPS).
The annual CYD Campus Startup Challenge brings to the forefront innovative technologies that align with the Swiss Department of Defense (DDPS). The winners of this competition in recent years have been diverse, addressing various areas of cybersecurity, from strengthening information sharing (ISAC) to network detection and security for IoT devices, securing mobile applications, and more recently, advancements in artificial intelligence.
Cyber Defence Campus Startup Challenge Winners
| Year | Startup Name | Location | Theme |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Patronus AI | New York, USA | Security of Artificial Intelligence |
| 2023 | Ostorlab | Middletown, USA | Security of smartphone applications and their potential threats |
| 2022 | ONEKEY | Düsseldorf, Germany | Network detection and security of IoT devices |
| 2021 | Decentriq | Zurich, Switzerland | ISAC |
Source: Cyber Defence Campus Startup Challenge 2024, CYD Campus Startup Challenge