MEDIA FACTSHEET

Singapore, 15 July 2024

Opening of CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth (TIG) Collaboration Centre

The CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth (TIG) Collaboration Centre (The Centre) was officially opened today by Dr Janil Puthucheary, Senior Minister of State for Digital Development and Information. First unveiled in September 2023, it is a joint initiative between the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) and the National University of Singapore (NUS) that is backed by $20 million funding from the Government and NUS, to uplift talent, innovation, and growth programmes. This strategic partnership aims to establish Singapore as the premier global cybersecurity innovation hub, fostering economic growth and addressing the increasing demand for robust cybersecurity solutions.

Located at LaunchPad @ one-north, the Centre will serve as a central nexus, bringing government, academia, and industry together to catalyse impactful initiatives in the cybersecurity sector, to leverage opportunities posed by digitalisation. The Centre will also build upon NUS Enterprise’s extensive global BLOCK71 network and innovation infrastructure, providing cybersecurity talents and companies with access to resources and opportunities for growth¹.

The Centre’s strategic initiatives are structured around three core pillars – Talent, Innovation and Growth:

Talent - The Centre aims to cultivate a diverse talent pool equipped with the skills to apply cybersecurity capabilities across various industries and functions. Simultaneously, the Centre is dedicated to training a critical mass of professionals with advanced cybersecurity expertise. Core programmes include:

(a) SG Cyber Associates, which provides foundational and targeted cybersecurity training for non-cybersecurity professionals to develop cybersecurity skills relevant to their work. Many industry sectors and smaller organisations may not be sufficiently equipped to understand and deal with cyber threats affecting their operations. To bridge the gap, the Centre partners with professional bodies and training partners to introduce SG Cyber Associates to professions such as engineers, auditors, and lawyers, as well as IT and software professionals.

(b) SG Cyber Youth, which provides students with opportunities to explore cybersecurity as a career, and exposure to relevant technical knowledge and soft skills. Key initiatives under this programme include the Youth Cyber Exploration Programme (YCEP) and Advanced YCEP programme which are designed to attract students from secondary schools and tertiary institutions respectively. These programmes impart cybersecurity concepts and provide hands-on experience through practical assignments and competitions. In addition to the knowledge gained from cybersecurity boot camps, top-performing students will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in the Central Capture-the-Flag (CTF) Competition.

(c) SG Cyber Professionals, which provides place-and-train career conversion opportunities for mid-career switchers from diverse backgrounds, thereby bolstering the local cybersecurity workforce and meeting the growing demand for skilled professionals in this critical field.

(d) SG Cyber Talent Development Fund (SCTDF), which encourages communities, associations, and industry partners to develop initiatives that engage, upskill, or advance the cybersecurity workforce.

Innovation - The Centre seeks to drive co-innovation with industry to bridge the path from innovation to commercialisation, nurturing promising cybersecurity companies for Singapore and the region. This will be through two core programmes:

(a) Cybersecurity Industry Call for Innovation (CyberCall), which aims to drive the development of innovative cybersecurity solutions. Through this programme, which is held biannually, CSA seeks to enhance organisations' cyber resilience while providing opportunities for cybersecurity companies to contribute cutting-edge solutions. Each selected solution that meets the eligibility criteria may receive funding of up to S$1 million from the CSA's Cybersecurity Co-Innovation and Development Fund (CCDF).

(b) CyberBoost programme, which provides tailored support for cybersecurity companies in their venture creation journeys, helping them develop, validate, and scale their solutions in Singapore and beyond. Participating companies can take advantage of specially curated trainings and workshops and get connected with selectively appointed mentors. Furthermore, participating companies, along with any other promising international cybersecurity companies, can gain access to incubation spaces at the Centre as well as at the global BLOCK71 nodes set up by NUS Enterprise. Companies can also engage in ecosystem events with end-users, benefit from government grants and industry support, and receive fund-raising assistance.

The Build programme under CyberBoost assists early-stage ventures in testing, validating, and building minimum viable products. Meanwhile, the Catalyse programme empowers companies with existing commercial products to refine their growth strategies, forge international connections, access investment and commercial opportunities, and integrate into cybersecurity ecosystems both locally and globally.

Growth - The Centre aims to enable cybersecurity companies anchored in Singapore to scale regionally and globally. The core programme, CyberGrowth, is a dedicated cybersecurity-focused export programme that facilitates the expansion of promising cybersecurity companies, and leverage NUS’ BLOCK71 incubation hubs in Southeast Asia, East Asia, and the USA.

^[1] BLOCK71, a technology-focused ecosystem builder and global business connector under NUS Enterprise has played an instrumental role, particularly through the Innovation Cybersecurity Ecosystem at BLOCK71 (ICE71), in the early development of the region’s cybersecurity innovation ecosystem since 2018.

Annex - Quotes by Spokespersons

1. Associate Professor Benjamin Tee, Vice President (Ecosystem Building), NUS
“We are excited to mark the official opening of the CyberSG TIG Collaboration Centre. NUS Enterprise is committed to continue pushing the boundaries of innovation and entrepreneurship to develop a thriving cybersecurity innovation ecosystem from Singapore. This Centre will synergise and leverage the combined expertise and resources of academia, industry, government, local and international industry partners. Our partnerships with Plexal and SGInnovate are a step forward to further support promising start-ups that drive global innovation and business opportunities towards a more secure digital future in Singapore and beyond.”

2. Ms Phua Puay Li, Assistant Chief Executive (Policy and Corporate Development) Assistant Chief Executive, CSA
“We are thrilled to mark this important milestone of the opening of the CyberSG TIG Collaboration Centre which brings some of our talent and ecosystem development efforts under one roof. Our partners, whether they are government entities, industry, or academia, all have a key role to play in this effort. We look forward to the continued support of our stakeholders in this journey to establish Singapore at the forefront of cybersecurity innovation.”

3. Mr. Tan Teik Guan, CEO, pQCee Pte. Ltd., CyberCall 2023 Awardee
“Evolving technologies like AI and quantum have made the cyber threat landscape more complex. It is thus important for organisations to future proof their systems and make sure their systems are quantum safe. The CyberCall enables us to transform our innovative ideas into actual products more quickly, and this ultimately helps more organisations to stay secure and protect their critical systems against quantum threats.”