A special highlight this year was the visit of a French delegation: The Franco-German dialogue and the question of how Europe can shape cybersecurity jointly and with sovereignty significantly characterized the discussions.

Following opening remarks by Niels Feldmann, Prof. Dr. Thomas Hirth, and Gaël de Maisonneuve, three exciting keynote speeches followed:

• Sandra Jörg (Blackpin GmbH) on messenger security and secure communication,
• Prof. Dr. Thorsten Strufe (KIT) on false anonymity and machine learning,
• Dr. Sebastian Labitzke (SAP) on the scaling crisis of modern security systems.

The panel discussion also provided lively debates: Mirko Ross (asvin GmbH), Willi Mannheims (eCAPITAL), Daniel Vonderau (KIT), and Jean-Yves Poichotte (Campus Cyber) discussed which regulations are actually effective, when venture capital makes sense, and how Europe’s digital sovereignty can be strengthened.

Another highlight: Ten startups showcased the impressive diversity and innovative strength of the cybersecurity scene in short pitches. This year’s Cybersecurity Innovation Award went to VISS.