Recipients of the 2024 Cyber Resilience Strengthening Grant Announced

To strengthen the cyber resilience of businesses in the Netherlands, the Digital Trust Center (DTC) has supported the development of partnerships since 2018 through the Cyber Resilience Strengthening Grant. This grant aims to foster sustainable collaborations within supply chains, regions, sectors, or industries. Projects that structurally and scalably improve the digital resilience of companies and meet the set criteria are eligible for funding.

This year, nine public-private partnerships submitted applications for the grant. An independent advisory committee selected five projects to receive funding. Below is an overview of the awarded projects:

Cool Cyber Resilience Plan – Nekovri

The Dutch Association for Cold Storage and Refrigeration (Nekovri) focuses on enhancing its members' cyber resilience, including cold storage facilities and transportation companies. This project includes:

• Baseline Assessments to provide members with insights into their digital resilience and actionable improvements.
• Cyber Helpdesk, offering first-line support for cyber-related questions.
• Awareness Activities, including training sessions and webinars, guided by an expert team that ensures solutions remain tailored to the sector’s needs.
• A Cyber Resilience Roadmap, outlining a step-by-step approach for cold storage facilities to enhance their resilience, including compliance with the NIS2 directive and insurance against cyberattacks.

The goal is to structurally strengthen digital resilience across the cold storage and refrigeration sector.

Freelancer and Micro-SME Cyber Resilience – ID Control B.V.

In collaboration with the business network beUnited, ID Control B.V. focuses on enhancing the cyber resilience of micro-SMEs through:

• Free access to awareness videos and at least 50 in-person and online workshops.
• Policy scans and cybersecurity assessments.
• Networking opportunities and training sessions to help businesses identify and mitigate cyber risks.

This project leverages beUnited’s national network of nearly 40,000 entrepreneurs to maximize impact.

Local Cyber Resilience Platform The Hague 

This project lays the foundation for a local cyber resilience platform in The Hague. Led by the Cybersecurity Knowledge Center of The Hague University of Applied Sciences, the initiative is developed in collaboration with Connect2Trust and the Municipality of The Hague.

• Over 1,400 organisations in the region will be invited to participate in the platform.
• The project will deliver a blueprint to replicate this approach in other regions across the Netherlands.

The collaboration strengthens not only the resilience of the Hague region but also contributes to the national economy's digital security.

Cyber Resilience Center Eastern Netherlands – The Cyber Partners B.V.

Given the economic and innovative importance of Overijssel and Gelderland, this center focuses on enhancing the digital resilience of SMEs in non-critical sectors. It offers:

• A comprehensive overview of available tools and resources, along with referrals to specialised support.
• Collaboration between business advisors, ICT service providers, and experienced companies in the region.
• Alignment with existing public-private partnerships and the National Cyber Resilience Network to ensure effective cooperation.

The center aims to provide long-term support for companies in the Eastern Netherlands, helping them take targeted steps to improve their cyber resilience.

Strengthening Cyber Resilience in the Caribbean Netherlands – Matribu B.V.

With growing attention to digitalisation and cybersecurity in the Caribbean Netherlands, this project addresses the lack of existing support structures by offering:

• Accessible cybersecurity scans for businesses.
• Establishment of an Information Sharing and Analysis Center (ISAC) to foster collaboration.

This initiative marks an important first step toward enhancing cyber resilience in the Caribbean Netherlands, laying the groundwork for sustained support.

These five projects represent a major step forward in enhancing the digital resilience of businesses throughout the Netherlands.

 More information about this grant programme is available on the Digital Trust Center’s website.

Photo credits: DTC