Strategic Collaboration Between BTG and HSD 

The Trade Association for ICT & Telecom 'Large Users' (BTG) and the Dutch security cluster HSD will start a collaboration on the common interest of secure digital IT, IoT and telecom products & services. On 21 October, BTG director Petra Claessen and HSD director Joris den Bruinen signed this strategic cooperation agreement in Woerden. 

BTG is a B2B platform and is strongly represented in the large business market with over 200 members. Users of ICT and telecomproducts as well as suppliers of these products and services are affiliated with BTG. HSD is a network of approximately 300 businesses, governments and knowledge institutions that collaborate on knowledge development and innovation in (digital) security, with the aim of a safer world, more activity and more jobs. 

Petra Claessen, director BTG / TGG: “By entering this collaboration, BTG meets the demand from its members to look for connections in the field of security. We both work from the triple helix concept. "BTG building bridges in a digital environment." 

Collaboration

The collaboration between both organisations allows members and partners to participate in each other's activities, including physical and virtual knowledge meetings on substantive themes. This broadens the scope of both communities. 

BTG and HSD are also looking into areas in which they can work together more closely, such as certifications and digital security training. A first BTG meeting on certification together with KPN, TNO, Huawei, the Ministry of Economic Affairs, GSMA and a contribution from HSD took place on 14 October. 

In addition, both parties will collaborate with other stakeholders at a national level on the common interest of secure, digital IT, IoT and telecomproducts and services. With, for example, also attention for Operational Technology and 5G security around smart industries and smart secure cities. 

Joris den Bruinen, HSD director: “Digital developments are going in a rapid pace and our economy is becoming increasingly dependent on them. Reliability and security of this digital environment is therefore of crucial importance. With this cooperation we want to make a concrete contribution to this. For example, by making 'Security by Design' the standard, so that companies are concerned about the security of their product at an early stage."

Read the article in Dutch.