Successful Dutch Mission to the RSA Conference in San Francisco

From 23-28 April, a Dutch delegation of 30 organisations joined the cybersecurity trade mission to San Francisco to visit the RSA Conference & Exhibition (RSAC), build partnerships and share their expertise. The Dutch delegation looks back at a fantastic week with a full programme, including many network, matchmaking & knowledge events organised by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Rijksdienst voor Ondernemend Nederland (RVO), InnovationQuarter and Security Delta (HSD). The mission is part of the roadmap Cybersecurity US 2020-2023: a multiyear programmatic approach to cybersecurity in the United States.

As the Netherlands is seen as the digital gateway to Europe, cybersecurity is a top priority challenge on the agenda for the Netherlands. Reducing cybercrime, securing digital infrastructure, and protecting online privacy are of great importance when building a safe online environment. Global collaboration is required to combat these challenges. To enhance collaboration with the US and enter the US market a roadmap Cybersecurity US 2020-2023 was initiated. This roadmap focuses on trade promotion, innovation, knowledge sharing and acquisition. The trade mission to the RSAC and the PIB US is part of this programme.

NL Pavilion

It was the fifth time that a Dutch delegation attended the RSAC, the largest cybersecurity conference in the world, and for the third time the Netherlands hosted a NL Pavilion, where eight Dutch companies showcased their cutting-edge cyber security solutions: Attic, Awareways, Breachlock, DTACT, ON2IT, PRODAFT, Reporter, and Ubiqu. The Pavilion was officially opened by HRH Prince Constantijn Van Oranje-Nassau (special envoy to Techleap.nl), Linda Gray Martin (vice president of RSA Conference), and Peter Potman. 

Kick-off

The mission started with a visit to the Residence of the Consul General in San Francisco, where all participants received a warm welcome. The next morning the mission was officially kicked off by Peter Potman, deputy vice minister of Foreign Trade of the Netherlands.

Vice minister Potman: ”The Dutch government is committed to supporting the growth of the cybersecurity sector through investment in research and development and collaboration with the private sector. Our presence at RSAC provides an unparalleled opportunity for our security experts to engage with a global audience of tech entrepreneurs, investors, and media professionals who share our commitment to digital security. We look forward to connecting with potential partners and showcasing the innovative technologies that Dutch companies are bringing to the table."

Matchmaking & Knowledge sharing

Besides visiting the RSA Conference & Exhibition, participating organisations visited the ECSO Networking Night, which brought together over 200 cybersecurity stakeholders, including leading European founders, US-based buyers and investors, European investors, industry leaders and ecosystem representatives. Matchmaking was also facilitated via the CyberMatch 2023 platform, co-organised by InnovationQuarter and Enterprise Europe Network Nederland. Virtual matchmaking is still possible through CyberMatch is still possible until 5 May 2023. 

To enhance sharing knowledge an NL Talks event was organised by Security Delta (HSD), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the Consulate General San Francisco. The main theme of the event was the question “Turning the Dutch National Cyber Strategy into real action. How to measure progress in cyber resilience?”. Several speakers set out their view on how goals set out in the NIS2 directive could be achieved in a panel moderated by Hans de Vries (director National Cyber Security Centre).

The mission led to many new connections and business opportunities for the participants.

Follow-up

The Dutch will be back to attend DEFCON in Las Vegas (August 10-13). Sign up now for updates on the Netherlands event. More announcements coming soon.