Joint Effort by TNO, NCSC and IACS Coalition: OT Cyber Innovation Programme

TNO, IACS Coalition (which IPCS is also part of), and the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) are jointly developing the OT Cyber Innovation Programme to accelerate innovation in operational technology (OT) and strengthen cyber resilience across industrial and critical environments. 

Increasing risks in Operational Technology

As OT environments face increasing cyberattacks, the convergence of IT and OT expands the attack surface, while downtime is often not an option. Incidents can lead to financial, reputational, and even societal disruption. Innovation in OT is essential but challenging due to the complexity of cyber-physical systems, legacy software, and the delicate decision-making required between asset managers and cybersecurity specialists.

How the programme works

The OT Cyber Innovation Programme addresses these challenges by leveraging field expertise to design practical, implementable solutions. Its approach combines several key elements:

• TNO’s OT Mobile Cyber Lab for knowledge sharing, testing, simulations, and experiments
• An ecosystem approach that integrates knowledge, resources, and threat intelligence
• Short-Cycled Collaborative Innovation to increase the likelihood of adoption
• A governance model that facilitates collaboration and decision-making between asset managers and cybersecurity specialists

Through this approach, the programme helps organisations structurally improve their OT resilience.

From workshop to real-world application

During a workshop held at the Flowcenter in the Duurzaamheidsfabriek, specialists exchanged insights and feedback. Many IPCS members contributed real-world experience, helping shape a programme that is closely aligned with operational practice. The OT Cyber Innovation Programme enables organisations to innovate faster through collaboration with TNO, the NCSC, and other OT users, providing access to unique OT testing facilities and shared threat intelligence. Participation not only strengthens cyber resilience but also offers valuable learning opportunities for cyber professionals and demonstrates a clear commitment to innovation and cybersecurity.

The programme is aimed at OT end users, knowledge partners, and suppliers in industrial and critical infrastructure, with active involvement from asset managers, CISOs, and OT specialists.

Participation and roadmap

 Its roadmap is as follows:

• 2025: Build preconditions and launch the lab
• 2026: Scale up with partners and run two use cases
• 2027: Establish a fully-fledged OT Cyber Innovation Programme

During the event, participants were able to register as stakeholders, marking a key step toward co-creation and long-term collaboration to make OT environments more resilient.