D4.6 EU Cybersecurity and Privacy cluster engagement report. 3rd Report

This document provides an overview of the Cybersecurity and Privacy clusters in Europe and an engagement plan to involve them in the activities organised by the Cyberwatching.eu project. The document details the process and methodology to keep a constant channel of collaboration. The report also describes the actions implemented so far and others that have been foreseen to reinforce the collaboration with clusters as intermediate actors that can provide access to numerous SMEs.

Clusters are groups of specialized companies, many SMEs, and other related actors, such as Universities and public administrations that cooperate closely together in a particular sector and geographical location. In D4.2 the first of three EU Cybersecurity and privacy cluster engagement reports1 published in July 2018 (M27), Cyberwatching.eu reported on how it has identified and interacted with clusters actively working in Cybersecurity and Privacy (CS&P) across Europe and a catalogue of these clusters published on the Cyberwatching.eu website2. In D4.53 the second of the reports published in June 2019 (M26), Cyberwatching.eu reported on how to consolidate the relationship with a targeted group of clusters to ignite real interaction.

Three clusters in particular, were already engaged and very committed to interacting with Cyberwatching.eu. In the following months (M26-41), efforts have focused on consolidating the relationship with the relevant clusters and going on with the activities defined in D4.5 second report. Now a consolidated group of eight clusters engage with Cyberwatching.eu and a memorandum of understanding has been drafted and shared with them. Cyberwatching.eu aims to impact positively on the clusters and their members by promoting project assets such as the GDPR temperature tool, providing networking opportunities with the R&I community, and raising awareness of emerging technologies and opportunities for businesses, and best practices during the COVID- 19 pandemic.

A key channel for this support is the provision of joint webinars which is being carried out. Future activities will focus on guaranteeing the sustainability of project assets to be defined in D5.3 (Sustainability plan). The services offered by Cyberwatching.eu have companies as end users, especially SMEs, and clusters are the instrument to reach them. With the involvement of a few relevant clusters it is possible to give visibility by the “call effect”. Clusters form a key target stakeholder group for this sustainability activity and by cementing further our alliance with them, we hope to achieve greater impact and sustainability