Serbia gets national and regional innovation hub to strengthen cybersecurity – Cyber District launched at eGovernment House

The Office for IT and eGovernment has launched the Cyber District, a specialized innovation hub intended for the development, testing and promotion of cybersecurity solutions, which was established in cooperation with UNDP and the partner organization HUB201.

Director of the Office for IT and eGovernment Mihailo Jovanovic emphasized that by launching the Cyber District within the eGovernment House, a unique ecosystem had been established for the first time, connecting the public sector, business, academic and startup communities in one place. Interest in this type of cooperation in the cybersecurity segment exceeded all expectations because on the first day, as announced by this office, 14 directors of large companies responsible for information security gathered and 52 startups registered for the first Hackathon called “201: Go! Hackathon.”

– In accordance with the Growth Plan for the EU accession process, the Office for IT and eGovernment fulfilled its obligation in the information security segment in December last year by forming an organizational unit responsible for this field. Additionally, by launching the Cyber District, we want to work on promoting, educating and strengthening the cyber resilience of our country. The goal is also to encourage innovation and the development of the startup ecosystem, in order to enable the development and testing of security solutions, testing innovations in a safe and controlled digital environment before their wider application, as well as support programs for startups that help them develop a product, connect with partners and enter the market – said Jovanovic.

He added that the goal was for the Cyber District to be a unique place where ideas become solutions, and the synergy of knowledge, innovation and cooperation, the future of a digitally sovereign and secure Serbia.

– As part of a broader initiative for digital transformation in Serbia, UNDP supports the establishment of a Cyber District that will enable the development and testing of innovative solutions in the field of cybersecurity, including the application of artificial intelligence, through cooperation between public institutions, the private sector, startups, the academic community and international partners – said Yakup Beris, UNDP Resident Representative in Serbia.

Kancelarija za informacione tehnologije i elektronsku upravu Beograd

UNDP Beograd

Office for IT and eGovernment

Cyber District

UNDP

HUB201

Mihailo Jovanović

Yakup Beris