SBA Research Receives Funding as a COMET Center for Next Generation Cybersecurity
We are proud to announce that SBA Research will once again be funded as one of six COMET Centers by the Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG), starting in 2025. This marks the third funding period since its establishment as a K-Ind (industrial competence center) in 2006, underscoring the crucial role of cybersecurity research in Austria.
Next Generation Cybersecurity (NGC) – Excellent Research for a Secure Society
The rapid development of digital technologies and the increasing complexity of modern infrastructures have significantly expanded the attack surfaces for cyber threats. The new SBA-K1 NGC research program for the upcoming COMET phase offers a comprehensive approach to addressing these challenges, based on three fundamental pillars:
- Secure Software
- Secure Overall Systems
- Advancement of Mathematical Foundations to Improve Practical Solutions
Markus Klemen, Managing Director of SBA Research, explains: “Upcoming regulations such as NIS2 or the Cyber Resilience Act demonstrate how seriously the European Commission takes cybersecurity in the digitalization process. Through our research and development, we create practical solutions that not only help successfully implement these regulations but also generate new competitive advantages.”
© SBA Research
Edgar Weippl, Scientific Director of SBA Research and Professor of Security and Privacy at the University of Vienna, adds: “We have developed an ambitious research program for COMET that combines top international research with high practical relevance. This strengthens Austrian companies and significantly contributes to the training of the next generation of cybersecurity experts.”
Dimitris Simos, Future Scientific Lead of SBA Research, commends: “Starting with the new COMET phase, SBA Research aims to become a world-leading research institute in cybersecurity that is essential for academia, industry and our society, and that contributes significantly to sustainable development goals.”
Funding and Program Management
The COMET competence centers are funded by the federal government, particularly the Ministry of Climate Action (BMK) and the Ministry of Economic Affairs (BMAW), as well as by the federal states. The program management has been in the hands of the Austrian Research Promotion Agency FFG for over 20 years. SBA Research has been a COMET center since 2010.
Martin Kocher, Minister of Labor and Economic Affairs, emphasizes in a statement: “COMET secures Austria a place at the forefront of international research and strengthens Austria’s position as a research and economic hub. It creates high-quality jobs and promotes scientific talent in the country.” [Translation by the author]