FINAL WORD
Cody Barrow, CEO, EclecticIQ
From Airbus to‘ Cybus’: A call for strategic collaboration
The success of Airbus in the 1980s offers an interesting parallel. European aerospace firms collaborated to build something greater and successfully challenged global leaders. Could European cybersecurity companies achieve the same?
A‘ Cybus’ framework would focus on three key areas:
• Threat intelligence consortium: Participating firms contribute anonymised threat data to a shared platform, creating a comprehensive European threat landscape that benefits all participants.
Such collaboration would drive efficiency and reduce R & D costs and strengthen Europe’ s cybersecurity position globally. In key international markets such as the US and Asia, a united European cybersecurity front could enhance the region’ s capacity to deliver standout products that solve real security problems.
We have already seen the benefits of collaboration. The Performance of European Partnerships under Horizon Europe has been widely successful and sees continued investment; European Union funding has reached € 24.9 billion and its partners have contributed an additional € 40 billion, significantly increasing investment in the priorities of the EU.
With that said, competition remains essential. Organisations would still differentiate through service and client relationships but collaborate on shared challenges. A consortium wouldn’ t just refine our capabilities, it would fundamentally transform Europe’ s security posture while allowing each firm to focus on what they do best: helping customers protect their most critical assets.
ReArm Europe / Readiness 2030 could be crucial for the continent, but Europe’ s cybersecurity business leaders must proactively shape the future, not wait for external prompts. The business sector must evolve to meet these challenges. Innovation and growth are strategic imperatives, not optional gestures.
Securing Europe’ s future through action
Rather than serving as a limitation, a strong European cybersecurity base should be viewed as a launchpad for global impact.
• Joint research initiatives: Companies would pool resources for fundamental research on emerging threats like quantum-resistant encryption and AIpowered attacks, sharing the costs and benefits.
• Standardised security protocols: Developing common security standards specifically designed for European regulatory requirements would reduce compliance costs and close vulnerabilities across the board.
Europe cannot afford to be reactive in addressing cybersecurity challenges. The private sector must take an active role in shaping the future rather than waiting for government directives. The‘ Cybus Initiative’ represents more than business strategy; it’ s about ensuring Europe’ s digital sovereignty in an increasingly contested digital battlefield.
It is worth considering whether fragmentation undermines our resilience. The proposed 28th regime, a legal framework to unify rules across the EU, could simplify compliance, strengthen innovation and standardise regulatory practices. Still, achieving this requires navigating differences in national regulations and priorities.
We need to lead the charge through proactive industry direction, including proposals, panels, or direct calls, starting today – global security depends on it. Proactive steps must be taken rather than waiting for government directives. p
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