The year 2024 at the National Coordination Centre

For the period 2023–2024, NCC-FI was awarded funding from the Digital Europe programme to start up its statutory activities and to provide financial support for projects that improve cyber security. Now the two year project is coming to a successful conclusion, and NCC-FI is a functioning and active part of the EU-wide network of Coordination Centres. NCC-FI provides e.g., networking opportunities, information and guidance on EU funding and financial support to the Finnish cyber security actors to develop and implement state-of-the-art cyber security solutions.

In 2024, NCC-FI provided financial support to a total of 37 companies to implement state-of-the-art information security solutions and innovations. A total of EUR 1.5 million of financial support was granted during the year, with individual subsidised companies receiving amounts ranging from EUR 6,600 to EUR 60,000. The financial support primarily strengthens companies' own capabilities and Finland's national capacity and infrastructure to protect against cyber-attacks.

NCC-FI organised several events in 2024, both on its own and in cooperation with its partners. During the summer, training for applying for EU funding for cybersecurity was organised in the form of both webinars and in-person training. In September, the NCC-FI, together with partners, hosted an international Brokerage event in Helsinki on EU funding concerning cyber security. The event featured presentations by industry experts and panel discussions. It also provided an opportunity for people to present their own project ideas, hear the presentations of others, find partners, and network more widely.

In addition to its own events, NCC-FI was also actively involved in other events. The NCC-FI’s staff participated in the Cyber Security 2024 event earlier last year and the Cyber Security Nordic Fair in the autumn to present the Centre's activities, especially EU funding opportunities for cyber security. NCC-FI also supported multiple organisation at various events, such as the Assembly computer festival organised jointly by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC-FI) and the police, as well as the Hack the Networks hackathon.

NCC-FI is also responsible for building and developing the national cyber security competence community. The aim of the national competence community is to bring together key actors from the public, private and third sectors, and to develop and support cooperation between them to enable and improve cyber security research, development and innovation. The national competence community grew in 2024, reaching the 100-member mark by the end of the year. The members of the national competence community receive a monthly newsletter, which provides first-hand information on, for example, funding opportunities in the cyber security sector, events organised by the NCC-FI and other actors in the field, and EU policies on cyber security. Find out more about the national competence community and join us here. (External link)

NCC-FI will continue to support Finnish organisations in developing cyber security in the coming year. The Centre would like to thank its partners and the national competence community for the past year, and wishes everyone a successful 2025!