From 5 to 7 April, the 2023 edition of the FIC was rich in lessons for Brittany, present on a pavilion reflecting the dynamism of the territory and its role as a driving region in cybersecurity.
Cyber subjects more firmly in people’s minds
From 5 to 7 April, Lille lived to the rhythm of cybersecurity, on the occasion of FIC 2023. Over three days, 16,000 people passed through the doors of the Grand Palais to meet and exchange with players and attend speeches, including those of Vincent Strubel, Director General of the ANSSI, and Thierry Breton, European Commissioner for the Internal Market. “This presence was praised by the Breton companies present at the show. They emphasised the quality of the visitors and their interest in cybersecurity issues, points out Tiphaine Leduc, coordinator of the cybersecurity sector at BDI. They had projects and needs and expressed them. This is a sign that cybersecurity issues are now firmly established and that they are an integral part of good business management.”
Find all the interviews of the actors present on the pavilion on the Brittany pavilion :
A major cybersecurity event in Europe, along with the Assises and the European Cyber Week, the FIC 2023 provided an overview of the evolution of the sector. And the observation is strong: “It is becoming more mature in its structuring and in its capacity to propose solutions and offers. The FIC is a witness to the growth of the sector and contributes to it because it is the place where offers, needs and players converge. It helps the sector to structure itself and to become more mature. It is for these two roles that Brittany goes there.”
Brittany, a territory of convergence and creation of players
Brittany, a historic land of cybersecurity, demonstrated this once again at the FIC 2023 with a strong presence in the exhibition’s aisles. In the same pavilion, Brittany showed off the extent of its expertise and know-how thanks to the presence of four types of players: companies, laboratories, schools and territories. “This year, we had a strong presence of start-ups. We had newcomers on the pavilion (BZHunt, Ornisec, Qonfucius and Skyld). We are in this dynamic of being a territory of convergence and creation of new players. They need to meet their markets to develop, it’s a challenge.”
Outside the pavilion, many players previously supported by BDI and the Brittany Region to ensure their presence in Lille have taken off. “Soon, we will have as many Breton exhibitors in the pavilion as outside. This means that the regional policy and the Region’s support for these companies have borne fruit. They are able to go alone to the FIC.”
Towards a union of the cyber regions?
Brittany took advantage of its presence to forge links with its counterparts. One of the main highlights of the Breton pavilion at this FIC 2023 was the arrival of Tuscany, in the continuity of the Interreg CYBER project, which is now closed, but whose alliance between the partners continues. “The arrival of the Tuscany Region was one of the particularities of this 2023 edition of the FIC. It is less mature on its business side, but very mature on the awareness and training side. We were able to exchange on good practices and on a regional policy to be implemented. The exchanges will continue so that we can accentuate this training and awareness-raising aspect.”
At the heart of the national dynamic, Brittany is joined by other regions. More and more regional pavilions are set up at each edition of the FIC. “This is not a bad sign because there is no competition between them. The country is structuring itself because it wants to be present on the cybersecurity stage. The regions have their role to play. Brittany has been playing its part for several years and is delighted to be accompanied by other regions. We took advantage of the FIC to forge links. We met our neighbours Occitanie, Grand Est, Auvergne Rhône-Alpes, Hauts-de-France, Nouvelle Aquitaine and the Cyber Campus.”
An interregional emulation that could, in the future, lead to an agreement? “For foreign trade fairs, this should be the case in order to represent the French movement and to show that France is on a par with countries such as the United States or Israel in terms of cyber security. The regions are motivated to contribute to a national ambition. They are not in competition with each other but complementary, as we have been able to show in Brittany with Brest, Lannion, Lorient, Vannes and Rennes.” The interlocking of these territorial offers contributes to the influence and better legibility of Brittany’s positioning in terms of cybersecurity.
Brittany shines at the FIC
This edition of the FIC 2023 was marked by a marked presence of Breton companies in the various competitions organised. Anozr WAY, after three unsuccessful attempts, finally got its hands on the Holy Grail that is the Start-Up Award. Defants, for its second participation in the fair, was among the finalists. Finally, the ethical hackers of BZHunt won the FIC live bug bounty for the third time. These trophies reflect a region that is fertile ground for the creation of start-ups. “Brittany has a high level of technical expertise, not just in consulting. There are research teams, technical know-how and exchanges. This favours the creation of start-ups or their upgrading to propose solutions.”
2024, year of diversity for Breton cyber
The 2024 version of the FIC is already on everyone’s mind. Brittany will be there to exchange with its peers and the pure players of the cyber sector. But another trend is emerging: that of diversity. “This will involve Brittany’s presence at trade fairs where it is not used to being present. At SantExpo at the end of May 2023, at food and energy fairs, for example. We want to diversify the beneficiaries of cyber security.”
Contact :
Tiphaine Leduc