Given the critical importance of cybersecurity in the lives of people and nation, the Government is actively thinking of rolling an undergraduate program in cybersecurity where talented students from outside the JEE will also be enrolled. This step is taken to scale up the capacity for producing trained skilled manpower in the cybersecurity. “There is a need to have a large pool of cybersecurity professionals in the country,” said Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, Department of Science and Technology (DST) while launching C3iHub’s startup cohorts III, IV, and V in New Delhi on March 31.
DST secretary mentioned that given the advances in emerging technologies like AI and Quantum computing, it is critical for India to indigenize fundamental research for cutting edge solutions to face challenges posed by these advances. He lauded the journey of C3iHub and advised it to approach the state government for creating an enabling ecosystem while pledging DST’s support, “I urge C3iHub to take core tech further, bring together quantum tech and cybersecurity to prepare for the emergence of technologies such as AI. DST will also be happy to support IIT Kanpur in creating a Tech Park which will bring together start-ups in cybersecurity and sector champions to create a synergy between developers and end-users, and take it to a global scale.” IIT Kanpur is among the few IITs that runs M Tech in cybersecurity.
Navin Kumar Singh, IPS, Director General NCIIPC, an alumnus of IIT Kanpur expressed concern over the slide in his alma mater’s reputation as the top ranking computer sciences college and made a strong pitch to come over the challenges and handicaps to regain the lost glory. He also outlined, how his organization is expanding to create more avenues for cybersecurity professionals. He also talked about a contest being planned by the government agency on lines of a hackathon in cybersecurity.
C3iHub, a National Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) for Advanced Cybersecurity at the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) presented 19 startups in the Startup Incubation Program, specializing in specific cybersecurity areas including Application Security, Integrated SOC Solution, Cyber Forensics, Blockchain Technology, UAV Security, IoT Security, and Cyber Insurance.
Under the flagship program of the Startup Incubation Program, C3iHub has provided support to 50 startups across five cohorts which are actively engaged in critical cybersecurity domains such as cyber forensics, application security, blockchain technology, deception technology, threat intelligence, and cyber insurance. Many of these startups have successfully launched and commercialized products, while several others are currently in the process of scaling up their operations.
C3iHub provides a seed grant of Rs 10 lakhs to incubated startups and offers a monthly salary of Rs 50,000 for one founder over two years, resulting in an initial investment of Rs 22 lakhs. The organization aims for at least a 20% success rate among startups after the two-year incubation period. As these startups mature, C3iHub facilitates connections with investors and corporations to aid them in raising capital, fostering the development of a resilient digital infrastructure for India.
The launch event besides Dr. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, DST was graced by Lt. General M U Nair, National Cybersecurity Coordinator; Shri Navin Kumar Singh, IPS, Director General NCIIPC; Dr. Akhilesh Gupta, Sr. Advisor, DST; and Dr. Ekta Kapoor, Mission Director, NM-ICPS, DST; Dr. Ajay Kumar, Former Defence Secretary of India; and Dr. Gulshan Rai. In addition to hosting the Launch event, C3iHub presented an exhibition wherein several C3iHub developers as well as C3iHub top-performing startups displayed their technologies like Authentication, Deception Technology, Anti-Drone Technology, Cloud Security, Hardware Security, Blockchain Technology.
India’s first National Cybersecurity Coordinator.Lt. General M U Nair, National Cybersecurity Coordinator speaking on the occasion spoke about the importance and critical nature of cyber secuity, “Cyber space is the most exploited and we must ensure that our national security is protected from any possible attack. There is a need for a vibrant cybersecurity ecosystem that will prepare us to face not just present cybersecurity challenges but also future tech advancements. It is here that the cybersecurity startups promise to be the harbingers of change. My congratulations to the entire team of C3iHub in helping these startups with the support of its immense knowledge and experience.”
In his interaction with the media persons, Prof. Sandeep Shukla, Co-Project Director, C3iHub while talking about C3iHub’s achievements so far, also pointed out to challenge areas of these startups. He said that two major areas of concern for the growth of these startups are in demand and lack of funding. “While we have enabled and promoted the supply side, on demand side in the Government sector the tendering and other regulations haven’t kept pace and as a result it become difficult for young enterprises to get work orders. Two, the deep tech doesn’t enthuse venture capitalists and without big funding moving to next level is very difficult,” he added.
C3iHub is a Technology Innovation Hub (TIH) established at Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, funded by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems. C3iHub addresses cybersecurity of cyber-physical systems in its entirety. The TIH is deeply engaged in all facets of cybersecurity, from identifying vulnerabilities in critical cyberphysical systems to creating tools for mitigation. This involves supporting startups and collaborating with industries to commercialize these tools, alongside training the next wave of cybersecurity experts. C3iHub, meanwhile, concentrates on addressing cybersecurity challenges within cyber-physical systems such as critical infrastructures, automotive, and drones. Its scope encompasses various cybersecurity domains like network security, cryptography, intrusion detection, and deception technology. Startups under its umbrella focus on UAV security, blockchain, intrusion detection, and cyber-physical systems. C3iHub aims to develop security solutions for critical infrastructures while nurturing the growth of cybersecurity entrepreneurs.
