- On 3rd December, the Spanish Technology Platform for Disruptive Technologies (DISRUPTIVE) held its IV General Assembly focusing on the strategic role of cybersecurity in an increasingly digitalized world
The event, held at the Assembly Hall of the State Research Agency in Madrid and streamed online to facilitate remote access for all interested parties, brought together a group of experts in the academic, business and government fields.
The event was opened by Director of Castello´s Science and Technology Park (ESPATEIC) and President of DISRUPTIVE, Juan Antonio Bertolín; President of the Association of Science and Technology Parks of Spain (APTE), Felipe Romera and the Head of the Thematic Scientific-Technical Programs Subdivision at the State Research Agency, Maria Ángeles Ferre González.
The program included a keynote lecture titled “Criptografía para un futuro cuántico” (Cryptography for a quantum future) delivered by the full professor of the University Carlos III of Madrid and a renowned specialist in Cryptography, Maria Isabel González Vasco. She analyzed the different challenges that quantum computing brings to security in digital systems.
During the Assembly, the results of the activities carried out by DISRUPTIVE between 2023 and 2024 by the Managing Director at APTE and Head of the Technical Secretariat at DISRUPTIVE, Soledad Díaz were presented. Additionally, Juan Antonio Bertolín provided specific reports on cybersecurity, and Innovation Manager at INCIBE, Tatiana Gutiérrez , delivered a presentation on the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre Node, highlighting Spain’s prominent role in the field.
One of the highlights of the program was the roundtable focused on the national and European regulations on cybersecurity with a special focus on NIS2 Directive and the Cyber resilience directive.Participants of the round table were experts in the field such as Deputy Director at the Spanish National Cryptologic Centre, Luis Jimenez and Chief Information Security Officer at Atos Spain, Victor Merino Ramos. The round table was moderated by registrar at PESI and coordinator of the cybersecurity group at DISRUPTIVE, Javier Larrañeta.
The gender gap within this sector was also addressed in a talk led by cofounder of the Spanish chapter of Women4Cyber.
The event concluded with a panel on future possibilities in the field of cybersecurity, featuring Head of the TIC – Industry 4.0 Area at Fundación Cidaut, Álvaro García;Head of Cyber Security at Tecnalia Óscar Lage; Professor at the University of Málaga, Javier López; Head of Special Defense Projects (Ethical Hackers), Eva Álvarez del Manzano; and Director of Defense and Cybersecurity and CISO at AXPE Consulting, Javier Soria.
The panel was moderated by Soledad Díaz concluding a complete and diverse program.