Building Resilience in Cybersecurity

Building Resilience in Cybersecurity

How can Europe and its businesses become more resilient in the face of growing cyber threats, whilst at the same time strengthening their technological and digital sovereignty? This question was the focus of the AHK debelux Innovation Conference 2026 on 13 October in Leuven (Belgium).

Digital sovereignty as a prerequisite for resilience

Following a welcome address by Daniela Theisinger, Managing Director of Deutsche Telekom Global Business BeLux & France and President of AHK debelux, Cind Du Bois, Advisor on Industry and Economic Security at the Belgian Ministry of Defence, opened the main part of the conference.

Cybersecurity is a shared European responsibility

Du Bois emphasised that no state and no company can tackle today’s threats alone. The defence sector is a partner for businesses.

• Technological sovereignty therefore requires long-term commitment, investment and, above all, the ability to develop one’s own solutions.
• Europe needs networks in which states, businesses and institutions can exchange information and act together.

Resilience means more than just being able to withstand threats

Keynote speaker Lars Koreman identified gaps between our systems as a security risk. In his keynote address, “The Dual-Use Battlespace: Cyberspace and the Architecture of Threats Against Europe”, the EU Policy Officer for Cyber Defence highlighted an uncomfortable truth: anyone can become a target – individuals, states, companies, etc. He identified, above all, information gaps between systems as potential points of attack and called for improved data sharing. Critical infrastructure and its interfaces are under constant pressure.

• A resilient organisation is one that absorbs an attack, learns from it and continues to function.
• Meaningful data sharing is essential for better protection.

Security requires a ‘whole-of-society approach’

During the subsequent fireside chat with the German Ambassador Martin Kotthaus, the Luxembourgish Ambassador Jean-Louis Thill and the entrepreneur and former Belgian diplomat Jan Luykx, it also became clear that companies and public institutions can learn from cyber-attacks and use them as a catalyst.

• It is not just a matter of surviving a cyber attack, but of being better prepared afterwards.

Ambassador Thill advocates that stakeholders share the lessons they have learnt with others,

• Resilience is not static – speed is a priority here, as the pressure is mounting.
• Innovation and technological development are advancing rapidly, whilst geopolitical actors and cybercriminals are exploiting new technologies just as quickly for their own ends.

Ambassador Kotthaus emphasises, amongst other things, that critical infrastructure operates across borders and must therefore also be protected across borders. We face a variety of threats that require multifaceted responses; this calls for a society-wide approach.

• Cybersecurity is a task for society as a whole and not solely a matter for governments.
• We must also protect decision-making processes. Manipulated images and documents contribute to disinformation and alter the threat landscape.

Europe’s digital sovereignty: reducing dependencies

The panel debate “Securing Digital Sovereignty Whilst Facing Challenges” also addressed manipulation through AI. Experts from various companies agree that Europe has many strengths of its own in key technologies such as AI, semiconductors, cloud infrastructures and digital platforms. However, these capabilities must be better supported in order to achieve greater sovereignty and become less dependent on countries such as the US or China.

• AI offers enormous potential for cybersecurity, but can also be exploited by attackers.
• Regulation alone does not ensure security: systems must be tested in practice and vulnerabilities actively sought out.

Panelisten:

• Deutsche Telekom, Timo Levi, Vice President Sales, Go-To-Market & Architecture T-Business
• eco – Association of the Internet Industry, Andreas Weiss, Managing Director
• imec, Tom De Schepper, Technology Manager – Aerospace and Security Sector
• LuxTrust, Stéphane Ries, Strategic Advisor
• RedTeam Pentesting, Patrick Hof, Managing Director & Co-Founder

Innovative Pitches

Innovative Unternehmen stellen in kurzen Präsentationen und einer moderierten Q&A Session praxisnahe Lösungen vor:

• AI SLEIPNIR/EDNEO AG
  • Sebastian Sivakumar Knoell, CEO, AI SLEIPNIR GmbH
  • Thorsten Dieckmann von Laar, Chairman of the board, EDNEO AG
  • Ertekin Aykac, Chief of operation officer, EDNEO AG
• ATOMNIA, Anthony Senter, CEO & Founder
• AQLS, Dr. Daniel Vajner, COO & Head of Quantum
• iSea, Dr. ir. Valentijn Vande Keere, CEO
• VAARHAFT, Paul Franken, CTO & Co-Founder
• VEEZO, Emmanuel Taillieu, COO
• QSEIDON, Volker Reers, CEO & Founder

Presenter and Facilitator:

Tobias Verlende, former German and English lawyer, is the founder/CEO of CorpPearls, a Berlin-based M&A and corporate consulting boutique. CorpPearls specialises in innovation, assisting established companies and cities with technology integration and startups with market entry and internationalisation, including M&A transactions for innovative business models. Tobias Verlende is deeply involved in the European and international innovation ecosystem, organising events and leveraging his extensive network of German and international investors.