Israel and cybersecurityNational cyber complex to open next to Ben-Gurion University of the Negev campus

Israel prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Ben-Gurion University of the Negev president Rivka Carmi earlier this week announced the establishment of a national cyber complex in Beer-Sheva, called CyberSpark.

“Beer-Sheva will not only be the cyber capital of Israel but one of the most important places in the cyber security field in the world,” Netanyahu declared at the opening of a two day Cybertech International Conference and Exhibition in Tel Aviv, sponsored by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, the National Cyber Bureau, Israel Defense Journal, and the Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

“Ben-Gurion University of the Negev is a leading center of innovation in information security, in partnership with industry, security agencies and the government in a variety of tasks to protect Israel’s digital borders,” said Carmi. “We are at the forefront of cyber security research and are training the security researchers of tomorrow in our Master’s Program in Cyberspace Security, the first of its kind in Israel.”

At the Cybertech Conference, Fortune 500 companies Lockheed Martin and IBM both announced they would invest in CyberSpark R&D facilities, joining other cybersecurity leaders Deutsche Telekom, EMC, RSA, and many startups at CyberSpark, which is located in the new Advanced Technology Park (ATP) at BGU.

“I think it’s phenomenal what they’re trying to do. I’ve never seen such a collaboration in the incubation of new technology,” Lockheed Martin Vice President of Global Solutions Robert Eastman told the Jerusalem Post.

“Israel is one of the best when we look at cyberdefense, and it also is one of the best incubators of new technology and innovation.”

An AABGU release reports that the 15-building ATP say it will be the only type of complex of its kind in the world that includes Fortune 500 companies and cyber-incubators, academic researchers, and educational facilities as well as national government and security agencies. Together, they will produce a complete eco-system with all the components for global leadership in the cyber field — a common physical space, allowing the pooling of resources, shared technology infrastructure construction, and synergy of specialists, researchers, and students. The CyberSpark will also include a high school geared toward science and technology. The ATP is a partnership between the City of Beer-Sheva, and BGU and other investors (see “Beer-Sheva Cyber Security Park inaugurated by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, HSNW, 12 September 2013; and “Israel cyber security incubator program established by Ben-Gurion University of the Negev,” HSNW, 12 December 2012).

“The new CyberSpark complex is a significant step ahead for BGU in the global cybersecurity playing field,” explains Doron Krakow, executive vice president, American Associates, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (AABGU). “It is attracting the world’s largest companies, who will need to hire our graduates and researchers and fund our startups, as well as have a positive impact on the “brain drain” that has been an issue for Israel.”