Speech by SMS Janil Puthucheary at the CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth Collaboration Centre

WELCOME SPEECH BY SMS JANIL PUTHUCHEARY AT THE OPENING OF THE CYBERSG TALENT, INNOVATION AND GROWTH COLLABORATION CENTRE

Mr Alex Bamford, Acting High Commissioner, British High Commission Singapore

Professor Tan Eng Chye, President, National University of Singapore (NUS),

Mr David Koh, Commissioner of Cybersecurity and Chief Executive of the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA),

Distinguished guests,

Ladies and gentlemen,

Introduction

1. Good afternoon. I am delighted to be here at the opening of the CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth Collaboration Centre.

2. With increasing digitalisation, cybersecurity is vital for our national security. It is also a critical enabler for our digital economy and way of life, as we spend more time online, being increasingly reliant on online services.

3. In 2021, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore (CSA) refreshed the Singapore Cybersecurity Strategy to build a cyber-resilient nation. The development of a vibrant cybersecurity ecosystem and a robust cyber workforce were highlighted as two foundational enablers that are essential for protecting Singapore from cyber threats and strengthening our position as a trusted business hub. These two enablers will also create economic opportunities for Singaporeans and Singapore-based businesses.

Investing in Cybersecurity Ecosystem Growth through CyberSG

4. With Government, industry and academia working together over the years, our cybersecurity ecosystem and workforce have grown. Today, we are home to more than 500 cybersecurity providers. Constant innovation is vital in the cyber domain to counter new threats and grow new business. Companies looking to innovate need access to talent, technology, addressable markets and funding, and Singapore has all of these attributes. There is also a thriving research environment here which has good synergy with industry efforts – and this helps companies develop cutting edge applications.

5. For our workforce, our academic institutions offer more than 20 tertiary level courses. This has enabled the growth of the workforce from 4,000 in 2016 to 12,000 in 2022, with over 70% being locals.

6. We must continue to innovate and grow our cyber talent pool as this is the only way for us to stay ahead of ever-evolving threats and maintain trust in the digital domain.

7. This is why in September last year, we announced the launch of two national level CyberSG initiatives to further develop the ecosystem and workforce. The first initiative is the CyberSG R&D Programme Office (CRPO) which was set up at NTU to drive research and development activities. The second initiative is the CyberSG Talent, Innovation and Growth Plan which included the setting up of a physical node called, the CyberSG TIG Collaboration Centre by NUS, which is where we are today.

Launch of CyberSG Consortium to spur ideation

8. Both NTU and NUS have been hard at work since last year. I am pleased to announce several ecosystem development initiatives by both universities today.

9. The CRPO will launch the "CyberSG Consortium" initiative. This consortium will serve as a central platform for academia, research institutes, small and medium enterprises, and large corporations to share the latest developments in cybersecurity research and innovation and foster ideation and development of cybersecurity solutions.

10. The consortium aims to achieve several key objectives: empowering leading enterprises with innovative solutions from academia, fostering the exchange of new ideas between industry and academia, and sharing knowledge and best practices through collaborative working groups. More information on the Consortium initiative will be shared at the CRPO-organised event on 23 July 2024.

Launch of CyberSG TIG Collaboration Centre to support talent and industry development programmes

11. Next, I am happy to be here today, for the opening of the CyberSG TIG Collaboration Centre set up by NUS, in partnership with CSA.

12. The TIG Centre will work with different stakeholders in the ecosystem to develop the talent pipeline through various manpower programmes, fund innovative companies to serve the needs of end-users, and nurture promising local companies to explore overseas markets and opportunities.

13. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few key initiatives. Professor Tan Eng Chye will provide more details about them later.

Developing Singapore’s cybersecurity talent pipeline

14. Together with CSA, the TIG Centre drives a broad spectrum of CyberSG Talent initiatives for young people and working professionals. This is critical as we look to increase the talent pipeline, professionalise the workforce through establishment of standards and equip non-cyber professionals with foundational cyber knowledge. So there is an effort around people who are identified as cyber professionals working within the industry, and then there is a need for these types of roles, time and talent. Those who are working in adjacent industries who do not necessarily identify as cybersecurity professionals will still need foundational cyber learning opportunities.

15. One of the talent development efforts is attracting youths into cybersecurity by providing them with opportunities to explore cybersecurity as a career, and exposure to relevant technical knowledge and soft skills. For example, in June, CSA and the TIG Centre team worked with the five polytechnics and NUS’ Women in Tech interest group to conduct six Youth Cyber Exploration Programme (“Y-CEP”) bootcamps for close to 250 secondary school student participants. 91 students emerged as finalists to participate in the Central Capture-the-Flag competition held at the CISCO Singapore office. I am happy to note that one of the all-girls teams from the Women-in-Tech bootcamp won the third prize in the finals. We hope to increase the interest among women to take up careers in cybersecurity, and join the cybersecurity ecosystem.

16. We are committed to creating opportunities for Singaporeans to pursue a meaningful and fulfilling cybersecurity career. CSA is now leading a study on professionalisation to enhance the quality and recognition of the cybersecurity workforce. Inputs from stakeholders in the industry, professional bodies, academia and government agencies will help shape the professional framework that we are planning to develop over the next few years.

Fostering Innovation

17. When it comes to fostering innovation, about 200 representatives from various cybersecurity companies participated in the recent Cybersecurity Industry Call for Innovation (CyberCall) to understand how they can provide innovative solutions to address the challenge statements.

18. Amongst the awarded companies is pQCee, a local startup company that specialises in post-quantum computing cryptography. Under the CyberCall programme, pQCee will develop a quantum-safe public key infrastructure (“P-K-I”) to address emerging cyber threats from threat actors capitalising on quantum computers to exploit new vulnerabilities.

19. It is timely to look into this now, as today’s cryptographic methods to secure data are likely to become vulnerable in the future, when quantum computers become powerful enough to solve complicated mathematical problems designed for PKIs. By transitioning to quantum-safe PKIs now, PQCee is helping to secure a safer digital future for everyone.

Helping Companies Grow

20. Last but not least, the TIG Centre is taking steps to help cyber companies grow. One such collaboration is with SGInnovate, who already has significant experience in supporting the deep tech ecosystem, through ecosystem-level initiatives like the Deep Tech Central strategy. Investments into early-stage startups, in the form of capital and talent, are crucial to help them grow. Together, the TIG Centre and SGInnovate can create a comprehensive support system for cybersecurity companies, and they will be formalising their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding today.

21. We also recognise that cybersecurity companies need cyber-specific mentorship and access to networks to help them in their growth journeys. Therefore, the TIG Centre will provide venture development and early scaling support to help grow promising cybersecurity companies.

22. CyberBoost Catalyse is one of the programmes at the Centre that has been designed to help cybersecurity companies at the critical stages of their journey - often called the Growth stage. It will be co-delivered by TIG Centre together with Plexal, who has experience in running successful programmes like the “UK Cyber Runway” as well as the UK National Cyber Security Centre's “NCSC for Startups” programme.

23. These have helped grow a new generation of cybersecurity companies in the UK and I am delighted to share that Singapore is one of the first countries that Plexal will expand its presence to.

24. The TIG Centre and Plexal will also be formalising their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding later. I warmly welcome Plexal’s partnership with NUS.

Conclusion

25. In conclusion, Singapore's commitment to strengthen and invest in our local cybersecurity ecosystem, through CyberSG initiatives and partnerships, will fortify our position as a cybersecurity hub in this region.

26. In doing so, we are not only shaping the future of the cybersecurity industry in Singapore but are also making significant strides towards creating a safer cyberspace for all. Thank you.