Georgia Maintains Strong Showing at International Cybersecurity Conference

Prior to the global changes brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic, the Georgia Department of Economic Development (GDEcD) had been active throughout 2020 at trade conferences around the world, representing our state’s industries and workforce, from Arab Health 2020 in Dubai to the last conference we were able to join RSA cybersecurity conference in San Francisco in February.

At the recent RSA Conference, GDEcD joined forces with economic development partners across the state to meet with top cybersecurity professionals and business leaders to discuss emerging trends and formulate strategies for tackling current and future threats.

More than 36,000 people attended, and more than 650 exhibitors filled the Moscone Center from Feb. 23 – Feb. 27, 2020. It’s important to note that Georgia was the only state with its own pavilion in the exhibit hall. A unique opportunity to stand out among competing states.

GDEcD was excited to have the following partners join us in the Georgia booth:

As you can see above - the Georgia team featured a variety of state assets. Our ultimate goal was to provide attendees with a point of contact at every touch point in our economic development network. Our communities, utilities, educational institutions and state economic development partners were on-site and readily available to respond to questions regarding Georgia’s available resources and assets.

The event was considered a success for all involved as Georgia’s booth was buzzing with activity throughout the show. A few key takeaways from the Georgia team who participated include:

Q: Why are you here?

A: Georgia is the “Tech Capital of the South,” ranking in the top five states for cybersecurity growth potential. Some of the world’s most impressive information security companies, including Check Point, Dell SecureWork, IBM, Microsoft, Verint, and more, maintain a presence in Georgia. Based on overall industry revenue, Georgia’s information security cluster is ranked third in the nation. Additionally, we are “Transaction Alley,” where 70% of all the U.S. transactions are handled by payment processing firms across the state.

Q: What is the Georgia Cyber Center?

A: The Georgia Cyber Center is the largest single investment in a state-owned cybersecurity facility. The $100 million center is a unique public/private collaboration among private sector, military, government, and academia. Opened in 2018, it was developed to meet a growing need for cybersecurity talent across the world. The state-of-the-art building in Augusta, Georgia, is located near the headquarters of the U.S. Army Cyber Command at Fort Gordon and also features a cyber range, and incubator/accelerator program to foster innovation and entrepreneurship.

Q: Is there a strong technology community in Georgia?

A: Absolutely! Georgia’s technology community is diverse and includes talented individuals, industry leaders, academia, military, economic developers and more. Georgia currently leads the nation in the development of cyber talent and research with nine nationally ranked cyber institutes with CAE-R or CAE-DC designations.

As the world adjusts to changing circumstances due to the effects of COVID-19, cybersecurity will be at the forefront of many minds.

Additionally, GDEcD’s mission supporting economic development across the entire range of our services will remain more important than ever. I encourage you to visit www.georgia.org/cyber to learn more about what is happening in Georgia.

If you would like to speak with someone regarding Georgia’s Cybersecurity industry, please email: [email protected]. We look forward to seeing everyone again next year, or sooner.

Posted: March 18, 2020