The Top Consortium for Knowledge and Innovation (TKI) for ICT has awarded funding to four projects in the Strategic Programme for the Security Market. As an initiative within the Knowledge and Innovation Agenda (KIA) for Security, the call aims to mobilise the top sectors in aid of the Dutch Ministry of Defence from 2025-2027, focusing on the security market. The call is primarily a collaboration between the Ministry and Topsector High Tech Systems and Materials (HTSM). However, given the number of connections to Topsector ICT and the KIA Digitalisation, the TKI ICT has earmarked 1.2 million euros of public-private funding for relevant projects in the Digital and Information Technologies of AI/Data and Cybersecurity Technologies.
The following projects have been awarded funding:
- INSYST (Inherent cybersecurity through system thinking)
- CyGENT (Cyber Governance and AI-Driven Threat Management)
- CYDES (Cybersecurity in Decentralised Energy Systems)
- INVISE (Integrated visualisation and semantics for next-gen digital twins)
About INSYST
Coordinated by TNO, the INSYST (Inherent cybersecurity through system thinking) project involves Damen Schelde Naval Shipbuilding, University of Twente (UT) and RH Marine Netherlands. Working as a consortium, the partners aim to provide the maritime industry with technological solutions for initial validation and application of cybersecurity-by-design in a representative setting. Applicants will concentrate on designing and developing systems that are inherently secure and capable of adapting to evolving cyber threats The approach is based on systems thinking and seeks to integrate ‘shift-left’ security.
INSYST addresses two common cybersecurity challenges:
- The often manual, labour-intensive nature of software testing compromises testing quality and leaves systems vulnerable. INSYST demonstrates technology for automated, scalable testing that reduces engineers’ and testers’ workload.
- Vulnerability management is often generic and therefore misses specific context. INSYST is developing a risk-based approach to assess and prioritise vulnerabilities in maritime autonomous systems within context, enabling operators to focus on the most critical threats.
The project outcomes are validated in a representative test environment and can be optimised for other systems and industries. Broader validation in more complex use cases can provide further proof of concept.
About CyGENT
Led by the University of Twente, the Cyber Governance and AI-Driven Threat Management (CyGENT) project focuses on the growing threat of AI-powered malware. This type of malware adapts attacks in real-time, optimising them in ways that render traditional cybersecurity defences obsolete. By using large-scale threat data sharing and file scanners such as VirusTotal, the project aims to improve malware classification by distinguishing AI-powered from non-AI threats.
The University of Twente and Disem Institute, the consortium behind the project, are developing predictive models to anticipate future cyber attacks and update simulation models to reflect real, AI-powered threats. The aim is to ease decision-making for managers, so that they can effectively allocate resources and proactively defend against emerging cyber threats while training their risk management skills in simulations.
About CyDES
Coordinated by Fontys University of Applied Sciences and involving the SMEs Power to Power and Fluidwell, the Cybersecurity for Decentralised Energy systems (CyDES) project focuses on cybersecurity-by-design in developing decentralised energy systems.
The energy transition presents fresh challenges in terms of cybersecurity guarantees, all the more so in the case of decentralised systems using numerous components at various locations. These systems are vulnerable due to additional digitalisation, requiring extra layers of integrated security. The decentralised production of green hydrogen holds major benefits, such as accelerated energy transitions and cost reduction. It is not without risk, however, and requires additional security measures for all system components.
The project supplies a practical toolkit of checklists, security protocols and more, offering improved cybersecurity guarantees for industry partners that develop decentralised energy systems. It is also developing a reference architecture for the specific situation of decentralised physical infrastructures and Central Energy Management Systems (CEMS). Furthermore, the researchers are identifying security measures arising from the relatively new technology of digital twins. The results are validated in specific cases for project partners, but are more widely applicable in decentralised energy systems security.
About INVISE
INVISE is a collaboration between the Netherlands Institute for Public Safety (NIPV), uCrowds and the Amsterdam-Amstelland Security Region. The project explores integrated visualisation and semantics for next-gen digital twins, focusing on the KIA Digital and Information Technology of Digital Twinning and Immersive Technologies. The consortium is developing algorithms that correctly integrate visual (3D) and semantic (2D) data in digital twins. It aims to enable realistic and reliable crowd simulations for application in crisis management as well as civilian and military security.
The project begins by making a comprehensive comparison of various data sources and identifying current shortcomings. These insights are used to develop algorithms and data structures for 3D and 2D data integration, which are then integrated into the digital twin: SimCrowds. The new prototype is tested using historic event data (such as from SAIL Amsterdam 2025) as well as in real-time settings during events in 2026 (such as King’s Day). Its ease of use, reliability and end user acceptance will also be evaluated.
By combining different data sources in a coherent, digital representation of reality, the consortium can create a system that observes, learns in real time and is able to act in response to potential future events. This supports the transformation of digital twins into autonomous systems that interact with reality in dynamic settings such as events, evacuations and military threats. The prototype of this digital twin will soon be ready for civilian and military use and can be used to improve crowd flow, plan evacuations, train security services and perform real-time crowd management during events.
Find out more about the Strategic Programme for the Security Market