Elite Cybersecurity Programme Seeks to Develop Future Start-up Leaders

Munster Technological University is inviting experienced professionals to apply for the final places in its elite Cyber Innovate programme. The programme is designed to equip participants with the skills to launch and lead cybersecurity start-ups, strengthening Ireland’s position as a cybersecurity innovator.

Cyber Innovate is co-funded by the Government of Ireland and the European Union through the ERDF Southern, Eastern & Midland Regional Programme 2021-27.

Now in its second year, the programme also aims to address historical diversity imbalances in the cybersecurity sector. In its first year, five out of the 12 successful applicants were women, and the programme organisers are keen to see that trend continue.

Ronan Coleman, Director of Cyber Innovate, said: “Most start-up programmes focus on commercialising a pre-existing idea. Cyber Innovate is different. From day one, participants dive into real-world challenges, engaging directly with industry leaders in financial services, technology, telecoms, agriculture, and smart maritime. They work alongside cybersecurity and IT professionals to uncover pressing problems they face, and design practical, high-impact solutions.”

As part of the programme, successful applicants receive a €38,000 tax-free scholarship, along with fees for a 10-month Postgraduate diploma. Students will be based full-time on site in the Rubicon Centre business incubator at MTU. “The goal of the scholarship is to give students the breathing space to learn and to fully commit to validating the opportunity for a cybersecurity startup,” said Sarah O’Donovan, Programme Manager of Cyber Innovate.

A key partner for the programme is Georgia Tech VentureLab, which specialises in the lean start-up I-Corps methodology for validating the commercial opportunity for a potential product or service. To date, I-Corps has led to 1,357 start-ups that have since raised a combined $3.16billion in funding.

The first year of Cyber Innovate launched in September 2024 and is currently ongoing. Its students, organised into five teams, identified over 450 customer problems or needs, and narrowed that to 38 concepts before shortlisting to one project for each team to focus on. The student teams are currently working on prototypes, business models and business plans with the aim of raising funding for their start-ups this summer.

Applications for the 2025/26 programme close on Monday 31 March, and further information is available at https://cyberinnovate.ie/.

“The application process is simple: we want to encourage people from a variety of backgrounds to apply, even if they haven’t worked in cybersecurity before now,” said Ronan Coleman.