Preventing cyber-theft of trade secrets: Help develop awareness toolkit for SMEs

Innovative small and medium-sized companies and start-ups often poorly protect information on ongoing contract negotiations, customer and marketing information, data, new product designs and R&D plans, which all can constitute trade secrets or confidential business information. In addition, SMEs are exposed to cyber-attacks and data-leaks as much as larger companies, but they usually display lower awareness about the threats and are less prepared and equipped to deal with their consequences.

There is a need to enhance the level of awareness and quality of response by SMEs, start-ups and research organisations to trade secret theft attempts, particularly in those EU industries that are more likely to be targeted by industrial espionage (because of their technological edge or strategic value for a third country’s national development strategy).

To meet this need, the European Innovation Council and SMEs Executive Agency (EISMEA) have launched a call for tenders to help set-up awareness raising tools to protect EU SMEs and the research community against cyber theft.

Click here to read more about how to apply and to consult all important deadlines. 

Photo credits: Annie Spratt