START4.0 participated in the Bucharest Cybersecurity Conference 2026 (BCC2026), held in Bucharest from October 20 to 22. The conference was organized by Romania’s National Cybersecurity Directorate (DNSC), with the support of ENISA and the European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC). Backed by the ECCC and the Italian National Coordination Centre (NCC-IT)—which operates under the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN)—the Competence Centre played a prominent role during the event’s “Community Day.”
A pitch to introduce START4.0 to the European community
During Community Day, START4.0 delivered a brief pitch to present its identity and offerings. It is one of eight Italian national Competence Centres and the only one specialized in the security and optimization of strategic infrastructure, including ports, energy, transport, water networks, and production systems.
The presentation generated significant interest. Numerous European organizations expressed a desire to learn more about the Centre’s expertise and explore potential collaborations—ranging from cybersecurity for critical infrastructure and NIS2 compliance to training initiatives and “test-before-invest” laboratory services.
“Bucharest confirmed just how strong the interest is in the Italian Competence Centre model,” says Georgia Cesarone, CTO of START4.0. “We met with many organizations keen to collaborate with us; now, the task is to turn these contacts into concrete European projects.”
A European network that continues to grow
Participation in BCC2026 strengthens START4.0’s network of international partnerships. The Centre is already collaborating with research institutions and port authorities in Spain, the Netherlands, Greece, Germany, and France through programs such as Horizon Europe, Erasmus+, Digital Europe, and Interreg. In July 2026, in collaboration with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the organization took part in the United Nations Global Mechanism on ICT security in New York.
The objective is now clear: to leverage the connections established in Bucharest to foster new European initiatives, by integrating the expertise of the Centre—and the companies within its network—into the European cybersecurity ecosystem.
The role of the ECCC and the NCC within the European ecosystem
The European Cybersecurity Competence Centre (ECCC), based in Bucharest, works alongside a network of National Coordination Centres (NCCs) in each Member State to coordinate European investments in cybersecurity and the development of a European community of expertise. In Italy, the National Coordination Centre is hosted by the National Cybersecurity Agency (ACN).
START4.0 extends its gratitude to the ECCC and its Executive Director, Luca Tagliaretti, as well as to the Italian National Coordination Centre (NCC-IT) at the ACN—specifically Ludovica Coletta—for the support that made this participation possible.