CybersecRDI: Cybersecurity Research, Development and Innovation Hub, hosted within Innovation Centre Nikola Tesla (ICENT), is the key Croatian facility to support companies to become more competitive by improving their cybersecurity as well as cybersecurity products and services by up-taking education, research, development & innovation activities.

CybersecRDI acts as one-stop-shop, helping Croatian companies to improve their cybersecurity products through efficient orchestrating of various stakeholders in cybersecurity innovation ecosystem such as research institutions, business support institutions and businesses operating in the field of cybersecurity that may contribute to the development and application of advanced cybersecurity solutions. CybersecRDI also provides connections with investors, facilitates access to financing for digital transformations, helps connect users and suppliers of cybersecurity innovations across the value chain and foster synergies between cybersecurity and other key enabling technologies (such as machine learning).

Five thematic priority areas (TPAs) have been identified in the Croatian Smart Specialization Strategy (S3) (https://rio.jrc.ec.europa.eu/en/library/smart-specialisation-strategy-republic-croatia-period-2016-2020-and-action-plan) with relevant technological and production fields:

• Health and quality of life,
• Energy and sustainable environment,
• Transport and mobility,
• Security, and
• Food and bio-economy.

Under the TPA Security, Croatia identified sub-thematic priority area (STPA) Cyber security.

The priority of Croatia in the first few years of S3 implementation is to create a climate that is favourable for innovation and to stimulate business sector investments in R&D activities in order to develop new products, services and technologies in the field of cyber security that will enable growth of the Croatian economy in this very high added value field.

The CybersecRDI DIH will serve as a support network and incubator which will increase activities in research and development related to cyber security. It will also serve as a main point of know-how and activities that will increase cyber security in industry, government and research institutions.

As such, while doing review of Smart Specialization Strategy implementation progress by World Bank Croatia, it was recognized as a key enabler for implementation of Smart Specialization Strategy in its part related to cyber security. Based on the recommendation of World Bank Croatia, CybersecRDI DIH was accepted by Croatian Ministry of Economy, Entrepreneurship and Crafts as one of the activities to be supported in future implementation of Smart Specialization Strategy of the Republic of Croatia.