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Swiss Night at RSA 2023
May 11, 2023
2023 will be a crucial year for digital technologies, both when it comes to opportunities and risks. On one hand, we are seeing tremendous advances reaching the masses, like Chat GPT and the technological advances it enables. On the other hand, the global discussions around the regulations of technology and the volatile global geopolitical environments might impact technologies in an unprecedented way. Many unknowns are ahead of us, not only when considering the impact that technology will have, but how it will benefit society and enhance trust.
As the world convened in San Francisco for the RSA conference, the world’s biggest cybersecurity conference, the nexus between technology and humanity emerged as a priority topic of interest. Switzerland, by organizing the Swiss Night at RSA, hopes to contribute to this conversation and ensure technology and cybersecurity leave no one behind and work to benefit society.
Switzerland’s neutrality, humanitarian values, skilled workforce, and business-friendly environment have helped build trust and credibility among other nations, making it a respected partner in global tech initiatives and a globally recognized hub for digital trust and cybersecurity innovation. Today, more than 50% of all global digital policies find their origin in Geneva, making Switzerland a strong hub for digital governance. This is an undertaking that requires the support of a variety of partners:
“As the leading telco and IT service provider in Switzerland, trust is part of our core values and vision. We believe that we are stronger together and that the value of partnerships across different Swiss organizations is much greater than the sum of its parts.”
– Marcus Dahlén, CEO, Swisscom Outpost
To give the bay area and RSA attendees a taste of what Switzerland offers in the worlds of cybersecurity and digital trust, key actors from various industries and sectors, such as Swisscom, Armasuisse, PRS, Trust Valley, the Swiss Business Hub, and the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce have joined forces to create the Swiss Night at RSA.
“By building strong relationships and trust with a variety of partners, Switzerland can showcase itself as a hub for innovation within the Cybersecurity field. We are excited to invite hackers, innovators, partners, and friends to the Swiss Night at RSA. We hope that these partnerships will continue in the coming years.”
– Stewart Tipson, Head of Export Promotion, Swiss Business Hub USA
To celebrate and showcase the strength of Switzerland, Swissnex in San Francisco and Trust Valley co-organized the Swiss Night at RSA, showcasing Swiss achievements to Silicon Valley-based stakeholders as well as global leaders in town for the renowned RSA conference.
Swissnex in San Francisco and Trust Valley lead through the evening program with a moderated panel discussion, focusing on pressing questions concerning the future of cybersecurity and how we can ensure that we develop sustainable and resilient digital solutions with trust at their core. Our multi-stakeholder speaker panel consisted of the following speakers:
- Vidya Raman, Partner, Sorenson Ventures
- Former professional hacker Tal Kollender, now CEO and co-founder of Gytpol
- Lennig Pedron, CEO, Trust Valley Initiative
- Joel Parish, LLM Security Applications, Open AI
In addition to key takeaways from the panel discussions, such as the fact that generative AI can be both used to attack and protect vulnerable systems, the event featured a poster exhibition with provocative theses around the future of digital trust, as well as possible solutions from 13 selected startups. But not only startups are seeing the need for a future, in which cybersecurity isn’t an afterthought:
“The recently released Swiss National Cyber Strategy (NCS) calls for early recognition of new cyber and AI-based technologies and their consequences for the security of Switzerland. The Swiss Night highlights Switzerland as a leading country in the field of cyber-defence. With our attendance and participation, we show the support of the Department of Defence, Civil Protection and Sport (DDPS) to the Swiss innovation ecosystem.”
– Giorgio Tresoldi, Head of International Relations and Scouting, Cyber-Defence Campus at the Federal Office for Defence Procurement Armasuisse
The event was held on April 25, 2023 at Swissnex’s space at San Francisco’s Pier 17. It is part of the broader endeavor to strengthen Switzerland’s Trust Valley in Geneva and by extension, Switzerland, as a leading digital nation. It was organized by Trust Valley and Swissnex, and it was supported by Swisscom, Armasuisse, PRS, the Swiss Business Hub, and the Swiss American Chamber of Commerce. We welcomed over 100 guests from the industry, the private and public sectors as well as engaged citizens from the US, Switzerland, and beyond.
About Swissnex in San Francisco
Part of a world-wide network, Swissnex in San Francisco is Switzerland’s innovation outpost in the Bay Area. Our vision is to connect tomorrow by empowering the next generation of innovators to collaborate and create futures in which the planet and society thrive. We present a variety of programs in collaboration with Swiss partners for the next-gen innovators from Switzerland. The program participants consist of entrepreneurs, students and researchers, artists and designers, policy-makers, and corporate innovators, and are empowered by Swissnex in San Francisco’s network of over 60 experts in the USA spanning various industries.
About Trust Valley
Trust Valley is a Swiss-based public-private partnership with a global outlook, committed to promoting innovation in the fields of cybersecurity and digital trust. Our mission is to foster innovation through collaboration and partnerships between academic, private and public actors to ensure safe digital growth and facilitate innovation and talents. Trust Valley aims at bringing together startups, SMEs and corporates working on cutting-edge projects that will shape the future.