A group of cybersecurity innovators from Slovakia and Czechia had a strong technical vision: to develop an advanced early warning system capable of detecting complex cyber threats such as ransomware and advanced persistent attacks. However, like many deep-tech SMEs, they faced a fundamental challenge – understanding how their innovation fits into the complex landscape of EU funding and how to scale it beyond national markets.
Through collaboration with the Hopero consortium, the companies engaged in a structured exploration of their idea, focusing not on immediate funding applications, but on strategic positioning. Together, they mapped the maturity of the technology, clarified its Technology Readiness Level, and assessed how it could evolve from development to large-scale deployment. This included analysing similar EU-funded initiatives, identifying gaps in existing solutions, and refining the project’s unique value within the European cybersecurity ecosystem.
A key part of the process was building a long-term funding strategy rather than targeting a single opportunity. By aligning the project’s ambition, maturity, and impact potential with relevant EU programmes, the consortium was able to identify the Digital Europe Programme as a strong strategic fit – particularly given its focus on deploying mature digital technologies and strengthening Europe’s cybersecurity capabilities.
Beyond funding identification, the process also helped the partners shape the project itself: defining realistic deployment scenarios, identifying relevant stakeholders such as Security Operations Centres and critical infrastructure operators, and clarifying how the solution could deliver value in real-world conditions.
This structured approach – combining idea refinement, funding landscape navigation, and strategic alignment – enabled the consortium to move from a strong technical concept to a well-positioned European innovation initiative. The resulting GRYPHON-EWS project is now contributing to the development of advanced AI-based cybersecurity solutions, supporting more resilient digital infrastructure across Europe.
