Part of The Investment Attraction Series presented by

Spotlight on Montreal’s Cybersecurity Industry

Investment AttractionCompetitivenessCybersecurityTech
Published on
Benoît Dupont / Benoît Dupont - Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity
Amir Belkhelladi / National Cyber Leader - Deloitte Canada
Vanessa Henri / Data Protection Strategist - Fasken
Sylvain Masounave / Global VP of Engineering and Operations - OneSpan

Cyber risk is big and indiscriminate: individuals, companies, governments and more are all potential targets for cyber attackers. But with this big risk comes a big opportunity: the global market for cybersecurity products and services is massive, and it’s only getting bigger.

With its organized and diverse tech ecosystem, and its depth of talent, Montreal has positioned itself as a leading global cybersecurity hub – one that offers many advantages for foreign investors seeking to grow their global cybersecurity presence and capabilities. This Spotlight explores how Montreal and Canada are positioning themselves within the global cybersecurity space and what the future of the industry holds for local and foreign players alike.

Listen to the Podcast:

Key Takeaways & Calls to Action

  1. Cybersecurity represents both a huge risk for public and private organizations alike, but also a massive $1.7 trillion business and economic development opportunity.
  2. The diversity, size, talent and collaborative spirit of Montreal’s tech sector make it advantageous to cybersecurity firms.
  3. Montreal’s tech specializations, such as AI, VR and video games, position the city to be a significant cybersecurity hub as they are the industries that will foster and rely on cybersecurity in the future.
  4. The cybersecurity industry’s future growth will come with the alignment of artificial intelligence, machine learning and cybersecurity – areas Montreal has deep expertise in.
Watch and Read the Experts’ Full Interviews:
The Academic Benoît Dupont Benoît Dupont - Canada Research Chair in Cybersecurity "The number one trend shaping the future of cybersecurity is artificial intelligence (AI), and using it to strengthen companies’ defences – and this is an area where Montreal has a significant advantage." The Consultant Amir Belkhelladi National Cyber Leader - Deloitte Canada "Canada is at a unique point where we have huge opportunity ahead of us in cybersecurity. This is due to education, expertise, access to the wider tech industry, and the variety of industries in our economy that gives us a practical understanding of cybersecurity needs." The Legal Expert Vanessa Henri Data Protection Strategist - Fasken "We are very supportive of new companies creating cybersecurity products, and the federal government has committed $70 million over two years to support innovation in the sector." The Foreign Investor Sylvain Masounave Global VP of Engineering and Operations - OneSpan "OneSpan saw the potential of Montreal’s talent pool and the amount of investment in high tech, including artificial intelligence and cybersecurity."
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