SuperNova and Secutec launch new cybersecurity concept CyberNova
Inspiration festival SuperNova and cyber security company Secutec are joining forces. During the 2026 edition of the festival week, they will organize CyberNova together. At this new and unique event, they want to bring together entrepreneurs, investors, technology providers and government partners and raise awareness about cyber prevention.
The recent hack at a supplier to the national airport has once again highlighted this urgent need. Several top international speakers, including Mikko Hyppönen, Bianca Lins, and David Jacoby, will be presenting at CyberNova. The new cybersecurity event will bring together innovation, entrepreneurship, and cyber technology, and various start-ups will also participate in an entrepreneurial pitch. Tickets are already available at https://cybernova.be.
"Ignoring the constant cyber threat is not an option. We already pointed this out during this year's festival week. Fortunately, there is a growing cyber awareness that we now want to further stimulate with CyberNova," says Jürgen Ingels, Founder of SuperNova. "Together with Secutec, we are bringing together governments and companies from the Benelux to launch new entrepreneurial ideas and projects and ultimately strengthen our collective digital defense."
This stronger prevention is necessary because in 2024, almost half of Flemish companies will have experienced a cyber incident. Citizens, companies, and governments are all potential targets. Co-organizer Secutec receives several mandates each week to negotiate ransoms with hackers after cyber attacks. In Belgium, these amounts vary between €50,000 and €500,000 depending on the type of company.
Geert Baudewijns, author of the book 'Onderhandelen in het Duister' (Negotiating in the Dark) and CEO of Secutec, confirms: "Unfortunately, there is a lot of activity among opponents on the dark web. Every week, the question arises in the industry: 'Who's next?' With CyberNova, we want to be the catalyst for an international ecosystem for digital security and strong partnerships. After all, hackers mainly choose the path of least resistance. On the good side of the web, we must unite."
International top speakers at the first edition of CyberNova
The CyberNova organizers managed to secure Swedish ethical hacker and keynote speaker David Jacoby, known from the Netflix series "Hacked," to give a insight into how hackers operate. In addition, the Dutch Police and the Belgian Federal Computer Crime Unit will provide a behind-the-scenes look at some recent police investigations that have led to important arrests of cybercriminals. Europol Director Catherine De Bolle will frame this approach within the broader context of European cyber investigations. The Belgian Center for Cybersecurity (CCB), the Dutch National Cyber Security Center (NCSC), and several renowned cybersecurity companies will also present their knowledge and approaches.
The program features many other internationally renowned speakers. Expert Bianca Lins will explain how satellites are also a target today, and Ihor Malchenyuk, Director of Cyber Defense Ukraine will discuss how "cyber" is an important part of the conflict in which his country is embroiled. Top keynote speaker Mikko Hyppönen will also join the line-up. The Finnish cybersecurity expert is internationally renowned for his research into and approach to large-scale malware incidents, among other things.
At the festival, the organization is making every effort to facilitate connections and networking opportunities for visitors. There will be a one-day pop-up coworking space, a networking area, networking booths, Café Connect, a startup area, and a visitor app to help people connect with each other.
CyberNova will take place on March 24, 2026, at Waagnatie in Antwerp. Tickets can be purchased at https://cybernova.be.