Ireland is "punching way above its weight" in cybersecurity innovation, according to Enterprise Ireland.
Enterprise Ireland is hosting a three-day Cyber Innovation Showcase in London, alongside the Infosecurity conference in Ireland.
According to Enterprise Ireland, Irish solutions are "now trusted by companies and governments worldwide when it comes to cyber threat detection and investigative intelligence".
Speaking to RTÉ Morning Ireland from London, Enterprise Ireland's cybersecurity and fintech spokesperson AnnaMarie Turley said 24 Irish cyber starups will showcase their innovation.
Tines, Cytidel and CWSI are among the firms taking part.
"Our companies are working with private organisation and the public sector globally to help them transform how cybersecurity is delivered, protecting banks, critical infrastructure, power grids, data manufacturing, health care systems - ultimately our whole way of life."
Ireland is home to over 140 cybersecurity companies, Enterprise Ireland said in its report last year.
According to the National Cyber Security Centre, state-backed cyber criminals pose a significant threat to Ireland's national security.
In its 2025 risk assessment, the NCSC warned that "systemic cyber threats" are posing danger to the State and its critical infrastructure, with cyber activity aligned with Russia and China increasing across the EU.
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"The threats are coming from everywhere. They're getting more high level, they're getting driven by AI", Enterprise Ireland's spokesperson said.
The 2021 HSE cyberattacks was among most damaging incidents targetting Ireland's critical infrastructure.
The cost of the response to, and recovery from it was estimated by the HSE at €102m.
The focus on Ireland will only increase during the upcoming EU presidency, and so will the scrutiny of the State's ability to protect itself from cyber threats.
"Ireland and the EU are actually stepping up support", AnnaMarie Turley said, adding that new regulations like NIS2, DORA and the Cyber Resilience Act are "all raising security standards across critical sectors".
Beyond large companies and critical public sector bodies, SMEs also "need practical help and resources to keep pace".
"40% of Irish businesses have already reported cyber attacks this year", said Ms Turley.
"You have got to put the defence mechanisms in place because really it's not a matter of if you will be attacked, it's when," she warned.
