Russia-based security software producer Kaspersky Lab has launched a security-focused accelerator programme through its educational arm Kaspersky Academy, TechCrunch reported yesterday.
Security Startup Challenge (SSC) has been established in partnership with venture capital firms Mangrove Capital Partners and ABRT Venture Fund. The mentor-driven programme will provide startups with connections to business, cybersecurity and cross-industry expertise from around the world.
The first year of activities by SSC will include a preliminary series of two-day workshops in Jerusalem, Berlin, San Francisco, Singapore and Moscow, which will be followed by a three-month accelerator programme starting in May and two bootcamps in Luxembourg, completing in a grand finale event at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in the US.
A total of 40 places will be made available to early stage startups, with seven shortlisted winners given the chance to build their knowledge and compete for an $80,000 prize fund and post-programme support.
The winner will receive $50,000, with $20,000 for the second placed startup and $10,000 for third.