Italy will present a national pavilion at GovWare 2026 in Singapore, its first at the cybersecurity event.
The pavilion is being organised by the Italian Trade Agency, the National Cybersecurity Agency and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation. It will host Italian cybersecurity startups and small and medium-sized businesses seeking commercial opportunities in Singapore and Southeast Asia.
Nine Italian companies are due to take part at Booth Q25, although the announcement names only eight exhibitors: Drivesec, IPS, Yalla Security, Sentrynet, DEAS Cyber+, Bynario, Random Power and AD Consulting.
The group reflects a broad range of cybersecurity specialisms, including IoT and automotive security, cyber intelligence, artificial intelligence-based security tools, offensive and defensive security, software and supply chain security, security operations, threat monitoring and quantum security technology.
For Italy, the pavilion is part of a wider push to raise the international profile of its cybersecurity sector. The initiative falls under Measure 50 of the implementation plan for Italy's National Cybersecurity Strategy 2022-2026, which supports domestic companies developing digital security products and services.
Italian institutions have also been building a more formal structure for overseas expansion. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and the National Cybersecurity Agency have launched a coordination platform for the internationalisation of Italian cybersecurity companies, bringing together public bodies including the Ministry of Enterprises and Made in Italy and the Italian Trade Agency, alongside private-sector groups.
Italy has used similar formats in other markets. In 2025, it mounted a national pavilion at the RSA Conference in San Francisco featuring 20 Italian cybersecurity startups and scaleups.
Singapore provides a timely market backdrop for the Italian effort. The Cyber Security Agency of Singapore reported that 284,300 infected systems were detected in the city-state in 2025, up 142 per cent from the previous year, amid threats shaped by artificial intelligence, ransomware and a widening digital attack surface.
This backdrop has reinforced interest in cross-border cooperation. Both Italy and Singapore are placing greater emphasis on international collaboration and resilience in cybersecurity, while the Italian Embassy in Singapore identified cybersecurity in 2025 as an area with scope for longer-term technological and operational cooperation between the two countries.
"Singapore provides an important platform for Italian cybersecurity companies to engage with the wider Asia-Pacific market. Through the Italian National Pavilion at GovWare, we hope to connect Italian startups and innovative SMEs with international partners, share our experience and capabilities, and build new opportunities for cooperation in cybersecurity and emerging technologies," said Giorgio Calveri, Italian Trade Commissioner, Italian Trade Agency.
Company mix
The participating firms range from embedded systems security specialists to companies developing intelligence and monitoring tools. Turin-based Drivesec develops secure-by-design products for IoT systems, including its Weseth platform for automated cybersecurity testing in automotive and IoT environments.
IPS is described as a provider of cyber intelligence and cybersecurity products, with work spanning cyber resilience, data fusion, open-source intelligence, communications intelligence, maritime intelligence and electronic surveillance. Yalla Security focuses on artificial intelligence-led services such as exposure assessment, managed detection and response, penetration testing, red teaming, and governance, risk and compliance.
Sentrynet's products combine infrastructure, human, communications and operations intelligence. DEAS Cyber+ offers offensive and defensive cyber operations through a hub model covering engineering, artificial intelligence, research, training and compliance.
Bynario is identified as a cybersecurity research lab developing artificial intelligence-based products for exposure validation, source code analysis and software supply chain security. Random Power is working on quantum random number generation technology for uses including cybersecurity, defence, aerospace and critical infrastructure.
AD Consulting is set to present Defenix, a managed security operations centre service focused on continuous monitoring, threat detection, threat intelligence, incident management, and support for operational technology infrastructure and critical systems.
Broader agenda
The Italian presence in Singapore will also include an institutional panel on Italy's experience in strengthening its national cybersecurity ecosystem. Confirmed speakers are Alessandro De Pedys, Director General, Directorate General for Cyber Issues, Information Technology and Technology Innovation, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy; Luca Nicoletti, Head of Industrial, Technological and Research Programmes Service, National Cybersecurity Agency; and Sergio Strozzi, Head of Innovation, Technology and Startups, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Italy.
The Italian Trade Agency is also marking its 100th anniversary, underlining the role it has played in supporting the international expansion of Italian businesses. In cybersecurity, that role now extends to linking newer technology companies with overseas buyers, partners and public institutions in increasingly contested digital markets.
GovWare's organisers expect the Singapore event to draw more than 14,000 participants from over 90 countries, alongside more than 300 exhibitors and partners.