DEADLINE EXTENDED! The deadline to enter the Best Security SME and Most Promising Security Start-Up categories is now June 30, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

DEADLINE EXTENDED! The deadline to enter the Best Security SME and Most Promising Security Start-Up categories is now June 30, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

DEADLINE EXTENDED! The deadline to enter the Best Security SME and Most Promising Security Start-Up categories is now June 30, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

The Global Security Challenge Competition 2009 consists of three categories:

* Best Security SME
* Most Promising Security Start-Up
* Most Promising Security Idea

You may apply to any one category, within the GSC Competition, depending on the maturity of your idea and/or company. You will need to register as a user of the online community to access the application form and to make a submission.

Targeted Technologies: We seek to uncover the creative capabilities of innovators in universities and infant companies that apply to public security needs. This includes software or hardware solutions that help (a) protect people, critical infrastructure, facilities and data/electronic systems against terrorist or other criminal attacks and natural disasters or (b) help governments, businesses and communities defend against, cope with or recover from such incidents.

Examples of our areas of interest are (but are not limited to) biometrics, detection sensors, cyber security, video surveillance, RFID, personnel protection, encryption software, data-mining, biotechnologies, and explosive trace detection.

Global Security Challenge Competition 2009: Best Security SME Category - Now accepting applications

Young security companies face singular challenges in their drive to succeed in the complex security technology industry. Through the Best Security SME category, the GSC seeks to provide innovative companies with additional support to be put towards development and commercialization.

The winners of this category will receive:

* $400,000 cash grant to be used to further develop their SME, provided by TSWG of the US Government.
* Mentorship from leading venture capitalists (such as Hummer Winblad Venture Partners).
* Unparalleled networking opportunity with government officials and industry leaders.
* Invaluable publicity.

Who Can Apply: For the Best Security SME category the term 'SME' refers to a company with sales revenue between £1 million and £10 million (approx. $1.5 million and $15 million). The sales revenue should refer to the previous financial year.

Deadline for Submissions: DEADLINE EXTENDED! June 30, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

How to Apply: Enter by using our online submission system

Global Security Challenge Competition 2009: Most Promising Security Start-Up Category - Now accepting applications

Young security companies face singular challenges in their drive to succeed in the complex security technology industry. Through the Most Promising Security Start-Up category, the GSC seeks to provide innovative companies with additional support to be put towards development and commercialization.

The winners of this category will receive:

* $100,000 cash grant to be used to further develop their start-up, provided by TSWG of the US Government.
* Mentorship from leading venture capitalists (such as Hummer Winblad Venture Partners).
* Unparalleled networking opportunity with government officials and industry leaders.
* Invaluable publicity.

Who Can Apply: For the Most Promising Security Start-Up category the term 'start-up' refers to a company with sales revenue between £1 and £1 million (approx. $1.50 and $1.5 million). The sales revenue should refer to the previous financial year.

Deadline for Submissions: DEADLINE EXTENDED! June 30, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

How to Apply: Enter by using our online submission system

Global Security Challenge Competition 2009: Most Promising Security Idea Category - Now accepting applications

We recognize that there are many potentially disruptive innovations that have yet to reach commercialization. Through the Most Promising Security Idea category, the GSC encourages innovators to continue to pursue their ideas and efforts. The award is designed to support and promote researchers, infant companies (with no revenue), and any other inventors who just have an idea for a security solution.

The winners of this category will receive:

* $10,000 cash grant, sponsored by Accenture.
* Mentorship from Mark Shaheen, managing director of Civitas Group.
* Unparalleled networking opportunity with government officials and industry leaders.
* Invaluable publicity.

The awarding ceremony for the Most Promising Security Idea will take place at the Security Summit of the Global Security Challenge held at London Business School on November 13, 2009.

To find out information about Homergent, the 2008 winners of our Most Promising Security Idea category, click here.

Who Can Apply: Eligible entrants must be a company, or one or more individuals, whose idea did not generate revenue in 2008.

Deadline for Submissions: September 1, 2009 at 11.59 GMT.

How to Apply: Enter by using our online submission system

GSC Cyber Security Challenge 2009

This competition has now closed for 2009.

Cyber security has become the new frontier in the security and defence world.

Therefore, we seek the world's most creative innovators and start-ups to help responding to these mounting challenges in cyber security. We recognize that many disruptive innovations are not ready for mass commercialization and we encourage researchers and infant companies to apply for this year's Cyber Security Challenge. The judging for this award will focus mainly on the disruptive potential of the technology, focusing less on the idea's maturity.
BAE Systems is sponsoring the Cyber Security Challenge through its Investment in Innovation team:

"Cyber Security is a key area for us to further invest in both because of the wide range of issues currently faced and the breadth of work being done in the space. We seek to uncover the creative capabilities of innovators in universities and SMEs that apply to information assurance and cyber security needs."
Targeted Technologies: Examples of our areas of interest include data protection, user authentication, penetration testing, network protection, spam-prevention, anti-malware, identification of data theft, detection of dormant threats on corporate servers, tackling of identity theft on the internet and defences for virtualised computing resources.


The winners of this year's Cyber Security Challenge will receive:

* £5,000 GBP cash award for the 1st place winner, sponsored by BAE Systems
* £4,000 GBP cash award to be split among the two runner-ups, sponsored by BAE Systems
* Mentorship by Nick Kingsbury (Venture Capitalist, former partner at 3i)

Who Can Apply: Individuals and companies with under £5m (approx. $7.5m) in 2008 sales revenue.