Global Security Challenge


The Global Security Challenge runs international business plan competitions to find and select the most promising security technology startups in the world. The GSC holds regional selection events and a Security Summit in London to bring together innovators with government, industry and investors. The GSC belongs to InnoCentive, which acquired the original owner OmniCompete in 2012. OmniCompete also launched the Energy Storage Challenge in 2010.

History

The GSC was founded by MBA students of London Business School in spring 2006; the first competition took place in summer 2006. By 2007, the Technical Support Working Group, an interagency group of the US Government, sponsored the annual grant award of $500,000 Dollar for the winning security startup. The GSC runs regional finals in Singapore at the National University of Singapore, in Washington DC at The University of Maryland and Brussels at the Brussels School of International Studies ahead of the GSC London Security Summit in autumn, hosted by London Business School.

Past Competitions' Winners & Finalists

GSC finalists and winners from the last three annual competitions have subsequently raised over $117 million in new venture funding and grants. The top-selected startups also have secured large contracts with government clients, such as the US Department of Energy, the US Navy and the US Department of Defense, and with industry behemoths, such as Siemens and Bayer AG from Germany. One regional finalist in 2007, , recently got acquired by McAfee and the cyber 2009 winner Ksplice was acquired in July 2011 by Oracle.

Most Promising Security Start-Up of the Year

The members of the GSC Judging Committees are leaders from venture capital funds, government, universities and industry.

Government Judges

Final Judging Committee 2009
Final Judging Committee 2010
The GSC hosts several regional Semi-Finals and one Grand Final at leading research universities around the world:
Keynote Speakers 2010:
Past Speakers: