Rethinking IT security: Applications start for the renowned prize in Bochum!

Rethinking IT security: Applications start for the renowned prize in Bochum!

The Horst Götz Foundation today announced the start of applications for the 11th IT Security Prize. This prize has been awarded every two years since 2006 and highlights innovation in cybersecurity. The award ceremony will take place on November 5, 2026 in Bochum and offers prize money totaling 130,000 euros, which is divided into 100,000 euros for first place, 20,000 euros for second and 10,000 euros for third place. The aim of the competition is to strengthen Germany's digital sovereignty, which is playing an increasingly important role in view of geopolitical and technological developments. news.rub.de reports that individuals, companies and research institutions based in Germany can now apply.

The submission deadline is January 15, 2026. To qualify, participants must submit a brief description of their solutions. An independent jury selects ten projects that advance to a second round based on the criteria “innovativeness,” “benefits,” and “real market opportunities.” These comprehensive criteria are central to promoting the best solutions in a highly competitive field such as cybersecurity. bitkom.org adds that the prize is organized in collaboration with the digital association Bitkom and the Horst Görtz Institute for IT Security.

The importance of cybersecurity for Germany

At a time when digital dependencies on foreign providers can be dangerous, especially in the area of ​​cloud services and critical infrastructure, the IT Security Prize is seen as an important step towards strengthening digital sovereignty in Germany. Loud Handelsblatt Effective IT infrastructures and cybersecurity concepts are essential for digital transformation in order to maintain control over data in your own country.

The IT security company sayTEC AG positions itself as an innovator and offers technologies that are intended to ensure digital sovereignty. Their solutions include tailored cloud offerings and highly secure network access that are *Made in Germany* and therefore represent a trustworthy alternative to global providers. sayTEC also takes the approach of a 9-tier ZeroTrust security solution that both detects and defends against attacks.

The IT Security Prize not only contributes to the visibility of young ideas and technologies, but also promotes the development of intelligent security architectures that can meet the future challenges of cybercrime. With the integration of artificial intelligence into the security approach, companies are required to design their systems in such a way that they can both identify and defend against threats.