Pilot action
Cluster Knowledge for SME Resilience – Testing the Transferability of the Cyber4AM Model to Duisburg
This pilot action tests if the Cyber4AM good practice developed by Cyber Ireland & MTU to strengthen cybersecurity resilience among manufacturing SMEs, can be adapted to the needs of manufacturing SMEs in Duisburg.
Cyber4AM’s innovation lies in leveraging a cluster’s sectoral expertise to deliver targeted upskilling to another sector. This approach enables modular, sector-specific knowledge transfer, with the cluster acting as an intermediary and delivery channel, an approach aligned with Accelerate GDT.
DBI, as Duisburg’s economic development agency, identified digital resilience, which highlighted cyber-security, as a key expertise gap for local SMEs in alignment with EU priorities. However, DBI requires further resources and mandates to directly deliver or fund such training.
The pilot adapts Cyber4AM and targets it towards mobilising a regional digital innovation cluster to support manufacturing SMEs in Duisburg, connecting two clusters for the benefit of their collective membership. A digital innovation cluster from Rhur will serve as the knowledge partner, while the manufacturing clusters’ industrial SMEs, will be the primary beneficiaries. The goal is to support the manufacturing SMEs with their digital security maturity as they digitalize their factories.
The pilot will consist of:
• Study Visit & Coaching: Representatives from DBI, 2 x German Digital/Manufacturing Clusters and Business Metropole Ruhr (BMR) will travel to Ireland (Nov 2025) to learn from MTU/Cyber Ireland and attend ISA Ireland Section OT Cybersecurity Conference 2025
• Workshop Design & Delivery: DBI co-designs and leads a workshop to connect SMEs from the digital/manufacturing cluster partners on digital resilience
• Evaluation & Sharing: Stakeholders, SMEs and Accelerate GDT partners, will be provided regular updates at events, seminars, webinars and in a final evaluation report
• Policy Uptake: BMR participates in all steps to support integration into the Ruhr's S3 strategy
Cyber4AM’s innovation lies in leveraging a cluster’s sectoral expertise to deliver targeted upskilling to another sector. This approach enables modular, sector-specific knowledge transfer, with the cluster acting as an intermediary and delivery channel, an approach aligned with Accelerate GDT.
DBI, as Duisburg’s economic development agency, identified digital resilience, which highlighted cyber-security, as a key expertise gap for local SMEs in alignment with EU priorities. However, DBI requires further resources and mandates to directly deliver or fund such training.
The pilot adapts Cyber4AM and targets it towards mobilising a regional digital innovation cluster to support manufacturing SMEs in Duisburg, connecting two clusters for the benefit of their collective membership. A digital innovation cluster from Rhur will serve as the knowledge partner, while the manufacturing clusters’ industrial SMEs, will be the primary beneficiaries. The goal is to support the manufacturing SMEs with their digital security maturity as they digitalize their factories.
The pilot will consist of:
• Study Visit & Coaching: Representatives from DBI, 2 x German Digital/Manufacturing Clusters and Business Metropole Ruhr (BMR) will travel to Ireland (Nov 2025) to learn from MTU/Cyber Ireland and attend ISA Ireland Section OT Cybersecurity Conference 2025
• Workshop Design & Delivery: DBI co-designs and leads a workshop to connect SMEs from the digital/manufacturing cluster partners on digital resilience
• Evaluation & Sharing: Stakeholders, SMEs and Accelerate GDT partners, will be provided regular updates at events, seminars, webinars and in a final evaluation report
• Policy Uptake: BMR participates in all steps to support integration into the Ruhr's S3 strategy
Addressed policy instruments
Smart Specialisation Strategy of Ruhr Metropolis (DE: Die Strategie der intelligenten Spezialisierung für die Metropole Ruhr).Partners
Duisburg Business and Innovation GmbH
Germany
Düsseldorf