On May 20, 2025, Innovation Days 2025 was held in Plovdiv – a technology forum organized by Siemens Bulgaria with a focus on Factory Automation, Motion Control, Process Automation and Electrical Products. The event brought together customers, partners and industry experts, offering hands-on workshops and networking opportunities in a modern industrial environment. Among the participants was the expert Denis Petkov from EDIH “Trakia” (European Digital Innovation Hub “Trakia”), who supported the Siemens partners and presented the CyberSec4OT project to industry representatives during the networking sessions.
CyberSec4OT is a project funded by the EU Digital Europe Programme and coordinated by Sabancı University (Turkey). The project aims to increase the cyber-resilience of industrial companies in the implementation of Industry 4.0 technologies through practical training in the area of cyber-security of OT (Operational Technology) systems. The main focus is on practical programmes tailored to real business needs, helping to close the cyber security skills gap in Europecysec4ot.com. CyberSec4OT includes the development of specialised training modules on topics such as network protection, risk management, penetration testing and secure programming for OT systems. The project is the first with a Turkish coordinator, supported by the Digital Europe Programme, and focuses on strengthening security capabilities in the industrial sector.
CyberSec4OT’s approach relies on a combination of online and in-person training, hands-on workshops and participant certification. The project will train hundreds of professionals – both technical (engineers, SCADA operators) and non-technical (managers, administrators) – according to their actual needs. The main areas of training include:
- Online and in-person training: industry-tailored cybersecurity courses for OTs.
- Hands-on workshops: interactive training based on real scenarios and threats in industrial systems.
- Certification: participants receive internationally recognized certificates for proven competencies in OT security.
The project is currently in the dissemination phase – the organisers are distributing a short questionnaire to businesses and industry professionals to identify their specific training needs. The information gathered will help tailor training programmes to real business cases and risks.
The questionnaire is available at:
https://cysecsurveys.com/bg/dihtrakia/
The CyberSec4OT initiative is of direct relevance to the industry. The connectivity and automation of manufacturing in the Industry 4.0 era is opening up new vulnerabilities, so projects like CyberSec4OT are increasing the resilience of enterprises – building more robust and secure OT systemscysec4ot.com. Through hands-on training and certification, skilled human capital is created, increasing business competitiveness and sustainability. In addition, preparing teams for compliance with new European regulations (e.g. Cyber Resilience Act) facilitates companies’ digital transformation and attract investment. The project is specifically targeted at the Plovdiv region – the aim is to support the digitalisation and cyber security of industrial enterprises in the region.
In conclusion, Innovation Days 2025 highlighted the importance of collaboration between technology partners and industry to tackle new challenges. CyberSec4OT covers key business needs by providing hands-on training and certification to protect critical infrastructurecysec4ot.com. In a world where the boundaries between information technology and operational technology (IT/OT) are blurring, investment in knowledge and skills is key to secure enterprise growth. This makes local initiatives such as CyberSec4OT a valuable tool for a sustainable and secure industrial transformation that meets the specificities and needs of the Bulgarian economy. 