FFG Leadership Visits SBA Research: Karin Tausz and Silvia Laimgruber Explored Our COMET Center
SBA Research was delighted to welcome FFG Managing Director Karin Tausz and Head of Division Structural Programmes Silvia Laimgruber to the SBA-K1 NGC COMET Center in Vienna.
The visit offered a valuable opportunity to present our research activities, spotlight thriving partnerships with academic and industry partners, and explore the broader impact of applied cybersecurity research within the COMET – Competence Centers for Excellent Technologies program.
SBA Research: History and Impact
In the opening presentation, Markus Klemen, founder and management director, introduced the history and development of SBA Research, outlining how the center has grown into a key player in cybersecurity research and innovation. He highlighted SBA’s mission of bridging fundamental research and practical applications, as well as its strong international research network.
Edgar Weippl, scientific director, highlighted the lasting impact of SBA Research through its alumni network, with many former researchers now holding influential positions across academia, industry, and startups. Matteo Maffei then spotlighted the long-standing partnership with TU Wien, showing how the collaboration blends academic excellence with applied research and industry engagement to strengthen Vienna’s cybersecurity ecosystem.
Research & Industry Success Stories
In the research success story segment, Aljosha Judmayr presented a high-impact security analysis of WhatsApp, underscoring SBA Research’s role in strengthening digital security for millions of users. Alex Schatten then showcased the I-SEE project, a collaboration with Objentis that demonstrates how SBA Research bridges latest research and practical, privacy-aware industry applications.
Rounding off the exchange, an open discussion explored the future of cybersecurity research in Austria and the role of the COMET program in fostering collaboration between academia, research centers, and industry.
“The visit was a wonderful opportunity to showcase the strength and competitiveness of COMET Centers in Austria’s research and innovation landscape. I believe we were able to clearly demonstrate why COMET Centers are a cornerstone of applied research, driving collaboration between academia and industry at the highest level,” states Markus Klemen, CEO of SBA Research.
“COMET Centers like SBA Research are key innovation hubs: they connect scientific excellence with real-world applications and thereby strengthen our digital sovereignty and competitiveness,” says FFG Managing Director Karin Tausz.
© .Marcel Lehner, Edgar Weippl