In a move to bolster the protection of the tech industry from national security threats, the Five Eyes intelligence alliance introduced a new initiative on October 28, Secure Innovation. This collaboration is aimed at offering critical security guidance to startups, researchers, and investors in the tech space, especially to counter risks posed by hostile state actors.
The initiative marks the latest step in a joint effort by Five Eyes partners—Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the United States—to protect their technology sectors. Last October’s historic Emerging Technology and Securing Innovation Summit laid the groundwork, gathering top intelligence officials from each nation to announce a set of Five Shared Principles. This framework emphasized the urgency of protecting tech companies from economic espionage activities that threaten innovation, competitiveness, and economic security across allied countries.
“Innovation drives collective prosperity and security, yet the threats to innovation are increasing in both scale and complexity. To meet this challenge, CSIS and our Five Eyes partners have launched the Secure Innovation security advice initiative to help build security awareness among tech companies, researchers, and investors in the Five Eyes to ensure the safety, security, and prosperity of our respective economies,” explained Dan Rogers, Director, CSIS.
Secure Innovation seeks to raise awareness of the often-overlooked vulnerabilities faced by the tech sector, highlighting how state-sponsored actors frequently target critical technology and research for their own advantage. By following this guidance, tech businesses can enhance security measures that protect not only their intellectual property but also their overall market reputation and long-term success.
To assist tech companies in these efforts, Secure Innovation offers a practical set of resources, recommendations, and security solutions accessible across all Five Eyes member nations. This unified approach underscores the interconnected nature of today’s tech industry—and the equally globalized scope of potential threats. By delivering a standardized set of guidelines, the Five Eyes alliance ensures that companies receive consistent advice tailored to the evolving needs of the global startup ecosystem.
The Canadian Security Intelligence Service (CSIS) highlights the importance of collaboration with the tech industry and academia in fostering resilience to these security challenges. Building trust with the public is at the core of CSIS’s mission, which includes working alongside domestic and international allies to counter economic security threats.
Looking ahead, CSIS has pledged to continue its partnership with Five Eyes members, with plans to expand its resource offerings to further support Canadian companies and other sectors vulnerable to economic espionage. Through Secure Innovation, the Five Eyes alliance is committed to equipping the tech sector with the tools it needs to navigate a complex security landscape and thrive in an increasingly competitive global market.