NCA Launches 'Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants' Initiative

NCA Launches 'Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants' Initiative
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NCA Launches 'Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants' Initiative

NCA Launches 'Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants' Initiative

The National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) announced the launch of the "Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants" initiative. This initiative aims to empower outstanding researchers and innovators to develop breakthrough research and disruptive innovations for current and emerging cybersecurity challenges, accelerating their impact both nationally and internationally, SPA reported.
NCA is launching this initiative in collaboration with its technical arm, the Saudi Information Technology Company (SITE), as part of the "National Program for Research, Development, and Innovation (RDI) in Cybersecurity."
The national program serves as a launch pad for transformative initiatives that unlock new horizons and foster cybersecurity industry development on a national level. Its aim is to solidify Saudi Arabia's standing as a secure global economic driver built on innovation and cybersecurity excellence.
The program prioritizes eight areas: NextGen Cyber Defense, Cyber Resilience, Cyber-Physical Technologies and IoT, AI x Cyber, Cryptography and Quantum Security, Behavioral Cyber, Future of Cyber Threats and Attacks, and Cyber Order. By nurturing robust national and international partnerships in cybersecurity RDI, the program is described as "the cornerstone of building an attractive innovation ecosystem in this critical field."
The Cybersecurity Research and Innovation Pioneers Grants initiative will provide grants for researchers, academics, experts, and university students at various levels in cybersecurity or related fields. It will nurture broader-scale advancements in cybersecurity RDI under three primary tracks: Scientific Research and Projects, Postgraduate Research Theses, and Bachelor's and Master's Graduation Projects.



Taiwan Tech Giant Foxconn’s 2024 Profit Misses Forecasts 

The logo of Foxconn is on display during the Smart City Summit & Expo pre-event press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, 11 March 2025. (EPA)
The logo of Foxconn is on display during the Smart City Summit & Expo pre-event press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, 11 March 2025. (EPA)
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Taiwan Tech Giant Foxconn’s 2024 Profit Misses Forecasts 

The logo of Foxconn is on display during the Smart City Summit & Expo pre-event press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, 11 March 2025. (EPA)
The logo of Foxconn is on display during the Smart City Summit & Expo pre-event press conference in Taipei, Taiwan, 11 March 2025. (EPA)

Taiwanese tech giant Foxconn reported on Friday a lower-than-expected net profit for 2024 as consumer electronic gadgets underperformed, although demand for its artificial intelligence servers remained robust.

The world's largest contract electronics manufacturer has been moving beyond assembling devices such as Apple's iPhones into areas ranging from electric vehicles to AI servers.

The company said full-year net profit rose seven percent to NT$152.7 billion (US$4.6 billion).

That compares with an average forecast of NT$159.4 billion, according to a Bloomberg News survey of analysts.

Full-year revenue rose 11 percent to NT$6.9 trillion, beating the market forecast of NT$6.8 trillion.

Foxconn, also known as Hon Hai Precision Industry, has been riding a wave of global demand for generative AI in recent years.

The company reported a "strong performance" in its AI server business, with revenue up 150 percent, according to documents released ahead of an earnings call with analysts.

This year would be the "Year of AI", the company said, with shipments increasing in every quarter.

The earnings announcement comes as US President Donald Trump imposed tariffs against major trading partners including China, Canada and Mexico, igniting trade wars and causing markets to fall.

While Foxconn has plants around the world, the bulk of its operations is based in China, which has been hit by 20 percent levies on products shipped to the United States.

Foxconn is building a mega-AI server plant in Mexico, which a local official told Bloomberg recently would be completed in a year despite Trump's tariff threats.

The $900 million assembly plant near Guadalajara will become the world's largest to be powered by Nvidia's GB200 AI chips, Jalisco Governor Pablo Lemus Navarro said.

Foxconn has also been in the spotlight over potential cooperation with Japanese automaker Nissan after its merger talks with rival Honda fell through in February.

Chairman Young Liu said previously that Foxconn was open to buying French auto giant Renault's stake in Nissan and was looking into a cooperation with Nissan, not a merger.

Foxconn has been looking to expand into the Japanese EV market and Liu said last month the company would announce "good news" in EVs within one or two months.