Google announced a new research program funding universities in NYC. The internet giant is donating $12 million dollars to stimulate the cybersecurity industry.
The investments are part of a larger $10 billion dollar investment into the cybersecurity field that Google originally announced in 2021.
Cybersecurity has become a national interest as various cyberattacks reach or even surpass all-time highs and continue to rise. Hackers can even launch international attacks on dozens of companies by finding simple vulnerabilities more research could have solved.
“The Google Cyber NYC Institutional Research Program will further propel New York as a research leader in cybersecurity, alongside the work of preeminent city institutions like New York City Cyber Command,” explains Phil Venables, the Chief Information Security Office for Google Cloud.
“At Google, we’re committed to being bold and responsible stewards of emerging technology like AI, so we’re working together with four of New York’s leading institutions to make sure the city is prepared as the threat landscape continually shifts.”
The City University of New York, Columbia University, Cornell University, and New York University are each receiving $1 million each year — the money will fund roughly 90 different research programs by 2025.
The funding is also being used to hire and train cybersecurity progressions from underrepresented groups, to ensure more trained cybersecurity professionals are working to combat threats in the US.
“We believe NYC will be the epicenter for next-generation research, students, and startups in cyber, trust, and safety, and we applaud Google for its leadership and unwavering support for Cornell University.” says Greg Morrisett of Cornell Tech.
“This funding from Google will allow our Center for Cybersecurity as well as partners at other NYU schools and across the city to tackle these important threats and focus on a safer future for everyone,” Jelena Kovačević, NYU Tandon School of Engineering Dean, said in their statement.
Google continues to be a leading driver in cybersecurity investments in the US.