Digital Innlandet’s Innovation Award 2022 was announced during RESTART, a conference on digital competence, management and business development in Hamar, on Thursday. A unanimous jury nominated Diri AS as this year’s award winner!
— We are very proud to receive such an award, and it’s a great recognition of what we have achieved so far, smiles Gaute Bjørklund Wangen (CTO of Diri), who, together with Vebjørn Slyngstadli (CEO of Diri), has developed unique software for cyber security risk management. Wangen explains that the risk management tool in Diri has been developed through many years of research and experience in the field. — We have always been concerned that it should be possible to work effectively with risk management while the quality is high. It is also important that the tool contributes to collaboration and knowledge sharing in the companies. It should also be so easy to use that it is not just for the experts – it is simply risk management for the people.
Cyber-attacks affect large and small businesses, the costs are sometimes staggering, and in the worst case, sensitive information also goes astray. — There are probably many companies that are not fully aware of how much value they are sitting on, in the form of, e.g. information. It can have fatal consequences if attackers succeed. That’s why risk management is so important so that you know what threats exist, how likely they are and what consequences they have – and initiate measures accordingly. In many ways, you can compare cyber security risk management with, e.g. fire protection, says, Wangen. — Your house is full of valuables, some of which are irreplaceable. You, therefore, ensure that the chance of fire is minimal. You don’t leave a candle; you have the electrical system in order; you don’t hang clothes on the panel oven, etc., because you know this increases the fire risk. It is both easier and more economical to prevent a fire from occurring than to put it out and rebuild. Wangen also believes that a company that safeguards cyber security will have a competitive advantage over companies that do not. — Prevention may not be so sexy, but it’s the smartest thing to do. Moreover, cyber security is the one risk that can topple the entire digital transformation.
The software is available in the market, and the customers have started coming. — We have companies from different industries and sizes in our portfolio. It gives us much useful experience and contributes to the further development of the tool, says a committed Wangen. — We have always thought about scaling in construction and development; now, the focus is on Norway, but our long-term ambitions lie far beyond Norway’s borders.
The jury gave the following justification for selecting Diri: “The winner’s core area is a very current issue, the solution is useful for society, and the product is considered to have great commercial potential. The winner operates within an area where Innlandet has a strong competence environment, and the solution is based on research. The product is intuitive & easy to use, proactive, and easily integrated with existing systems.
The solution helps to build up the security culture and the general focus on cybersecurity and is a targeted and effective solution for risk management of information security in a company.”
The jury consisted of Mathias Bakke Haugen/Innovation Norway Innlandet, Anja Løkken Stokke/Klosser Innovation, Vegard Strand Sæterøy/Skåppå and Aksel Schjerpen/Vaager Innovation.
Read more in Oppland Arbeiderblad (Norwegian - behind Paywall)