Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security

What Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security does

The Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security (HGI) is a research department of Ruhr-Universität Bochum and one of Europe's largest and oldest IT security research institutions. Founded in 2002 (with the founding idea originating in 1999), HGI employs 150+ scientists across 36 professorial chairs spanning computer science, electrical and information engineering, mathematics, and humanities/social sciences. The institute's work is built on three pillars: cutting-edge research, talent development, and network building, with a unique interdisciplinary focus that integrates technical IT security with social sciences and ethics.

HGI's research portfolio spans cryptology, software security, hardware security, and usable/human-centered security, with flagship contributions including four NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptographic algorithms (CRYSTALS-KYBER, CRYSTALS-DILITHIUM, SPHINCS+, and Falcon) co-developed by HGI researchers and adopted globally by Google, Amazon, and PayPal. Additional technology outputs include CryptOpt (a verified compilation pipeline integrated into Google Chrome for automated cryptographic code generation) and the Automated Side-Channel Analysis and Protection Toolbox, which won first place in both the 9th (2022) and 10th (2024) German IT Security Awards. The institute hosts Exzellenzcluster CASA (€53 million DFG funding, 2026-2032), Germany's only Excellence Cluster in IT security, and operates the Cube 5 startup incubator which has supported 32 spin-offs.

HGI operates a non-commercial business model funded primarily through competitive government research grants from the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), European Research Council (ERC, with nine grants awarded to HGI researchers), federal ministries (BMBF/BMFTR), and the Horst Görtz Foundation. It serves student and doctoral researchers through four IT security degree programs (Bachelor IT-Sicherheit, two on-campus Master's programs, and a distance-learning Master's via isits AG), the CASA International Graduate School, and research training groups (NERD, SecHuman). HGI's go-to-market is fundamentally academic: dissemination via 250+ annual publications at top venues, 30 Best Paper Awards, conferences (EUROCRYPT, CHES, FSE), and technology transfer through spin-offs and industry collaborations with Google, Intel, IBM, and Bosch.

Name

Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security

Legal name

Horst Görtz Institut für IT-Sicherheit

Website

https://hgi.rub.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

2002

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security (HGI) is a research department of Ruhr-Universität Bochum and one of Europe's largest IT security institutes, employing 150+ scientists across 36 professorial chairs. It conducts foundational research in cryptology and IT security, produces NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography, educates ~1,000 students annually, and transfers technology via spin-offs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Security Research and Education

NAICS

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services (541)

SIC

Services-Engineering, Accounting, Research, Management (8700)

akta.pro primary industry

Key Management, Encryption & Secrets Management (KMS/HSM/Vault) (HDABAHAG)

akta.pro secondary industries

Confidential Computing & Hardware-backed Protection (TEE/HSM) (HDADAFAJ), IT Risk Management (ITRM) (HDADAIAD)

Keywords

• IT security research
• Cryptography research
• Post-quantum cryptography
• Cybersecurity education
• Academic research institute

Headquarters

HQ city

Bochum

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Research Funding: Funded primarily through government research grants from DFG (German Research Foundation), European Research Council (ERC) grants, and federal ministries including BMBF and BMVIT.
2. Exzellenzcluster CASA Funding: The Cluster of Excellence CASA receives approximately 53 million euros from DFG for funding period 2026-2032.
3. Startup Incubation Revenue: Cube 5 incubator supports spin-offs and connects them with funding programs like StartUpSecure and StartUpConnect, creating economic impact through technology transfer.
4. Technology Transfer: Transfer of scientific results to practice through industry collaborations, licensing, and spin-off companies acquired by major corporations.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

The Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security (HGI) is an academic research department of Ruhr-Universität Bochum that conducts interdisciplinary research in cryptology, software and hardware security, usable security, and human-centered security. It operates Europe's largest IT security educational program (Bachelor, Master, and distance learning degrees), publishes two Diamond Open Access cryptography journals (TCHES and ToSC), hosts the Excellence Cluster CASA, and supports IT security startups through the Cube 5 incubator.

Product overview

The Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security (HGI) is a research department of Ruhr-Universität Bochum offering a comprehensive portfolio of educational programs and research services. The educational offerings include four IT security study programs: a Bachelor IT-Sicherheit, three Master programs (IT-Sicherheit/Informationstechnik, IT-Sicherheit/Netze und Systeme, and Applied IT-Security distance learning), student initiatives like the FluxFingers CTF-Team and Dobbertin Challenge, and graduate schools including CASA International Graduate School, NERD, and SecHuman research training groups. The institute also operates the Cube 5 startup incubator for IT security and future communication systems. HGI publishes two Diamond Open Access academic journals: IACR Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (TCHES) and IACR Transactions on Symmetric Cryptology (ToSC). The flagship research initiative is the Excellence Cluster CASA (Securing the Digital Society), Germany's only Excellence Cluster in IT security. HGI is one of Europe's largest and oldest IT security research institutes, hosting over 150 scientists including 36 professors across computer science, electrical engineering, mathematics, and humanities disciplines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Bachelor IT-Sicherheit Foundational bachelor's program in IT Security requiring the German high school diploma (Abitur), covering cryptography, mathematics, computer science fundamentals, and modern IT security, concluding with an industry internship and bachelor's thesis.
• Master IT-Sicherheit / Informationstechnik Master's program for graduates of the Bachelor IT-Sicherheit that deepens knowledge with over 25 elective courses in IT security and privacy, concluding with a Master's thesis on current IT security topics.
• Master IT-Sicherheit / Netze und Systeme Master's program for students with bachelor's degrees in Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Information Technology, Mathematics, or Physics, covering cryptography, network and operating system security, with over 30 elective lectures in modern IT security.
• Fernstudiengang Applied IT-Security Part-time distance learning master's program offered in cooperation with isits AG, designed for professionals with at least one year of work experience and a bachelor's degree, enabling participants to earn a master's degree in IT security while working.
• FluxFingers CTF-Team Official Capture The Flag (CTF) team of Ruhr-Universität Bochum participating in IT security competitions since 2007, with FluxRookies offering introductory events for interested students.
• Dobbertin Challenge Annual cryptography challenge for students of IT Security, Applied Computer Science, Mathematics, and Electrical Engineering at RUB, designed since 2006, where the fastest successful participant receives a certificate and prize money.
• CASA International Graduate School Central junior program of the Excellence Cluster CASA providing training at the highest international level for doctoral researchers, with attention to interdisciplinary research training and development of scientific independence.
• NERD Research Training Group (Human-Centered Systems Security) Doctoral network of several NRW universities focusing on humans as the decisive factor in the vulnerability of IT systems, researching how security mechanisms can be effectively designed for all levels of the value chain from software developers to end users.
• SecHuman Research Training Group Research college (2016-2024) investigating technical and societal issues of IT security within an interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary research environment, examining technological aspects as well as opportunities and consequences for people, society, and culture.
• Cube 5 Gründungsinkubator Startup incubator supporting founders and startups in IT security and future communication systems (6G), focusing on spin-offs from research with B2B success prospects, serving as contact for StartUpSecure and StartUpConnect funding programs of the Federal Ministry of Research.
• IACR Transactions on Cryptographic Hardware and Embedded Systems (TCHES) Diamond Open Access journal published by Ruhr-Universität Bochum since CHES 2018, covering cryptographic implementations, attacks on implementations and countermeasures, cryptographic tools and methods, and challenges in implementing cryptographic systems.
• IACR Transactions on Symmetric Cryptology (ToSC) Diamond Open Access journal published by Ruhr-Universität Bochum, dedicated to the development of fast and secure methods for symmetric cryptography including block ciphers, stream ciphers, hash functions, message authentication codes, and cryptanalysis tools.
• Exzellenzcluster CASA The Cluster of Excellence CASA (Securing the Digital Society) is Germany's only Excellence Cluster in IT security, funded by DFG with approximately 53 million euros (2026-2032), conducting interdisciplinary cybersecurity research to protect large-scale sociotechnical systems.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1st place in 9th German IT Security Award (2022) - Simply Secure hardware security toolbox
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature5 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.

• Max Planck Institute for Security and PrivacyflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2019MPI-SP was founded in Bochum in 2019 with HGI founding director Christof Paar as founding director. Close research cooperation and shared personnel between institutions.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationVarious cooperation and transfer activities; Google acquired zynamics (HGI spin-off). CryptOpt generated code integrated into Google Chrome.
• IntelcoreTechnology or IntegrationIndustry cooperation including Intel's Outstanding Researcher Award to Thorsten Holz; joint research projects on hardware security.
• IBMcoreTechnology or IntegrationCooperation and transfer activities with global technology company IBM in IT security research.
• BoschcoreTechnology or IntegrationBosch acquired ESCRYPT (HGI spin-off); ongoing cooperation and research projects with Bosch.
• UC San DiegocoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration with UC San Diego among leading global institutions.
• ETH ZürichcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch cooperation with ETH Zurich, one of world's leading technical universities.
• KU LeuvencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternational research collaboration with KU Leuven in Belgium.
• Weizmann InstitutecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch cooperation with Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel.
• eurobits e.V.coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHGI is founding member; promotes technology transfer between science and industry in IT security since 1999; awards annual eurobits Excellence Award (1,000 EUR).
• BITSI e.V.minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBochum Association for Promotion of IT Security and Informatics founded 2022; HGI part of ecosystem supporting research and teaching.
• Center for Advanced Internet Studies (CAIS)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHGI was instrumental in CAIS founding 2017; interdisciplinary digitalization research center with RUB involvement.
• isits AGminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerKooperation bei Fernstudiengang Applied IT-Security; Kooperation bei Fernstudiengang Applied IT-Security.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves14 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• INRIA (French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology): France's primary public research institute for digital sciences including cryptography and security teams. Operates with similar government-funded, multi-site research model and competes for European-level ERC and Horizon funding alongside HGI.
• Fraunhofer Institute for Applied and Integrated Security (AISEC): Applied IT-security research institute in the Fraunhofer network with similar government-funded model. Focuses on applied security (hardware, embedded, network) comparable to HGI's side-channel and embedded-security work, with stronger industry tech-transfer emphasis.
• KU Leuven COSIC (Computer Security and Industrial Cryptography): Long-standing European research group in applied cryptography and security, active HGI research partner. Comparable size, similar focus on hardware security and cryptographic implementations, and competing for top conference publications and ERC grants.
• University of California San Diego Center for Cybersecurity: Active HGI research partner (Eike Kiltz was a postdoc there). Comparable cryptography and systems-security research output, comparable university-affiliated research-center model, and overlapping faculty network.
• Carnegie Mellon CyLab: US-based university cybersecurity research consortium with comparable breadth across cryptography, software security, and human-centered security. Comparable scale and academic-industry collaboration model, often cited alongside HGI as a global top IT-security research institution.
• CISPA Helmholtz Center for Information Security: Germany's other flagship IT-security research center, funded under the Helmholtz Association. Conducts closely overlapping research in cryptography, software security, and privacy; directly competes with HGI for German national positioning in cybersecurity research.
• ETH Zürich Center for Cyber Security: Major European academic cybersecurity research center at ETH Zürich, an explicit HGI collaboration partner. Comparable research scope in cryptography, system security, and usable security, and competing for ERC funding and top-tier conference output.
• Max Planck Institute for Security and Privacy (MPI-SP): Founded in Bochum in 2019 with HGI founding director Christof Paar as founding director. Conducts IT-security research with similar funding model (Max Planck Society), shares personnel, and competes for the same DFG/ERC grants — the closest possible peer geographically and thematically.

Others

• SRI International: US non-profit research institute performing contract IT-security and cryptography research for government and industry. Not a direct competitor (commercial contract model), but a useful comparable for translating academic research into deployed security technology.

Regional players

• Weizmann Institute of Science: Israeli research institution with strong computer science and cryptography groups and an active HGI research partner. Comparable prestige and ERC-level output, but serving a different geography — Israel rather than Germany/EU.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks4 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• GitHubgithub.com/Chair-for-Security-Engineering
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ruhr-universit-t-bochum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles11 records

Subsidiaries2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Horst-Görtz Institute for IT-Security