SHIELD Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence @ the University of Windsor

What SHIELD Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence @ the University of Windsor does

SHIELD is an academic research centre hosted at the University of Windsor, operating as Canada's first and only Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence. It conducts interdisciplinary research and trains Highly Qualified Personnel (HQP) in cybersecurity for connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles, organized across three pillars: Research & Innovation, Education & Training, and Knowledge Transfer & Awareness. The centre was founded by faculty spanning Electrical Engineering, Computer Science, and Industrial Engineering, with leadership comprising Co-Founder and Director Mitra Mirhassani (Killam NRC Paul Corkum Fellow, 2026), Co-Director Ikjot Saini, Director of Innovation Ning Zhang, and Policy Director Beth-Anne Schuelke-Leech. Located in the Windsor-Essex region — branded the Automobility Capital of Canada and adjacent to Detroit, Michigan — SHIELD operates at the cross-border hub of North American automotive activity.

The research portfolio is structured around five programs: Post-Quantum Hardware Security (ASIC implementation of side-channel-resistant CRYSTALS-Kyber evaluated on industry-grade platforms); Connected & Autonomous Vehicle Security (adversary-aware V2X trust and misbehaviour detection, firmware fuzzing); Privacy-Preserving AI and Cryptography (homomorphic encryption and oblivious AI applied to connected-vehicle data); Secure Embedded Systems (side-channel measurement and hardware-in-the-loop testing); and a Privacy-in-Vehicles policy program funded by the Office of the Privacy Commissioner of Canada. Supporting infrastructure comprises the Riscure/Keysight side-channel measurement platform, an OPAL-RT multi-ECU hardware-in-the-loop testbed, and the Keysight SA8710A automotive cybersecurity test platform — assets provisioned primarily through industry partnerships rather than capital purchase.

SHIELD operates as a university research centre rather than a commercial product company. Revenue is mobilized through government research councils (NSERC, MITACS, FedDev Ontario, NRC, OVIN) and commissioned research with 12 industry partners including Ansys, Keysight Technologies, Riscure, CMC Microsystems, BlackBerry, Magna, and Autoliv, alongside 8 government/funding bodies spanning federal (Transport Canada, OPC, NRC) and provincial (OVIN, Invest WindsorEssex) levels. Custom partnership arrangements are quoted on a project basis; commercial pricing is not publicly disclosed. The go-to-market is enterprise and relationship-driven, supported by direct outreach, applied events such as the OmniAir V2X Misbehaviour Hackathon, academic community pipelines (WiCyS, IEEE WIE, ASRG), and international exchange via the UK Turing Scheme.

Name

SHIELD Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence @ the University of Windsor

Legal name

SHIELD — Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence @ the University of Windsor

Website

https://shieldautocybersecurity.com

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

SHIELD is Canada's first Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence, hosted at the University of Windsor. It conducts interdisciplinary research and HQP training on post-quantum cryptography, V2X security, hardware security, and privacy-preserving AI for connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Automotive Cybersecurity Research

NAICS

Security Systems Services (except Locksmiths) (561621)

akta.pro primary industry

Cybersecurity Awareness & Digital Safety Training for Security Personnel (BPAKAOAO)

akta.pro secondary industry

Cybersecurity (Digital Safety, Ethical Hacking Basics) (EDAMACAH)

Keywords

• Automotive cybersecurity research
• Connected vehicle security
• Post-quantum cryptography hardware
• V2X communications security
• Vehicle intrusion detection

Headquarters

HQ city

Windsor

HQ country

Canada

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Operations

Revenue model

1. Research Funding & Grants: SHIELD operates as an academic centre funded primarily through government research grants (NSERC, MITACS, FedDev Ontario) and commissioned research with industry partners.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

SHIELD is a university-based Centre of Excellence that conducts multi-disciplinary research, applied development, and training in automotive cybersecurity for connected, autonomous, and electric vehicles. Its offerings include sponsored research projects, postgraduate talent development, industry-grade testing of cryptographic and vehicular-network systems, and policy advisory work on emerging vehicle-cyber regulations.

Product overview

SHIELD is an Automobility Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence — Canada's first and only dedicated research center for automotive cybersecurity — hosted at the University of Windsor. Rather than a unified commercial product, SHIELD operates as a multi-disciplinary research platform organized around three pillars: Research & Innovation, Education & Training, and Knowledge Transfer & Awareness. The research portfolio spans five core areas: Post-Quantum Hardware Security (including CRYSTALS-Kyber ASIC implementation), Connected & Autonomous Vehicle Security (V2X trust and misbehaviour detection, firmware fuzzing), Privacy-Preserving AI & Cryptography (homomorphic encryption, oblivious AI), Secure Embedded Systems (hardware-in-the-loop testing), and Privacy in Vehicles policy research. SHIELD translates research through co-supervised HQP training, commissioned industry research, and standards development with academic, industry, and government partners across Canada and beyond.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Sponsored Collaborative Automotive Cybersecurity Research Multi-disciplinary, grant- and partner-funded research projects on automotive cybersecurity topics including post-quantum cryptography hardware, V2X communications security, and intrusion detection, delivered for automotive OEMs, Tier-1 suppliers, and government sponsors.
• Postgraduate Talent Development Program in Automotive Cybersecurity Training and supervision of graduate students and postdoctoral fellows in automotive cybersecurity, building the talent pipeline for the Canadian and North American vehicle cybersecurity workforce.
• Automotive Cybersecurity Lab Testing and Prototyping Use of SHIELD's industry-grade automotive cybersecurity lab for prototyping and testing of secure hardware implementations (e.g., post-quantum cryptographic ASIC/FPGA designs) and V2X security mechanisms.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1st place — OmniAir V2X Misbehaviour Hackathon, North America 2026
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability5 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

19 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• AnsyscoreTechnology or IntegrationSimulation company collaborating with SHIELD on the NSERC Alliance Quantum post-quantum cryptography program for automotive applications.
• CMC MicrosystemscoreTechnology or IntegrationSemiconductor support organization providing infrastructure and expertise for post-quantum hardware design programs including the CRYSTALS-Kyber ASIC implementation.
• Keysight TechnologiescoreTechnology or IntegrationProvides the SA8710A automotive cybersecurity test platform and side-channel measurement platform for evaluating hardware security implementations.
• RiscurecoreTechnology or IntegrationSecurity testing firm providing the side-channel measurement platform used to evaluate post-quantum cryptographic implementations against physical attacks.
• BlackBerrysecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive software company engaged as an industry partner in the SHIELD ecosystem for automobility cybersecurity research.
• MagnasecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor automotive supplier engaged as an industry partner exploring cybersecurity solutions for vehicle systems.
• CUTRICsecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerTransit Innovation consortium partnered on secure EV charging and V2G session management research.
• Cross Border InstitutesecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic partner collaborating on secure car-to-car communication research and cross-border automobility security.
• Liverpool John Moores UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerUK academic partner through the Turing Scheme providing international exchange opportunities for SHIELD researchers.
• CSA GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerStandards development organization engaged in automotive cybersecurity standards development with SHIELD.
• Automotive Security Research Group (ASRG)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive security community engaged with SHIELD for talent and knowledge sharing in cybersecurity research.
• WiCySminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerWomen in Cybersecurity community partnered with SHIELD to support the University of Windsor's WiCyS chapter and broader outreach.
• AutolivminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAutomotive safety company partnered on automated inspection and airbag fabric quality control projects.
• APAG ElektronikminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerElectronics company collaborated on lab-on-a-chip COVID-19 detection research.
• Liburdi AutomationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on small form-factor welding camera research for harsh arc-light conditions.
• Windsor Mold GroupminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnered on inspection of highly reflective automotive parts using machine learning.
• WaltronminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry partner in the SHIELD automobility cybersecurity ecosystem.
• Ardun TechnologiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTechnology company engaged as an industry partner in the SHIELD automobility cybersecurity ecosystem.
• NDIminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerTrust and assurance organization engaged in automotive cybersecurity ecosystem.

Scale indicators11 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• ETAS (Bosch subsidiary): Bosch-owned automotive software and security solutions provider offering ECU security, intrusion detection, and lifecycle security tooling. Comparable to SHIELD's automotive cybersecurity research, though operating as a commercial Tier-1 supplier within a much larger parent organization.
• Vector Informatik: German automotive software and testing tools vendor providing AUTOSAR, security testing, and ECU development tools widely adopted across OEMs. Comparable to SHIELD's hardware-in-the-loop testbed work and standards engagement, though operating as a much broader commercial supplier.

Direct peers

• Red Balloon Security: U.S.-based embedded security research firm specializing in automotive ECU and IoT device hardening. Comparable to SHIELD's secure embedded systems research and side-channel measurement platform work.
• GuardKnox: Israeli automotive cybersecurity company offering hardware-anchored in-vehicle network security and ECU lockdown. Comparable to SHIELD's hardware-rooted trust and side-channel-resistant cryptographic implementations for automotive ECUs.
• Upstream Security: Israel-based cloud-native automotive cybersecurity platform providing fleet-wide threat detection and vehicle data analytics. Comparable to SHIELD's privacy-preserving AI and connected-vehicle security research, with a focus on mitigating cyber-physical risks across vehicle fleets.
• Cybellum: Israeli automotive cybersecurity company offering a vehicle vulnerability management platform for software bill of materials (SBOM) and component-level risk analysis. Comparable to SHIELD's firmware analysis and vulnerability research programs serving OEM and Tier-1 procurement.
• Argus Cyber Security: Israel-based automotive cybersecurity company (acquired by Continental) that provides intrusion detection, ECU hardening, and V2X security solutions for OEMs and Tier-1 suppliers. Directly comparable to SHIELD's V2X misbehaviour detection and ECU security research focus.
• Regulus Cyber: Israeli automotive cybersecurity company specializing in V2X, telematics, and GNSS/GPS spoofing detection. Directly comparable to SHIELD's V2X misbehaviour detection research and adversary-aware trust mechanisms.
• C2A Security: Israeli automotive cybersecurity startup focused on product security management (PSIRT) and DevSecOps tooling for automotive software development. Comparable to SHIELD's firmware fuzzing and OTA security research, with strong ties to OEM software-defined vehicle programs.
• Karamba Security: Israeli automotive cybersecurity company offering ECU runtime integrity, vulnerability prevention, and threat analysis for connected vehicles. Comparable to SHIELD's embedded systems and firmware security research, with a similar OEM and Tier-1 customer base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/shield-automotive-cybersecurity-centre-of-excellence

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about SHIELD Automotive Cybersecurity Centre of Excellence @ the University of Windsor