What Global Cybersecurity Forum does

Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) is a Saudi Arabian non-profit foundation established by royal decree and operating under the oversight of the National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA). Founded in 2020 around its first annual meeting in Riyadh and formally incorporated as a foundation in 2023, GCF functions as an international convening platform that brings together governments, policymakers, industry leaders, academics, and UN agencies to advance collaboration on cybersecurity issues. The NCA Governor chairs its Board of Trustees, and the organization is led by CEO Abdurahman AlHassan.

GCF's product portfolio is built around four flagship initiatives and a research publication stream. The Annual Meeting (held in Riyadh, with the 2026 edition scheduled for October 7-8 at The Ritz-Carlton) is the central convening event. Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC), instated by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, is implemented through GCF with partners including UNICEF and WeProtect Global Alliance. Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC) and the Women in Cyber Awards target the global cybersecurity talent gap, supported by ITU and UN Women. The Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE), established in January 2025 jointly with the World Economic Forum in Riyadh, anchors a permanent research function on the economic dimensions of cybersecurity. Research publications are co-produced with BCG (Cybersecurity Workforce Report), Duke University (Bridging the Gender Gap), and WeProtect Global Alliance (Online Gaming and Risks to Children).

GCF does not sell software, APIs, or commercial services; its revenue model is state appropriations through the NCA rather than earned income. Events and awards participation are free, and the organization explicitly positions itself as a thought leadership and convening platform rather than a technology vendor. Reach has scaled from 3,500 participants across 51+ countries at the 2020 inaugural meeting to 250,000 participants across 100+ countries via the 2021 virtual dialogue, with the 2025 Annual Meeting theme of 'Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace' signaling continued programmatic expansion.

Name

Global Cybersecurity Forum

Legal name

مؤسسة المنتدى الدولي للأمن السيبراني (Global Cybersecurity Forum Foundation)

Website

https://gcforum.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

101–250 employees

Short description

Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) is a Saudi non-profit foundation, established by royal decree under the National Cybersecurity Authority, that convenes global governments, policymakers, industry, academia, and UN agencies through an annual meeting in Riyadh and flagship initiatives on child online safety, women in cybersecurity, and cyber economics research.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity Policy & Collaboration

NAICS

Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, and Similar Organizations (813)

SIC

Services-Management Services (8741)

akta.pro primary industry

Digital Policy, Data Governance & Cybersecurity Standards Cooperation (BPADANAH)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity dialogue
• Policy collaboration
• Workforce research
• Child safety initiatives
• Global cyber forums

Headquarters

HQ city

Riyadh

HQ country

Saudi Arabia

HQ region

Middle East

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Forum Operations and Thought Leadership: GCF operates as a non-profit forum and think tank focused on advancing global cybersecurity cooperation. The organization is established by royal decree and operates under the patronage of the Saudi government, with the National Cybersecurity Authority serving as a key institutional partner.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) is a non-profit foundation that convenes global leaders, policymakers, industry executives, and academics to advance international cybersecurity cooperation. GCF delivers value through its annual meeting in Riyadh, themed initiatives on women's empowerment in cybersecurity and child protection in cyberspace, an awards program, a joint Centre for Cyber Economics with the World Economic Forum, and research publications on the cybersecurity workforce, gender gaps, and online risks to children.

Product overview

The Global Cybersecurity Forum (GCF) is a platform and forum organization (not a software product company) that convenes global leaders, publishes cybersecurity research, and implements initiatives. The portfolio consists of: GCF Annual Meeting (annual conference), Women in Cyber Awards (recognition program), Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC) initiative, Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC) initiative, Centre for Cyber Economics (research center with WEF), and various research publications on cybersecurity workforce, gender gaps, and online gaming risks. GCF does not offer software products, APIs, or technical platforms - it is a convening and research organization.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Women in Cyber Awards: A global initiative by GCF with support from ITU and UN Women to recognize organizations advancing women's participation and leadership in cybersecurity.
• Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC)
• Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC)
• Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE)

Products and services

• Women in Cyber Awards Awards program by GCF with support from ITU and UN Women that recognizes organizations strengthening women's participation, leadership, and impact in cybersecurity through measurable and sustainable initiatives.
• Child Protection in Cyberspace (CPC) Global initiative instated by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, implemented by GCF, to make Cyberspace safe for children through five strategic objectives, nine global projects, and three regional pilot projects.
• Women Empowerment in Cybersecurity (WEC) Global initiative instated by HRH Prince Mohammed bin Salman, implemented by GCF, to strengthen global cyber resilience by increasing women's participation in cybersecurity and closing the talent gap.
• Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE) Global think tank established by GCF and the World Economic Forum in Riyadh that produces research and frameworks on the economic dimensions of cybersecurity for decision-makers.
• GCF Annual Meeting Annual flagship conference convening global decision-makers, policymakers, industry leaders, and academics to advance international cooperation on cybersecurity. The 2025 edition was held in Riyadh under the theme 'Scaling Cohesive Advancement in Cyberspace' with five sub-themes.
• Bridging the Gender Gap in Cybersecurity Report Joint research report by GCF and Duke University offering insights on obstacles women face at each stage of the cybersecurity talent pipeline, with a focus on Latin America.
• Cybersecurity Workforce Report Report produced by GCF with Boston Consulting Group on the global shortage of cybersecurity professionals, in-demand skills, and a 2.8 million professional talent gap.
• Online Gaming and Risks to Children Report Research report co-commissioned by WeProtect Global Alliance and GCF that examines risks to children in online gaming environments and proposes actionable improvements for child protection.

Quantifiable outcome

• 72% of children under 12 on social media have experienced a cyber threat, and 48% feel unsafe - GCF research finding
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• World Economic Forum (WEF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 January 2025GCF and WEF signed an agreement to establish the Centre for Cyber Economics (CCE) in Riyadh, aimed at increasing knowledge and understanding of economic challenges and opportunities in cybersecurity. The agreement was signed at WEF Annual Meeting 2025 in Davos. The CCE focuses on advancing knowledge on the economic dimension of cybersecurity, empowering industries through collaboration, and fostering diversity in cybersecurity.
• International Telecommunication Union (ITU)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerITU, a UN specialized agency for ICT, supports the Women in Cyber Awards as a key implementation partner. ITU Secretary-General Doreen Bogdan-Martin has publicly endorsed the awards, stating that bringing more women into cybersecurity is both an economic and security imperative.
• UN WomencoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUN Women co-supports the Women in Cyber Awards alongside ITU, focusing on advancing women's participation and leadership in cybersecurity globally. Sarah Hendriks, Director at UN Women, emphasized the importance of women in shaping a secure digital future.
• Duke UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCF partnered with Duke University's research centers to produce the 'Bridging the Gender Gap in Cybersecurity' report, offering insights on obstacles women face at each stage of the cybersecurity talent pipeline, with focus on Latin America.
• Boston Consulting Group (BCG)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerGCF collaborated with BCG on the 2024 Cybersecurity Workforce Report, revealing that women represent only 24% of the cybersecurity workforce and identifying a global shortage of 2.8 million professionals.
• WeProtect Global Alliance (WPGA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWeProtect Global Alliance and GCF co-commissioned the 'Online Gaming and Risks to Children' research report to strengthen global understanding of risks to children in online gaming environments.
• UNICEF (United Nations Children's Fund)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerUNICEF collaborated on the Global Child Protection in Cyberspace Summit held in October 2024 alongside GCF, focusing on protecting children from online threats and cyberbullying.
• National Cybersecurity Authority (NCA) of Saudi ArabiaflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe NCA is the governing authority overseeing GCF, with H.E. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Mazyed serving as Governor and acting on behalf of the Board of Trustees. GCF was established by royal decree in 2023 and operates under NCA guidance.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• RSA Conference: RSA Conference is one of the world's largest cybersecurity events, convening practitioners, vendors, and policymakers annually. It is a peer in convening scale and content depth, though commercially oriented versus GCF's non-profit foundation model.
• Singapore International Cyber Week (SICW): SICW is an annual government-led cybersecurity week hosted by Singapore's Cyber Security Agency with ministerial-level participation. It is a direct regional/state-affiliated peer to GCF in convening national authorities and industry leaders.
• Black Hat: Black Hat is a leading global cybersecurity conference series with technical briefings, training, and policy engagement. It overlaps GCF on convening cybersecurity professionals globally and is a comparable scale convener.
• European Cyber Forum (Cybersec): European Cyber Forum / CYBERSEC is a Central European policy-focused cybersecurity conference bringing together governments, business, and academia. It is comparable to GCF as a regional cybersecurity policy forum with recurring convenings.
• Cybersecurity Tech Accord: Cybersecurity Tech Accord is a multi-stakeholder coalition of technology and cybersecurity companies committed to improving online security. It is comparable to GCF in forging cross-sector commitments and partnerships on cyber norms.
• Paris Call for Trust and Security in Cyberspace: Paris Call is a multi-stakeholder initiative supporting a safe, secure, and open cyberspace via commitments by governments, the private sector, and civil society. It is comparable to GCF as a multi-stakeholder cyber policy coalition.
• Global Forum on Cyber Expertise (GFCE): GFCE is a multi-stakeholder platform focused on building cyber capacity and knowledge-sharing among governments, academia, and industry. It overlaps GCF's mandate on international cyber cooperation and capacity-building.

Broad incumbents

• Munich Security Conference (MSC): Munich Security Conference is a leading annual forum for high-level security policy dialogue, including cyber as a core theme. It is a broader incumbent peer on convening global security policymakers with significant overlap on cyber topics.
• World Economic Forum Centre for Cybersecurity: The WEF's Centre for Cybersecurity convenes public and private sector leaders on cyber resilience, runs multi-stakeholder initiatives, and is a direct partner of GCF via the Centre for Cyber Economics. It is the most direct global convener peer.

Emerging players

• Carnegie Endowment for International Peace - Cyber Policy Program: Carnegie's Cyber Policy Initiative is a globally recognised think tank producing influential research on cyber norms, state behaviour, and policy. It is comparable as a peer in producing authoritative cyber policy publications and convening experts.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/gcfriyadh
• Facebookfacebook.com/GCFRIYADH
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/global-cybersecurity-forum

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Global Cybersecurity Forum