Brussels/Utrecht, 28 May 2026 - Cybersec Europe attracted more than 7,300 visitors to Brussels Expo last week, including a rapidly growing number of senior executives, boards and directors from home and abroad. The growing impact of international cyber threats is clearly creating more urgency at C-level, and Cybersec Europe has firmly positioned itself as the platform to discuss how to tackle these challenges in Europe. Cybersec Europe is organised by Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs.
Record attendance at Cybersec Europe due to daily increasing cyber threat
The 2026 edition showed a marked increase in visitors with managerial or leadership roles, with +40% growth in VIP visitors and +35% in CISO profiles. This development underlines that Cybersec Europe has become a leading meeting place for senior decision makers in cybersecurity.
Jordi van Herk, Cluster Lead IT Media & Events at Royal Dutch Jaarbeurs, is proud of the result: "Brussels is the European heart of cybersecurity. This is where technology, policy, regulation and international cooperation come together. This year, Cybersec Europe had its biggest edition ever, with more than 200 exhibitors and partners, over 180 speakers across 12 stages and visitors from more than 97 countries. We have become one of Europe's leading cybersecurity events."
During Cybersec Europe, governments - including NATO and ENISA (EU Agency for Cybersecurity) - came together with leading players, experts and the cybersecurity community for knowledge sharing, networking and innovation on the exhibition floor. Cybersecurity requires collaboration. "What makes this event unique is that the entire cybersecurity chain comes together here: from CISOs and IT leaders to governments, startups and technology partners. Especially with AI, geopolitical tensions, digital sovereignty and quantum computing changing the playing field, collaboration is crucial."
The importance is also highlighted from a policy level. Theo Francken, Belgian Minister of Defence and Foreign Trade: "Cybersecurity is more important than ever; we need to scale up. We are under pressure daily from hybrid and cyber threats. This is exactly the place where connections are made and deals are closed."
To meet the growing international demand from exhibitors, partners and visitors, Cybersec Europe will be expanded with an additional exhibition hall in 2027. This will strengthen the event's position as a leading European platform.
The official opening was performed by Eléonore Simonet, Belgian Minister for the Middle Classes and the Self-Employed. The Flemish TV programme Hacked hosted the opening of the second day and attracted a lot of interest. Exhibitors look back positively on the fifth edition of Cybersec Europe.
Cybersec has now grown into an international platform with editions in the Netherlands and Brussels, and collaborations in Asia. The next edition of Cybersec Europe will take place on 26 and 27 May 2027 in Brussels.
