Got a bold cybersecurity idea? Surfshark's 100K advocacy fund could back it up

Date:
Thu, 27 Aug 2026 15:28:41 +0000

Description:
Surfshark's new Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund offers up to 100,000 a year to students, researchers, and university groups. Here's who is eligible and how to apply.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Surfshark's Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund offers up to 100K a year It's open to university groups, students, and faculties worldwide The first submission window opens in September 2026 Surfshark, one of the best VPN services, is now putting money behind the people it believes can help close the gap between online threats and public understanding. The company has launched a Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund worth up to 100,000 a year, aimed at students, researchers, and university groups.

The fund is designed to bridge academic research and real-world impact, pairing financial support with direct collaboration from Surfshark 's
in-house experts. Rather than funding its own products, it looks for ideas emerging from classrooms, labs, and creative spaces. Scams have become one of the most common threats people face, and the fund's first cycle which opens in September arrives with anti-scam work named as a priority.

Surfshark the best cheap VPN Surfshark is a fast, easy-to-use VPN that seriously beats the competition when it comes to subscription pricing. Its two-year Starter plan works out at $2.49 a month (plus tax), but we think Surfshark One is the best value plan as it adds an antivirus, data breach monitor, and alternative ID tool starting from the equivalent of $2.79 a month. View Deal Why Surfshark is funding ideas outside its own walls Cybersecurity threats are evolving faster than most people can keep up with, from phishing and data leaks to increasingly sophisticated scams.

The scale is hard to overstate: independent research from the Global
Anti-Scam Alliance and Feedzai estimates that around $442 billion is lost to scams worldwide each year, while Norton's data points to nearly 174 scam attempts every second. You may like Surfshark takes aim at the smishing epidemic with new real-time scam text protection Sick of scammers and spammers? Our exclusive VPN deal includes an email alias generator, ad blocker, and unlimited device coverage. Surfshark pulls the plug on Search as it shifts focus to fighting scams

Surfshark argues that closing that awareness gap takes more than corporate solutions. The company describes the fund as "an investment in expertise that sits outside our own walls," according to Gabriele Sinkeviciute, its Head of Product.

The idea grew out of " Bot or Not? ", a Malm University student project that found nearly half of participants could not reliably tell bot-written
comments from human ones. (Image credit: Future) NEW : Leave No Trace A weekly newsletter on digital privacy and online surveillance.

Leave No Trace investigates the companies and governments putting our digital freedom at risk and the people fighting back.

Subscribe now to get every edition delivered to your inbox every Friday, launching this September. What to read next EU introduces strict new security rules for VPNs with the help of industry giants Surfshark warns personal devices are a 'wide-open door' as UK Prime Minister falls for impersonation scam Amnezia VPN now supports human rights defenders with free premium VPN subscriptions How to apply to Surfshark Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund To be eligible, applicants must be actively enrolled university students, employed faculty such as professors or researchers, or representatives of an
officially recognized university group. Submissions are open worldwide, but pitches must be written in English.

The fund backs three types of work: creative advocacy , such as art installations or interactive campaigns that make digital threats tangible; academic research , including papers and studies on cybersecurity risks; and technological ideas , from prototypes to early-stage tools that Surfshark's experts can help refine.

Selected projects share in the annual pot of up to 100,000, which is distributed across multiple initiatives rather than handed to a single
winner. Beyond money, teams gain technical guidance, industry insight, and support throughout development. 47% of people couldn't tell a bot from a real person.That kind of research needs a bigger stage. That's why the Surfshark Cybersecurity Advocacy Fund exists supporting academics working on cybersecurity awareness.First submission cycle opens in September. August 26, 2026 The fund runs in two cycles a year. September submissions are reviewed during an October selection period, and February submissions during a March one. Each window stays open for the full month, with the first cycle opening in September 2026.

Every pitch is reviewed by several Surfshark experts against four criteria: relevance to cybersecurity awareness, clarity of the proposal, originality of the approach, and potential impact.

Applicants should read the full terms and conditions before submitting, then pitch their project by email to [email protected].

The fund follows other Surfshark advocacy efforts, including partnerships
with Amnesty International and Internews . Today's best Surfshark deals +3 months free Surfshark 24 Months $2.49 /mth View at Surfshark Surfshark 12 Months $3.39 /mth View at Surfshark Surfshark 1 Month $16.45 /mth View at Surfshark Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button!



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Link to news story: https://www.techradar.com/vpn/vpn-privacy-security/got-a-bold-cybersecurity-id ea-surfsharks-eur100k-advocacy-fund-could-back-it-up


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