In the Commonwealth Cyber Initiative (CCI), we have the bold objective of making Virginia a globally recognized center of excellence in cybersecurity, and in doing so to contribute to the commonwealth's economic diversification and prosperity.

It is common for this sort of program to take several years to show tangible benefits, so we were delighted to learn, from an economic impact study commissioned this year, that CCI has already brought significant research funding, job growth, and contribution to Virginia's economy.

We have hit the ground running in our interconnected mission lines of research, workforce development, and innovation. This report summarizes our progress on each of those fronts in Fiscal Year 2021 (FY21) and outlines our plans for the next year.

Our focus, the intersection of cybersecurity, autonomy, and intelligence, is more relevant than ever, and we expect unprecedented government and industry funding and innovation opportunities in the next year. In this context, forming a qualified and diverse cyber workforce, one of CCI's strategic goals, is of paramount importance to Virginia's economic development. CCI is poised to take advantage of those opportunities and continue to contribute to the nation's leadership in this important area.

Luiz DaSilva, Ph.D.; Fellow, IEEE
Executive Director, Commonwealth Cyber Initiative
Bradley Professor of Cybersecurity, Virginia Tech