PALANTIR · Project

Affordable Cybersecurity-as-a-Service Platform Built Specifically for Small Businesses

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Imagine you run a small business and a hacker breaks in — 60% of companies like yours never financially recover. Big corporations have entire security teams, but you can barely afford antivirus software. PALANTIR built an affordable, all-in-one cybersecurity service that watches your network around the clock, spots threats using AI, and automatically responds — like having a full security operations center you can subscribe to instead of building yourself. It even helps you stay compliant with data privacy rules like GDPR without needing a lawyer on speed dial.

By the numbers

60%

of SMEs unable to recover economically from a cyberattack

consortium partners involved in development

countries represented in the consortium

SME partners directly involved in building and testing

total project deliverables produced

62%

industry ratio in the consortium

The business problem

What needed solving

Small businesses and micro-enterprises face the same cyber threats as large corporations but lack the budget, expertise, and staff to defend themselves — and 60% of them never recover financially after an attack. Existing enterprise security tools are too complex and too expensive for companies with no dedicated IT security team. These businesses need cybersecurity that works like a utility subscription: affordable, simple, and managed by someone else.

The solution

What was built

The project built a complete Security-as-a-Service platform with three main components: a Hybrid Threat Intelligence engine using machine learning for automated threat detection and classification (delivered in two releases), a Secure Services Ecosystem with virtualized security functions and a service catalogue, and a Dashboard with reporting and threat-sharing capabilities (also delivered in two releases). In total, 15 deliverables were produced across the three-year project.

Audience

Who needs this

Managed Security Service Providers looking to serve SME clients affordablySmall e-commerce businesses handling customer payment and personal dataProfessional services firms (law, accounting, consulting) with sensitive client informationIT service companies wanting to add cybersecurity to their portfolioHealthcare clinics and small practices needing GDPR-compliant data protection

Business applications

Who can put this to work

Managed IT Services

SME

Target: Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) serving SME clients

If you are an MSSP struggling to offer affordable security monitoring to your small business clients — this project developed a Security-as-a-Service ecosystem with virtualized security functions that can be orchestrated and scaled per client. The platform uses AI-driven threat detection and classification to reduce manual analysis, letting you serve more SME clients with the same team. With 60% of SMEs unable to recover from cyberattacks, your clients need this and will pay for it.

Retail & E-commerce

SME

Target: Online retailers and e-commerce platforms handling customer payment data

If you are a small online retailer worried about data breaches and GDPR compliance — this project built a threat monitoring dashboard with automated incident detection and privacy-by-design data protection. The platform was specifically designed for businesses without dedicated IT security staff, reducing the complexity of typical security tools. It covers everything from network traffic analysis to breach reporting in one subscription service.

Professional Services

SME

Target: Accounting firms, law offices, and consultancies handling sensitive client data

If you are a professional services firm handling confidential client information but lack the budget for enterprise-grade cybersecurity — this project created a unified threat intelligence and risk analysis platform tailored to small organizations. It includes automated threat sharing so you benefit from intelligence across the entire user community, plus compliance features for data protection regulations. The system was built to be affordable and simple enough for firms without a dedicated IT department.

Frequently asked

Quick answers

How much would this cybersecurity service cost for a small business?

The project was designed explicitly to be affordable and attractive for SME adoption, delivered as a Security-as-a-Service (SECaaS) subscription model rather than requiring upfront infrastructure investment. Specific pricing is not published in the project data, but the subscription approach means costs scale with your needs rather than requiring large capital outlay.

Can this scale from a 5-person office to a 200-person company?

Yes. The platform was built on Network Functions Virtualization and Software-Defined Networking, which means security services can be scaled up or down dynamically. The project objective explicitly states the system is tailored to the individual needs of every SME and micro-enterprise, covering the full spectrum of small business sizes.

Who owns the technology and can I license it?

The technology was developed by a consortium of 16 partners across 8 countries, with 10 industry partners including 7 SMEs. Licensing and commercial terms would need to be negotiated with the consortium members. The high industry ratio (62%) suggests strong commercial intent behind the project.

Does this help with GDPR compliance?

Yes. The platform implements Privacy by Default and Privacy by Design principles as core features, covering how personal data is collected, used, transferred, and stored. It includes built-in compliance mechanisms for data privacy and protection regulations, which is particularly valuable for SMEs that cannot afford dedicated compliance officers.

How mature is this technology — is it ready to deploy?

The project produced multiple software prototype releases including second-generation versions of the threat intelligence engine and the security dashboard. As an Innovation Action that ran for three full years with 15 deliverables, the technology has moved well beyond research into tested prototypes. Based on available project data, deployment readiness would depend on the specific service components needed.

Can this integrate with our existing IT setup?

The platform was built on service-oriented architecture using industry-standard virtualization (NFV) and software-defined networking (SDN) technologies. This means it is designed to work with existing network infrastructure rather than requiring replacement. The service catalogue approach lets you pick which security functions you need.

What kind of threats does it actually detect?

The platform includes a Hybrid Threat Intelligence engine using machine learning and deep learning for threat detection and classification, plus automated remediation capabilities. It covers network traffic monitoring, incident detection, breach response, and threat intelligence sharing across organizations. The system provides infrastructure-wide monitoring rather than just endpoint protection.

Consortium

Who built it

The PALANTIR consortium has a strong commercial orientation with 10 out of 16 partners coming from industry (62%), including 7 SMEs — exactly the type of companies the platform is built for. The consortium spans 8 countries (Cyprus, Germany, Greece, Spain, Italy, Luxembourg, Slovenia, UK), giving it broad European market reach. The coordinator is a Greek SME business consultancy (Diadikasia), which signals a market-driven rather than purely academic approach. With 4 universities and 2 research organizations providing the scientific backbone, the balance between commercial viability and technical depth is well struck. For a business considering this technology, the high SME involvement means the platform was built by people who understand small business constraints firsthand.

DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING SYMVOULOI EPICHEIRISEON AECoordinator · EL
INFILI TECHNOLOGIES SOCIETE ANONYMEparticipant · EL
INCITES CONSULTING SAparticipant · LU
SPACE HELLAS ANONYMI ETAIREIA SYSTIMATA KAI YPIRESIES TILEPIKOINONIONPLIROFORIKIS ASFALEIAS - IDIOTIKI EPICHEIRISI PAROCHIS YPERISION ASFAparticipant · EL
UNIVERSIDAD DE MURCIAparticipant · ES
UBITECH LIMITEDparticipant · CY
TELEFONICA INNOVACION DIGITAL SLparticipant · ES
HEWLETT-PACKARD LIMITEDparticipant · UK
NATIONAL CENTER FOR SCIENTIFIC RESEARCH "DEMOKRITOS"participant · EL
NEC LABORATORIES EUROPE GMBHparticipant · DE
POLITECNICO DI TORINOparticipant · IT
FUNDACIO PRIVADA I2CAT, INTERNET I INNOVACIO DIGITAL A CATALUNYAparticipant · ES
UNIVERSIDAD POLITECNICA DE MADRIDthirdparty · ES
ORION INNOVATIONS PRIVATE COMPANYparticipant · EL

How to reach the team

Coordinator is Diadikasia Business Consulting (Greece). Contact can be found via the project website or CORDIS contact form.

Order a report on this consortium See DIADIKASIA BUSINESS CONSULTING SYMVOULOI EPICHEIRISEON AE profile →

Next steps

Talk to the team behind this work.

Want to explore how PALANTIR's cybersecurity platform could protect your business? SciTransfer can connect you directly with the development team and help assess fit for your specific needs.

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