Former Vice-Minister of Defense for the Republic of Lithuania, Edvinas Kerza is a leading architect of Europe’s cyber defense strategy and a trusted advisor to NATO and EU institutions. As founder of the EU’s Cyber Rapid Response Team, he built cross-border frameworks that became models for cyber readiness and interoperability across allied nations. With decades of experience overseeing defense modernization, R&D, and public-private collaboration, Kerza brings unparalleled insight into how to accelerate dual-use technologies from concept to strategic deployment.