Kyndryl Foundation Expands Second-Year Funding to 11 Countries to Advance Cybersecurity and AI Skills Development

Rhea-AI Summary

Kyndryl Foundation has announced its second-year grant program, expanding to 11 countries to advance cybersecurity and AI skills development. The initiative is expected to impact over 55,000 people in the next two years through various training and job placement programs.

The foundation has extended support to five new countries: Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain, and the United Kingdom, while continuing operations in the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Japan, Poland, and the United States. Notable multi-year grantees include Czechitas, which will train 100 women in cybersecurity, DSCI establishing a cybersecurity training center in Mumbai, and Girl Security aiming to create a pipeline of 1,000+ tech sector participants by 2026.

The initiative addresses critical workforce challenges highlighted in the Kyndryl Readiness Report, which identifies cyberattacks as organizations' top challenge, with 64% of leaders reporting unpreparedness for AI implementation due to skills gaps.

Positive

• Expansion to 5 new countries, reaching 11 total markets
• Introduction of multi-year grants for sustainable impact
• Program targets critical skills gap in cybersecurity and AI
• Large-scale impact reaching 55,000+ people

Negative

• None.

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The program serves new markets and introduces select multi-year grants to deepen community impact

NEW YORK, March 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Kyndryl Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Kyndryl, today announced that 12 nonprofit organizations from 11 countries have been awarded its second-year grants. The program is expected to touch the lives of more than 55,000 people over the next two years through cybersecurity and artificial intelligence (AI) skills development, awareness and job placement initiatives.

Building on the positive impact of its inaugural year, Kyndryl Foundation is extending its philanthropic support to serve nonprofits from five additional countries – Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain and the United Kingdom. Countries already served by Kyndryl Foundation include the Czech Republic, Hungary, India, Japan, Poland and the United States. The Foundation has also introduced select multi-year grants – up to two years at a time – to build deeper engagements with grantees and create longer-term, sustainable impact.

"As the largest IT infrastructure services provider, we are committed to addressing the critical shortage of cybersecurity and AI professionals," said Una Pulizzi, Kyndryl Foundation President and Kyndryl Global Head of Corporate Affairs. "We are proud to offer second-year funding to our grantees and look forward to the positive impact that can be achieved through our continued and expanded work together to drive innovation and build a new generation of skilled professionals."

Multi-year grantees

• Czechitas (Czech Republic) provides training programs for two tech career paths – Security Operations Center (SOC) Analyst and Information Security Specialist. The nonprofit will train 100 women in cybersecurity, run cyber awareness initiatives for 50,000 women and educate government officials on cyber resiliency.
  
  
• Data Security Council of India (DSCI) will offer two programs. DSCI launched the Cyber Vaahini program with an inaugural Kyndryl Foundation grant to provide cybersecurity training to women in tier two and three cities and help them find job opportunities. They will train 100 women under the Cyber Vaahini program. The nonprofit will also use the fund to establish a state-of-the-art cybersecurity training center in Mumbai.
  
  
• Girl Security (US) will grow its Workforce Training Program – designed to prepare individuals from low-income communities for cybersecurity pathways. The nonprofit aims to create a pipeline of more than 1,000 prepared participants planning to enter the technology sector by 2026. 
  
  
• NPO Sodateage Net (Japan) enables youth empowerment and economic independence through various employment support programs, awareness activities, career guidance sessions and family support. The nonprofit will provide a cybersecurity skilling program to nearly 1,500 young people and help them with internship and job placement.

Single-year grantees

• CLACK (Japan) will offer its "Be Pro Cybersecurity" course for 100 students from economically disadvantaged families in Tokyo and Osaka. The two-day skilling program trains students on the basics of cybersecurity and helps them expand their career choices.
  
  
• Fundación Cibervoluntarios (Spain) runs a one-year cybersecurity skilling course. The nonprofit will extend this course to 5,000 young people from underserved communities and depopulated areas.
  
  
• Generation: You Employed (UK) will organize train-and-place boot camps for 230 people facing barriers toward careers in IT and cybersecurity.
  
  
• Junior Achievement (JA) Americas (Brazil and Costa Rica) runs the "She is Digital" program focused on training and employability in the knowledge economy, specifically in cybersecurity. The nonprofit will deliver cybersecurity and career skills training to 400 women from Brazil and Costa Rica and support them in finding jobs.
  
  
• Joint Economic and Development Initiative (JEDI) (Canada) aims to empower Indigenous communities through digital literacy and IT training, bridging the gap in rural, underrepresented communities. They will support approximately 50 Indigenous students from New Brunswick.
  
  
• Justice Through Code (JTC) (US) runs "The Flagship," a 10-month software engineering and professional development program for formerly-incarcerated talent. The nonprofit will train 125 people under The Flagship program, developing AI skills and supporting them with job placement.
  
  
• Mamo Pracuj Foundation (Poland) organizes "The Cyber Women Leaders" program that enables women, including refugees and migrants, to return to the workforce after a career break. The nonprofit will support 40 women with cybersecurity training, career consultation, soft skills sessions and job search guidance.
  
  
• United Way Hungary offers a modular training program on cybersecurity – "The United for CyberSafe Youth" – for secondary school students and young adults, with a focus on underserved communities and people with visual disabilities. The nonprofit will train 345 people under this program and help them with career development.

According to the Kyndryl Readiness Report, the number one challenge for organizations is cyberattacks. In addition, 64% of leaders feel that their IT is not prepared for AI implementation because of a lack of required skills and talent. Learn more about Kyndryl Foundation's commitment to addressing the global skills shortage in cybersecurity and AI at www.kyndryl.org.

About Kyndryl Foundation
Kyndryl Foundation is the philanthropic arm of Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) and supports the communities where Kyndryl does business by addressing critical societal issues through local grant funding, volunteerism and investments. Kyndryl Foundation aims to drive human progress by empowering and enabling global citizens. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.org.

About Kyndryl
Kyndryl (NYSE: KD) is the world's largest IT infrastructure services provider serving thousands of enterprise customers in more than 60 countries. The company designs, builds, manages and modernizes the complex, mission-critical information systems that the world depends on every day. For more information, visit www.kyndryl.com.

Kyndryl Press Contact
press@kyndryl.com

 

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SOURCE Kyndryl

FAQ

How many people will Kyndryl Foundation's second-year grant program impact by 2027?

The program is expected to impact more than 55,000 people over the next two years through cybersecurity and AI skills development initiatives.

Which new countries were added to Kyndryl Foundation's grant program in 2025?

Five new countries were added: Brazil, Canada, Costa Rica, Spain, and the United Kingdom.

What are the key objectives of Czechitas' training program under the Kyndryl Foundation grant?

Czechitas will train 100 women in cybersecurity, run cyber awareness initiatives for 50,000 women, and educate government officials on cyber resiliency.

What percentage of leaders feel unprepared for AI implementation according to the Kyndryl Readiness Report?

64% of leaders report their IT is not prepared for AI implementation due to lack of required skills and talent.