A major cybersecurity conference set to debut in the US on 17 June has been cancelled just weeks before its launch in San Antonio. The InCyber Forum would have brought more than 5,000 attendees to the Henry B González Convention Center on 17-18 June – and would have been the event’s first edition outside Europe.
Organisers blamed the “challenging and unpredictable” US political climate. A spokesperson for Paris-based consultancy Forward Global, the firm behind the event, said that the event was cancelled for the same geopolitical reasons that so many other US events have been cancelled in recent months.
InCyber 2024
The forum will still go ahead with its Montréal and Tokyo editions (14-15 October and 3-4 December) later this year.
The cancellation is a setback for San Antonio’s growing reputation as a cybersecurity hub. Visit San Antonio had worked for over a year to bring the event to the city, inviting 80 international delegations at InCyber’s main conference in France. Officials said the forum would have bolstered San Antonio’s global profile and reinforced its bid to become a national leader in cybersecurity innovation.
The cancellation could be tied to concerns from European delegates. Originating in France, the event typically draws a European (as well as global) audience. Recent US immigration and visa policies may have discouraged attendance.
The economic implications are significant. InCyber was expected to generate millions in visitor spending and hotel occupancy. Chef Damien Watel, a local business owner and native of Lille, France (where the forum began) called the decision “disappointing” and a missed opportunity to showcase the city.
Henry B González Convention Center, San Antonio
Immigration and visa concerns also appear to have played a role. The San Antonio Report and Nature magazine both referenced a wave of scientific and academic conference cancellations tied to stricter US entry policies. Atlas Travel, a government travel provider, warned of growing hesitation among international delegates to travel to the US. This uncertainty is driven by visa restrictions, political upheaval and reductions in grant funding.
Visit San Antonio’s interim CEO Mario Bass said his team is working with other groups to shore up attendance amid shifting funding conditions. A new date for the InCyber Forum in San Antonio has not yet been announced.
The Lille edition of InCyber took place on 1-3 April 2025.
