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The 2026 recognition cites IR-1’s pairing of guaranteed incident response with embedded cyber insurance — a model Frost & Sullivan describes as highly distinctive in a fragmented regional market.
SINGAPORE, Aug. 11, 2026 /PRNewswire/ — Frost & Sullivan has named Blackpanda its 2026 Asia-Pacific Company of the Year for incident response, the third consecutive year the firm has taken the analyst house’s top honour in the category. The recognition follows a 12-month evaluation of nominees against ten criteria spanning visionary innovation and customer impact.
At the centre of the recognition is IR-1, Blackpanda’s incident response subscription, which replaces reactive, project-priced engagements with fixed-cost response that activates immediately, without procurement friction. Frost & Sullivan singles out the model’s furthest extension in Japan: IR-1 bundled with cyber insurance coverage of up to ¥10 million (approximately US$70,000) in partnership with MS&AD Insurance Group, distributed through SB C&S’s network of roughly 15,000 partners.
READ THE FULL FROST & SULLIVAN REPORT
“We set upon a mission that seemed impossible: make cyber emergency response work the way any emergency service should. One call, immediate help, no negotiation over cost while the building burns,” said Gene Yu, Founder and CEO of Blackpanda. “This third consecutive Frost & Sullivan recognition tells us the model works. It belongs to our responders across Asia Pacific, the ones who answer that call every single day.”
The 2026 report highlights:
- AI with analysts in the loop. Automated reporting and forensics workflows accelerate evidence collection and documentation while keeping expert judgment central.
- Localised response at speed. Native-language teams across Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong SAR, and the Philippines, with 24/7 access to incident response specialists under a defined service-level commitment.
- Customer autonomy. A client portal with real-time visibility and automated triage, letting customers initiate response independently and cut latency during a crisis.
- Public-sector engagement. Collaboration with the Singapore Police Force, the Cyber Security Agency of Singapore, and the Personal Data Protection Commission.
Frost & Sullivan’s analysts note that Blackpanda’s service-led model tracks the market’s defining shifts: the convergence of cyber insurance and response services, the move to subscription-based security, and the growing premium on localised expertise across APAC’s varied regulatory regimes.
WATCH: WHAT IS IR-1? A 90-SECOND EXPLAINER
The full write-up, including Frost & Sullivan’s evaluation criteria and methodology, is available for viewing here.
About Blackpanda
Blackpanda is a Lloyd’s of London–accredited insurance coverholder and Asia’s leading local cyber incident response firm, delivering end-to-end digital emergency support across the region.
We are pioneering the A2I (Assurance-to-Insurance) model in cybersecurity — uniting preparation, response, and insurance into a seamless pathway that minimises financial and operational impact from cyber attack.
Through expert consulting services, response assurance subscriptions, and innovative cyber insurance, we help organisations get ready, respond, and recover from cyber attacks — all delivered by local specialists working in concert.
Our mission is clear: to bring complete cyber peace of mind to every organisation in Asia, from the first moment of breach through full recovery and beyond.
