Three years running, Frost & Sullivan has reached the same conclusion. The analyst house has named Blackpanda its 2026 Asia-Pacific Company of the Year for incident response, the top honour in the category and the firm's third consecutive win. The recognition follows a 12-month evaluation of nominees against ten criteria spanning visionary innovation and customer impact.
The recognition lands against a sharp rise in demand. Blackpanda's own engagement data shows that on-demand incident response cases across Asia Pacific managed by the firm have doubled year on year. The firm credits that growth to its standing as the region's first call in a breach, and to the widening range of incidents its responders now handle, AI-enabled attacks among them.
What earned it this year is the distance IR-1 has travelled. Blackpanda's incident response subscription replaced reactive, project-priced engagements with fixed-cost response that activates immediately, without procurement friction. Organisations prepare before an incident rather than negotiate during one.
How the Japan Bundle Changed the Model
In Japan, IR-1 now ships with cyber insurance coverage of up to ¥10 million, approximately US$70,000, in partnership with MS&AD Insurance Group and distributed through SB C&S's network of roughly 15,000 partners. Frost & Sullivan describes the pairing as highly distinctive. Most providers sell response and insurance separately. Blackpanda delivers both in a single pre-packaged solution, which brings advanced cybersecurity within reach of mid-market organisations that traditional retainer pricing had priced out.
“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.”
What Frost & Sullivan Evaluated
The 2026 report singles out four capabilities.
- AI with analysts in the loop. Automated reporting and digital forensics workflows accelerate evidence collection and documentation while keeping expert judgment central to every case.
- Localised response at speed. Native-language teams across Japan, Singapore, Hong Kong, and the Philippines, with 24/7 access to incident response specialists under a defined service-level commitment.
- Customer autonomy. A client portal offering 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.
A Market Moving Toward Readiness
Frost & Sullivan's analysts frame the win in market terms. Cyber insurance and response services are converging. Security spending is shifting toward subscription models that guarantee readiness and predictable cost. And localised expertise commands a growing premium across a region where regulatory frameworks and language requirements differ market by market, Japan's data sovereignty rules among them. Blackpanda's service-led model sits at the intersection of all three shifts.
The full write-up, including Frost & Sullivan's evaluation criteria and methodology, is available here.
Frequently Asked Questions
1) What is the Frost & Sullivan Company of the Year Recognition?
It is Frost & Sullivan's top honour in a given category, awarded to the market participant that best demonstrates visionary innovation, market-leading performance, and customer care. Analysts evaluate nominees over a 12-month process against ten criteria across two dimensions.
2) What is Blackpanda IR-1?
IR-1 is Blackpanda's incident response subscription. It replaces reactive, project-priced engagements with fixed-cost response that activates immediately, giving organisations 24/7 access to digital forensics and incident response specialists under a defined service-level commitment.
3) What did Frost & Sullivan evaluate?
Analysts assessed ten criteria across two dimensions. Visionary Innovation and Performance covers addressing unmet needs, visionary scenarios through megatrends, leadership focus, best practices implementation, and financial performance. Customer Impact covers price and performance value, purchase experience, ownership experience, service experience, and brand equity.
4) Is the IR-1 cyber insurance bundle available outside Japan?
The bundled structure described in the report, pairing IR-1 with coverage of up to ¥10 million through MS&AD Insurance Group, is specific to the Japan market. Blackpanda adapts underwriting and service delivery to local regulatory environments in Japan, Singapore, and Hong Kong.
5) Where can I read the full Frost & Sullivan report?
The complete 2026 write-up is available here.
For more insights on cyber resilience and incident response across Asia, visit the Blackpanda Knowledge Hub. To learn more about Blackpanda's impact in the Asia market, view real-life cyber incident case studies. To learn about Blackpanda IR-1 in less than two minutes, watch the short video 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.
