COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, June 07, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- On June 1, 2023, eight companies concluded their 3-month Catalyst Accelerator journey with an on-site demonstration day at Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI). This event brought in over 80 subject matter experts from the community. In attendance were Air Force, Space Force, and other Government personnel, industry leaders, investors assessing the potential of cohort company technologies, and those curious about where the U.S. is heading with defensive cyber technology.
The Defensive Cyber Operations for Space cohort was the 11th Accelerator facilitated by CCTI. The cohort was chosen for their technology and business readiness from a pool of over 25 applicants and began their Accelerator experience on March 7, 2023. The problem statement was focused on how the United States Space Force might leverage commercial capabilities to identify and automate cyber terrain mapping of complex systems, in order to support existing cyber operations tool suites. Capt Hanson Finley, the Government Lead for the Catalyst Accelerator, explained, “Working with this cohort was an eye-opening experience and gave me a new perspective on how small businesses can assist the DoD within the cyber domain. The cohort’s wide range of defensive cyber technologies have several applications that can aid in protection against potential cyber threats.”
Over the course of the Accelerator, the companies were guided by the following subject matter experts: Government Sherpas and end-users, enabling them to better understand Government space needs; business experts, helping them pivot their technology and corporate posture to position themselves well in the Government market; and Commercial Sherpas (Lockheed Martin, ManTech, Deloitte, Two Six Technologies, Booz Allen Hamilton, Parsons, Galapagos, and LinQuest), helping them step into the Government arena with advice, consulting, and key contact introductions within the Government and Commercial sectors.
Demo Day was the culmination of the Defensive Cyber Operations for Space Accelerator, and was sponsored by 5Star Bank, Pantheon Solutions, 1350 Distilling, and AngelSolves. The event was the final product of the cohort’s diligence, the re-imagining of their technology, the shifting of their business model to fit the new customer – Space for the U.S. Government. After hearing from Lt Col Donald Johnson at the beginning of the event, each cohort company delivered a brief pitch on their technology before attendees had the opportunity to connect with the small businesses individually. Shae Thomas, the Program Facilitator for the Catalyst Accelerator, shared, “It was an absolute pleasure working alongside the Defensive Cyber Operations cohort and witnessing the amazing growth of all eight companies! Demo Day was an exciting event where the cohort showcased their technologies and capabilities to many government and industry leaders. I am excited to follow their successes in the future and continue supporting them as needed.”
Cohort companies included:
Aronetics (Westlake, Ohio) Aronetics is advancing cybersecurity solutions that support and defend national efforts and global security enterprises. Our digital hammer, THOR, defends any network device and mission system, whether a satellite, a laptop or a mobile device. Deterrence, protection, and recognition of normal versus abnormal computer behaviors are our top priority.
Axellio (Colorado Springs, Colorado) Axellio advances network intelligence for cyber security analysis and forensics for the defense and intelligence community. Our mission is to provide expertise and technology that secures our customers’ critical infrastructure closing visibility gaps, accelerating decision making, and reducing analysis complexity. Axellio provides an extreme high-performance, scalable, compact, and open network packet storage, analysis, and distribution platform for unprecedented detail and insight into any network activity through behavioral analytics and access to days or months of detailed network traffic. This solution enhances the performance, efficiency, and accuracy of existing security analysis applications in the DoD today.
CTCI (Beaverton, Oregon) CTCI is a company that aims to protect organizations from cyber threats through its cutting-edge vulnerability and threat detection solutions. It offers a SaaS solution called CEWL (CVE Early Warning list) that identifies and prioritizes vulnerabilities by identifying vulnerabilities being exploited by threat actors. This technology significantly reduces the likelihood of being compromised as 60% of all breaches are from unpatched vulnerabilities.
Cyberspatial (Arlington, Virginia) Cyberspatial is developing a next-generation cyber reconnaissance and security platform which provides a digital twin of your network and a shared operating picture for Cyber operations and intelligence management. Our goal is to make Cyber operators and leaders powerful, by making the most advanced analytic environment on the planet accessible to everyone.
Diode (Portland, Oregon) Diode’s Zero Trust software secures teams and assets operating in fluid IT environments. Diode is a leader in Smart Network solutions that are higher security than a VPN, are as easy to deploy and use as a SaaS app and enable enterprises to rapidly extend their security perimeters. Diode is deploying these capabilities to industries with teams responsible for IT, OT, or IoT assets - we offer these teams a disruptive, off-the-shelf alternative to complicated SSE and VPN solutions.
Ironwood Cyber (Fort Worth, Texas) At Ironwood Cyber, we have built a SaaS suite of full spectrum cybersecurity services and products focused on automation to reduce cost and complexity, while enabling customers to have continuous cybersecurity testing without the costs of employing full time cybersecurity resources. Our Firethorn™ technology represents a revolutionary approach to threat detection using side channel analysis vs. signature based and direct observations of malicious behaviors, as these are easily evaded by threat actors. This AI/ML based technology has proven to be highly effective in standard computing environments with a small footprint and low utilization of resources. We are developing this technology for use on embedded platforms including but not limited to vehicles such as satellites that have the most extreme challenges with size, weight, and power (SWaP).
Rebel Space Technologies (Long Beach, California) At Rebel Space, we advance the security of in-space communications and space systems for safer, more reliable commercial operations in low-earth orbit and beyond. Our vision is a space ecosystem where commercial, research and national security interests can cooperate securely and effectively without the risk of cyber threats disrupting critical space systems. Rebel Space is developing essential cybersecurity software that leverages artificial intelligence to secure space systems and wireless communication links across dynamic and contested space environments. With Rebel Space, commercial space operators receive autonomous authentication, risk mitigation, and secure interoperability services to ensure their systems are resilient against environmental disruptions and wireless security threats.
https://www.rebelspacetech.com
SylLab Systems (Manassas, Virginia) Post Quantum Security for Networks and IoT. We deliver cryptographic schemes that speed up computation and lower the computation cost. PQC Certificate Authority, alongside a highly optimized digital signature, ensures confidentiality, integrity, and availability of networks and devices in the IoT infrastructure. SylLab solutions are compatible with systems with constrained processing power that require trusted verification, and we can achieve that without digital certificates.
About Catalyst Accelerator
The Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate and United States Space Force’s Catalyst Accelerator is a NewSpace-focused defense and national security industry accelerator, headquartered on the Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3) in Colorado Springs, Colorado. CCTI is a collaborative ecosystem where industry, small business, entrepreneurs, startups, government, academia, and investors intersect with Colorado’s aerospace and defense industry to create community, spark innovation, and stimulate business growth.
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