COLORADO SPRINGS, COLORADO, Feb. 17, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Catalyst Accelerator is kicking off its 11th cohort. Eight small businesses will come together from across the United States for the Catalyst Accelerator’s cohort focused on Defensive Cyber Operations for Space (DCO).
The Catalyst Accelerator, powered by the Air Force Research Laboratory Space Vehicles Directorate (AFRL/RV), exists to empower nontraditional technology companies to accelerate their involvement in the national defense ecosystem by providing connections, mentorship, and business development in a collaborative setting for a lasting national impact. Resilient cyberspace architecture is a key to US Space Force (USSF) system security. USSF cyber operators must provide mission assurance of the critical networks and systems they protect, in an increasingly contested, congested, and degraded environment. Therefore, the USSF, in conjunction with AFRL/RV, sought disruptive technologies and capabilities to aid in and further the mission of the warfighter for defensive cyber operations for space.
The Defensive Cyber Operations for Space cohort (#CADCO) will meet two weeks per month beginning March 7th and ending June 2nd. Each company will collaborate with subject matter experts, work with government and commercial Sherpas, and complete an intensive customer discovery process. The cohort will conclude with a Demo Day on June 1st where they will pitch their technology to Government and Industry partners as well as investors assessing the potential of cohort company technologies.
KiMar Gartman, Program Director for The Catalyst Accelerator, stated, “This DCO Accelerator will be very exciting as we tackle the challenges inherent in automating cyber terrain mapping of complex systems, while also supporting existing cyber operations tool suites within the DoD. The eight companies invited to join us for this Accelerator have their work cut out for them, but I have great confidence that they will be able to provide unique perspectives and capabilities as they broaden their own understanding of the challenges the DoD faces in the area of defensive cyber operations.”
The Catalyst Accelerator team, with technical advisement from both Government and Industry experts, selected the following small businesses to participate in the upcoming Defensive Cyber Operations for Space cohort:
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).
https://ironwoodcyber.com
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) 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. The Catalyst Accelerator is a collaborative program hosted by Catalyst Campus for Technology and Innovation (CCTI, a Colorado 501(c)3) in partnership with the United States Space Force, and the Air Force Research Laboratory to provide a robust, mentor-driven curriculum for accelerator teams.
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