Game Change: Meet the Mach37 Fall Startups
CEOs describe how they think their fledgling ventures will revolutionize user training, privacy, identity management and embedded system security.
October 18, 2017
With a growing pedigree in cybersecurity, the Mach37 Cyber Accelerator is back in session for the fall with a new crop of participants hoping to gain valuable advice and direction from mentors connected to the program.
Sponsored by the Center for Innovation Technology in Virginia, Mach37 has now helped 52 companies with launch or development assistance that includes close mentorship from fellow entrepreneurs, investors and domain experts in the security world, and a modest $50,000 grant to help bring ideas to fruition. Most importantly, the experience provides a valuable networking opportunity for participants to rub shoulders with the who's who of security.
The momentum continues during the next three months with another round of six companies that aim to change the game in a range of security niches, including training, privacy, identity management and embedded systems security. We reached out to the CEOs of each firm to get to know their companies better.
Online cybersecurity training
Craig Stevenson, CEO
Please describe your product/service and the security pain point you are trying to address.
The CyberAcademy platform enables individuals to get the hands-on training they need, 24x7x365 in the Web browser [by] eliminating the scheduling and technical difficulties associated with cybersecurity training.
How market-ready is your product/service?
Our website, is currently in private beta while we continue with several pilot programs. We are launching publicly in November.
What is your biggest competitive differentiator?
Most online cybersecurity training consists of watching hours of video and PowerPoint presentations. The training that does provide hands-on exercises requires you to already be a cyberexpert to setup and connect to it. CyberAcademy's biggest ifferentiator is that we provide hands on exercises delivered in a Web browser.
Universal digital authentication and electronic security key
Oleg Naumenko, CEO
Please describe your product/service and the security pain point you are trying to address.
Hideez provides a universal secure solution that combines convenience, reliability and manageability for all: business, admins and end-users.
Our flaghip product, Hideez Key, is a wireless electronic security key and hardware encrypted password manager with context-aware credentials provided for PCs, smartphones, tablets and RFID doors, and hardware second factor for two-factor authentication.
How market-ready is your product/service?
Our consumer product is ready and already being sold via Amazon.com and Hideez.com. B2B Version is in progress. We are in beta stage of Hideez Server application.
What is your biggest competitive differentiator?
The Hideez Key is a single key to your digital life. It combines consolidation, management, and protection of multiple entry points to your digital identity with a single solution.
Easy user-centric authentication and access control
Nakul Munjal, CEO
Please describe your product/service and the security pain point you are trying to address.
Current two-factor authentication (2FA) solutions are designed around SMS passcodes, soft tokens and "challenge" questions. Such methods are not only frustrating for end-users and IT departments, they are less secure because they are static, irrespective of the risk level within the application being accessed and the end user accessing it. By leveraging contextual factors and machine learning, organizations can deploy 2FA without its usual inconvenience and deployment challenges. Status Identity is software-as-a-service subscription aimed to provide adaptive multi-factor authentication to mid-size enterprise clients between 2,000-10,000 employees. Customers will be charged on a per-user/per-month subscription, and will have access to a Web-based administrative console allowing security administrators to configure, manage and report authentication activity.
How market-ready is your product/service?
We have a demo completed for both iOS and Android endpoints. We plan to be at minimum viable product (MVP) within 60 days.
What is your biggest competitive differentiator?
The application of machine learning to the multi-factor authentication process. This helps reduce the friction associated with accessing applications that have elevated levels of security.
With a growing pedigree in cybersecurity, the Mach37 Cyber Accelerator is back in session for the fall with a new crop of participants hoping to gain valuable advice and direction from mentors connected to the program.
Sponsored by the Center for Innovation Technology in Virginia, Mach37 has now helped 52 companies with launch or development assistance that includes close mentorship from fellow entrepreneurs, investors and domain experts in the security world, and a modest $50,000 grant to help bring ideas to fruition. Most importantly, the experience provides a valuable networking opportunity for participants to rub shoulders with the who's who of security.
The momentum continues during the next three months with another round of six companies that aim to change the game in a range of security niches, including training, privacy, identity management and embedded systems security. We reached out to the CEOs of each firm to get to know their companies better.
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