Ready for Liftoff
Cync Program Launches First Three Companies
UMBC’s Research Park Corporation, known as bwtech@UMBC, and Northrop Grumman Corporation hosted a ceremony on September 27th for the first graduating class of the Northrop Grumman Cync Program: AccelerEyes, Five Directions and Oculis Labs. The event also marked the expansion of bwtech@UMBC’s Cyber Incubator program, a sign of the program’s success and the positive economic impact both initiatives are making on the region.
The celebration, held at bwtech@UMBC, featured remarks by Northrop Grumman Corporate Vice President and President of Northrop Grumman Information Systems Kathy Warden, UMBC President Freeman Hrabowski, Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz, Speaker Pro Tem Delegate Adrienne Jones ’76 and Maryland Secretary of Business and Economic Development Dominick Murray.
“We’re proud to be a part of this endeavor and congratulate the Cync companies,” said Warden. “When seeking the most innovative approaches to mitigating the cyber threat, academia and small business bring unique insights to a cyber leader like Northrop Grumman. This partnership with UMBC and the Cync companies is generating the type of game-changing technologies that keep us ahead in the cyber battle, while helping us to cultivate tomorrow’s cyber workforce.”
“The graduation of the first three companies from this program demonstrates the potential of university and corporate partnerships to grow Maryland’s economy and support young businesses,” President Hrabowski said. “UMBC’s research park is playing an increasing role in developing the cybersecurity sector in Maryland, and we couldn’t have a better partner in that work than Northrop Grumman.”
The Cync program, founded in March 2011, is an innovative partnership that focuses on commercializing technology to protect the nation from a growing range of cyber threats. It builds on bwtech@UMBC’s successful business-incubation framework by offering a “scholarship program” for small businesses with the most promising cybersecurity ideas. Participants in the program draw on UMBC’s research expertise and Northrop Grumman resources to develop tools that will secure and protect our nation’s networks.
Participants also cut the ribbon on a 3,353 square-foot expansion of the bwtech@UMBC Cyber Incubator. The new space, called the CyberHive, will include five incubator labs, two shared offices, a conference room, coffee bar, kitchen and coworking space.
In total, there are 48 cybersecurity companies in the bwtech@UMBC community, including Light Point Security, also a Cync company and recently named a top-five Startup of the Year by the Wall Street Journal. bwtech@UMBC has the largest cluster of early-stage cybersecurity companies at a university-affiliated research park in the nation.
Sen. Barbara Mikulski and Rep. Elijah E. Cummings, made the following comments regarding the joint bwtech@UMBC/Northrop Grumman event:
“Maryland is the global epicenter of cyber security, leading the way in finding cyber tech solutions that make our country safer and preparing our cyber warriors for jobs that make our economy stronger,” said Mikulski. “Because of Maryland’s incredible federal assets, dynamic private sector and academic institutions, America’s cyber defense starts in Maryland. The partnership between institutions like UMBC and Northrop Grumman for the Cyber Cync Program is so important for Maryland and the country. It builds the cyber workforce and makes sure that our students are ready to fill the jobs of today and the jobs of tomorrow.”
“I am thrilled to see the success of the Cyber Cync Program, demonstrated by the first round of graduates celebrated today, and the expansion of UMBC’s Cyber Incubator,” said Cummings. “As technology’s role in society continues to grow, the cybersecurity problems we face will only become more difficult. Innovative partnerships like Cync play a critical role in ensuring we are able to find solutions to those problems now, and in the future.”
(10/02/13)
