Sixty companies selected to participate in invitation-only program for CXOs of innovative, next-gen companies with dual-use National Security tech

WASHINGTON, Feb. 7, 2023 /PRNewswire/ — MissionLink.Next, an exclusive nationwide community that serves as a force-multiplier and gateway to accelerating innovation and advancing solutions to National Security threats, announces the kickoff of its 2023 Cohort in addition to bringing onboard seven new Advisory Board members.

Founded in 2010 by an elite board and advisory board comprised of the best and brightest minds from the defense, Intelligence and NatSec tech sectors, the Organization’s mission is to connect passionate problem solvers with next-gen, mission-critical capabilities to the right resources, customers, investors, advisors, and partners, ultimately solving national security concerns across commercial and federal sectors. For more than 10 years, MissionLink has been on the cutting edge of NatSec tech and is recognized as the organization that has most captured the timeliness and immediacy of the latest security developments, discoveries, and breakthroughs.

“The next generation of technology innovation will be driven by emerging national security requirements and MissionLink continues to provide the critical link between innovation and mission with this new cohort of companies,” said Matt Devost, MissionLink Organizing Board member.

The MissionLink Board received more than 150 nominations for the 2023 Cohort and ultimately 60 companies were selected by world class technologists and thought leaders, such as Will Grannis, CTO of Google, and Ron Gula, cofounder of Tenable Network Solutions, bringing together top founders and CXOs from across the US in the areas of cyber, artificial intelligence & machine learning, analytics, biotechnology, autonomy, microelectronics, quantum science, space, UAS/drones, 5G, virtual reality, synthetic environments, internet of things and emerging technologies.

“Given the pace and scale at which our nation’s enemies are pursuing technological advances to weaponize against us, our nation’s ability to defend itself on the global stage is increasingly coming down to our ability to innovate more rapidly and effectively than our adversaries – especially as it relates to maintaining our superiority in offensive and defensive cyber, data analytics and AI,” commented Andy Lustig, MissionLink cofounder and Organizing Board member. He continued, “This year’s MissionLink cohort is yet another testament that 60 of our nation’s best and brightest entrepreneurs and innovators are answering that call and I couldn’t be more excited about leveraging the MissionLink network of world class advisors to accelerate the pace at which they are doing so.”

The 2023 Cohort includes:

• Advanced Programs, Inc.
• AINS
• Altana Technologies
• Anomaly Six
• Applied Technology Solutions, LLC
• Axellio Inc.
• Babel Street
• Bracket F, Inc. (Redacted)
• BuddoBot Inc.
• CalypsoAI
• Cinder
• Cognitive Space Inc.
• Cymantix
• Dark Wolf Solutions, LLC
• Data Machines Corp.
• Dataiku
• Filter Labs
• Flashpoint National Security Solutions
• General System/ Excession Technologies
• GovForce
• Groq, Inc.
• GTSC
• HackerOne
• Hammerspace
• HelloGov
• Hush
• Illumio, Inc.
• Integra Technologies, LLC
• Kion
• Kudu Dynamics, LLC
• Meridian535 Strategies
• NetRise
• Network Designs, Inc
• Night Shift Development, Inc.
• NWO
• PenLink
• Pixxel Space Technologies
• Premise Data
• Private Tech
• PsiQuantum
• Racktop Systems
• RapidAscent
• Reach Power, Inc
• RedSeal
• RegScale
• Rendered.ai
• Seccuri
• Shift5
• SilverEdge Government Solutions
• SummitET
• Surefire Cyber Inc.
• Tangram Flex
• Terra Arma
• Tidal Cyber
• TRM Labs
• VectorZero Technologies, LLC
• Verato, Inc.
• Veriphix Inc.
• Voltron Data
• XTec, Inc.
• Zectonal

“We are pleased to welcome this impressive new cohort into our powerful network of more than 550 CXOs,” said Katherine Ferguson, MissionLink cofounder and Organizing Board member. “This cohort represents the most cutting-edge companies solving the highest priorities of the mission and the new wave of innovation we are seeing in NatSec tech.”

New cohort members will attend a series of events led by notable speakers who are former or current Senior Executives from the Intelligence Community, Flag Officers from Department of Defense, industry CEOs and CISOs, and leading investors. At the conclusion of the year-long program, cohort members will join over 550 CXO/founders who have previously gone through the program and now make up the MissionLink Alumni Network, including the founders and CEOs of Rapid7, MAG Aerospace, Cofense, Cleversafe, Altamira, Cloudera, Cylance, Crowdstrike, Novetta and Dovel Technologies. Many of them credit MissionLink with providing their company with the game changing access, insight, and opportunity needed to drive meaningful growth and impact to their industry and customers.

Jeremy King, MissionLink cofounder and organizing board member, commented, “We are proud of building MissionLink, a trusted innovation ecosystem. We refer to it as the five C’s: community connecting companies, customers, and capital.”

The Board of Advisors is at the core of MissionLink’s trusted innovation ecosystem and includes industry veterans who are committed to its success. Newly appointed Advisory Board members are Maj. Gen. Aaron Prupas, former Air Force / MAVEN; Lt. Gen. Scott Howell, former JSOC; Dawn Meyerriecks, former CIA; Chris Gladwin, Ocient; Mike Kushin, Parsons; Dr. Michael Capps, Diveplane; and Scott Herman, former BlackSky.  These seven join the ranks of longstanding Advisory Board members who include Sue Gordon, former NGA and CIA; Bill Crowell, former NSA; Charlene Leubecker, former CIA; Bob Gourley, former CTO at DIA; Bryan Ware, former DHS; Ellen McCarthy, former Department of State; Fran Landolf, former NSA; Cyndi Gula and Ron Gula of Gula Tech Adventures; Will Grannis, CTO of Google; Jen Sovada of Sandbox AQ; Lt. Gen. Rhett Hernandez, former Chief of Army Cyber Command; Peggy Styer and Jack Kerrigan of Razor’s Edge Ventures; Tim Newberry, Advisory Board of Ten Eleven Ventures and former Founder and CSO of BlackHorse Solutions; Wes Blackwell, Partner at Booz Allen Ventures; Tim Estes, former Digital Reasoning; Jamie Dos Santos, CEO of Cybraics Defense Corp; and Constantine Saab, Managing Director and CTO at Valor Equity.

The MissionLink Organizing Board includes cofounders Jeremy King of Benchmark Executive Search; Andy Lustig and Katherine Ferguson of Cooley LLP; and Matt Devost of OODA Inc.

About MissionLink.Next 
MissionLink.Next is a non-profit trade association and exclusive network that includes decision makers, government leaders, top founders and CEOs from across the US who are building the most cutting-edge mission critical capabilities in cyber, AI, virtual reality, IoT, space and quantum science. MissionLink.Next companies are addressing the next generation of threats across national security, healthcare, financial services, ecommerce, social media, life sciences, automotive and transportation, logistics, supply chain, manufacturing, and critical infrastructure. Backed by an elite advisory board comprised of the best and brightest minds from defense, Intel, and homeland security sectors, MissionLink’s trusted innovation ecosystem fosters access, insight and opportunity to bridge enterprise and national security missions with dual-use commercial capabilities. For more information, please visit the MissionLink.Next website.

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