British cybersecurity firm Goldilock emerges as the only CNI-focused cyber company selected to move forward in highly exclusive NATO-backed innovation programme ~
Goldilock has announced as one of the ten companies selected to join the second phase of the Defense Innovation Accelerator for the North Atlantic (DIANA). The ten innovators were part of 44 companies chosen in 2023 to join the first acceleration cohort of the newly formed DIANA, an organisation set up by NATO Allies to tackle the complex security challenges with disruptive dual-use technologies.
As part of Phase II, Goldilock will receive additional funding of up to €300,000 as well as tailored programming, investor networking, and adoption opportunities. The approved funding will support Goldilock in obtaining technology certifications in CNI and defence settings, developing scalable versions of its technology for wider deployments, and establishing software tools for planning, deploying and operating large multi-site deployments.
Of the 44 participants accepted into Phase I, Goldilock emerges as the only CNI-focused cyber company selected to progress to Phase II. The remaining nine innovators come from seven nations, specialising in a range of technology sectors from quantum sensing to renewable energy to ultra cold matter.
This new achievement fuels Goldilock’s momentum as its unique solution, FireBreak, continues to gain recognition within the defence sector and the cybersecurity industry, empowering organisations to detect and neutralise sophisticated cyber attacks before they inflict lasting damage. With active participation in various incubation and acceleration programmes, including the UK’s National Cyber Security Centre’s joint NCSC For Startups programme with Plexal, and the UK Ministry of Defence’s Defence and Security Accelerator, this latest advancement has further solidified the government-trusted and CNI-backed company’s position as a leading innovator in advanced threat protection.
“Cyber attacks are growing more sophisticated year after year, and as demonstrated by recent incidents, not even the largest, most cyber-aware organisations are 100% protected. It’s clear something’s not working, and now more than ever, companies need to adapt their cybersecurity strategy,” said Tony Hasek, CEO and Co-Founder of Goldilock. “To keep these threats at bay, our stand-out hardware-based approach moves away from traditional methods and empowers users to physically disconnect their online systems in an instant. Without an internet connection, cyber attackers lose all their power, stopping them in their tracks and allowing organisation owners and managers to regain complete control.”
To move into Phase II, innovators had to demonstrate progress in their commercial and defence market potential, the technical viability and novelty of their solutions, and their investment readiness. Review panels compromised technical defence and innovation experts.
“We’re proud to announce the ten innovative companies moving into Phase II,” said Professor Deeph Chana, Managing Director of DIANA. “To solve complex security resilience problems, we need an ecosystem of creative, collaborative innovators willing to bring their talent and expertise to bear. These ten innovators, and indeed all of our first cohort, are paving the way for a strong pipeline of innovation for Allied nations to adopt.”
Phase I of the acceleration programme is a six-month ‘boot camp’ that increases participants’ exposure to defence markets and needs, commercial and investment guidance, and demo and testing opportunities. Innovators receive €100,000 as a main grant and are paired with one of DIANA’s network of accelerators across the Alliance. As such, NATO plans to design a bespoke program for Goldilock to scale, providing further validation in a wider set of the 32 countries and in dual-use scenarios.
Continuing this successful relationship, Goldilock is currently exploring collaboration opportunities with NATO Cyber Security Centre as well as cooperation with several of the NATO DIANA industries.
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