Tuck's National Security and Innovation Conference, Fundings: Gigantor Technologies, K2 Space, Cypherleak
25 October 2023 - A Weekly Publication by New North Ventures
This Saturday, October 28, we will sponsor the inaugural Tuck National Security and Innovation Conference hosted by the Tuck School of Business at Dartmouth.
The conference will bring together practitioners from early-stage venture capital, government, and academia. With a keen focus on cybersecurity, energy, defense, and space, this gathering aspires to bridge the gap between government and venture capital, fostering collaboration and innovation. Notable figures in the field, including Mike Pyle, Deputy National Security Advisor for International Economics, are set to deliver keynote addresses.
The conference's panel discussions also promise deep insights into pivotal aspects of government innovation. Topics like the government's role as an incubator, the allure of the public sector as an emerging end market, historical and contemporary strategies, and demystifying government procurement processes are set to be explored.
With experts in the field like Nick Reese, Nate Ashton, Tyler Sweatt, David Kovar, Trevor Hough, Thomas Hendrix, Adam Caruso, Kevin Liu Huang, and our very own Jeremy Hitchcock leading these discussions, the Tuck National Security and Innovation Conference is primed to be a groundbreaking event, shaping the future of national security, technology, and government collaboration.
Recently, we had one of the conference coordinators, Allison Coukos, on our podcast. To learn more about what to expect from Saturday’s event, listen wherever you stream your podcasts or below on Spotify:
We are thrilled to share the fantastic success of our portfolio company, Hawkeye 360. They have recently completed their Series D-1 funding round, securing an additional $10 million in investment. With Lockheed Martin's contribution, the total funding now stands at an impressive $68 million.
This milestone heralds the beginning of an exciting and strategic collaboration as Hawkeye 360 and Lockheed Martin join forces to spearhead cutting-edge RF intelligence systems on a global scale.
It's a remarkable achievement for Hawkeye 360, and we are excited to see this partnership propel them to new heights. Congratulations to the entire team at Hawkeye 360 for this significant milestone!
The Race to Save Our Secrets From the Computers of the Future
"Q-Day" is the hypothetical day when a powerful quantum computer can break encryption by factoring in large numbers, posing a significant threat to privacy and security.
The encryption-breaking capabilities of quantum computing could undermine government, corporate, and personal data security.
The U.S. government is working on developing new encryption systems that are resistant to quantum attacks, but the transition is expected to take a decade or more.
There is a race between major powers, including China, Russia, and the U.S., to develop quantum computing technology and secure their data against quantum attacks.
Quantum computing, due to its potential to solve complex problems efficiently, has applications beyond breaking encryption, such as in chemistry, materials science, and artificial intelligence, attracting substantial investments and projected value in various fields.
The transition to quantum-resistant encryption is a challenging process, and adversaries may exploit advances in artificial intelligence and machine learning to quietly access and manipulate encrypted data, making it an unprecedented and potentially existential threat with no clear deterrent.
Exclusive: Inside an Infamous Russian Spy Unit’s First Bombing in NATO
In November 2011, GRU Unit 29155 was linked to an ammunition depot explosion in Bulgaria, marking their first known terrorist attack.
Averyanov, a colonel in the GRU, led this unit, which mainly consisted of young operatives from GRU and Russian Special Forces.
The group had lax tradecraft, and their activities were later exposed.
They were responsible for attacks in various NATO and EU countries, such as Bulgaria, Czechia, and Moldova, resulting in casualties and diplomatic tensions.
Explosions at arms depots were often connected to arms shipments bound for countries like Georgia, where tensions with Russia were high.
The article highlights a pattern of unsolved explosions, and despite strong evidence linking Unit 29155, no concrete action has been taken.
Averyanov's career has been on the rise in Russia, with him now serving as the deputy chief of the GRU, overseeing military and hybrid operations in multiple regions.
Several members of Unit 29155 have been promoted to high-ranking positions in Russia, emphasizing Putin's reliance on such covert operatives.
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Founded: 2020
Key People: CEO Don Gaspar
Elevator Pitch: Real-time AI acceleration system designed to provide acceleration for machine learning or artificial intelligence models.
Funding: The company raised $2.22 million of seed funding in the form of convertible debt from Florida Funders, Institute for Commercialization of Florida Technology, and Baker Hall Capital on October 20, 2023.
Founded: 2022
Key People: CEO Karandev Kunjur
Elevator Pitch: Aerospace hardware products designed for space architecture.
Funding: The company raised $7 million of venture funding from Alpine Space Ventures and other undisclosed investors on October 20, 2023.
Founded: 2022
Key People: CEO Ethan Cohen-Cole
Elevator Pitch: A cyber risk monitoring and rating platform intended to offer attack surface management, dark web monitoring, and vulnerability scanning in order to minimize cyber attacks.
Funding: The company is in the process of raising $250,000 of seed funding on October 19, 2023.
Look for a new episode of Securing the Future Podcasts wherever you listen. In our latest episode, we have guest CEO Tara Murphy Dougherty sit down with General Partner Jeremy Hitchcock for an engaging conversation where Tara discusses the defense acquisition process and her current work to improve national security through innovation in software.