Wednesday, February 19, 2014, 1:47pm EST
Six cyber firms compete for $100,000 InvestMaryland prize
Ryan McDonald
Baltimore Business Journal
Six cyber security startups in Maryland will vie for $100,000 as they advance to the semifinals of the second InvestMaryland Challenge.
Baltimore’s Integrata Security, Light Point Security and ZeroFox (formerly Riskive), as well as Bethesda’s IntrusionOnline Corp., Arnold’s ITNOVA and Frederick’s Luminal will meet face-to-face with cyber security judges from both the public and private sector on March 6 at the state’s Department of Business and Economic Development’s headquarters.
Each company will then make their elevator pitch as if they were talking to potential investors.
“I expect it to be very similar to when you meet any investor and explain your company and what your solution is solving and what the benefit to potential customers is,” Integrata Security CEO Mike Geppi said.
More than 250 companies across four industries entered this year’s InvestMaryland Challenge. The categories are information technology, cyber security, life sciences and general industry. One winner from each category will win $100,000. Some 41 startups remain across the four categories.
Zuly Gonzalez, chief operating officer at Light Point Security, was among the semifinalists in the IT category last year, and she said her and Light Point’s CEO Beau Adkins were given 15 to 20 minutes to pitch the company and participate with a question and answer with the judges.
