Tech company of the week: Contrast Security

Last May, Governor Hogan announced the Excel Maryland Initiative at the inaugural Maryland Business Summit in front of more than 700 business, education, and community leaders in the state. The initiative’s goal is lofty – to launch a comprehensive, statewide economic development strategy focused on developing new collaborative techniques to accelerate growth in the life sciences and cybersecurity industries.

With more than 35 incubators and research parks and a number one ranking in STEM job concentration, Maryland is fertile ground for entrepreneurs in life sciences and cybersecurity, industries where Maryland already leads. Excel Maryland, the latest tool in the state’s toolbox, is designed to propel these industries to even greater heights.

MDBizNews sat down with a few local businesses that are thriving in the state’s cybersecurity sector and giving the Commerce team plenty to brag about at the upcoming RSA Conference.

Contrast Security, based in Baltimore City’s Canton neighborhood, provides software protection for businesses by making their existing programs “self-protecting,” so they can defend themselves against vulnerabilities and attacks. Founders Arshan Dabirsiaghi and Jeff Williams launched the company as a spin-off of Williams’ successful consulting firm in Columbia, knowing that they wanted to stay in Maryland for this new venture.

“From a business side, Silicon Valley is where a technology company is ‘supposed’ to be,” said Dabirsiaghi. “Culture is so important for a company and we have a very balanced technology culture here in Baltimore.”

Contrast Security’s technology is different from the traditional software protection products on the market because it is tailor-made for every customer’s program. Dabirsiaghi compared it to getting an MRI instead of having a doctor simply ask questions. One allows you to get an inside view of what’s really going on, while the other makes educated guesses from an external perspective.

“In the same way, our agent technology analyzes and protects from within our customers’ software, rather than just scanning its code,” said Dabirsiaghi.

For Contrast Security, pioneering the field of software protection is the end goal. With high-profile hacks like Equifax, the company feels they are in a position to vastly improve how businesses maintain security for their customers.

“The sky is the limit. We’re hiring all the time, so tell your friends,” said Dabirsiaghi. “Companies continue to invest more and more into software. We hope to fundamentally change the way software is built, and secure the next generation of technology.”

For more information visit contrastsecurity.com.

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The post Tech company of the week: Contrast Security appeared first on MDBIZNews.

from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2018/04/tech-company-week-contrast-security/

Michigan Tuesday: Has Ole Old News

We have known for weeks that Ole Miss had recommended that Shea Patterson and his other former teammates (that have transferred) not be eligible immediately.   Many had expected that Ole Miss wouldn't object to the players being eligible since they did under estimate the NCAA penalties.   Per the rules, seniors that were on Mississippi could transfer freely without penalty.  The issue is Shea Patterson had two years of eligibility remaining and wasn't covered under that rule.


At this point, Ole Miss stance is just that, an opinion on a decision that the NCAA needs to make.   The NCAA is considering letting all players transfer freely, my guess is they would support players transferring (without penalty) when their program is hit with major NCAA sanctions. 


The NCAA after receiving Mississippi's response, also contacted Michigan and asked for more information which many believe to be a positive sign for the Wolverines.


From what I have been reading and heard, it seems the coaches are still pretty confident the NCAA will support the immediate eligibility, but with any NCAA decision, nothing is guaranteed.


Michigan fans will get their first look at Shea Patterson in the Maize and Blue on Saturday night's spring game. 

• It seems the news about MSU covering up sexual assaults continues to become public knowledge.   A new report about an assault in 2015 was just released yesterday.     MSU needs to make some major changes and it starts with the men leading the basketball and football programs. 

• Alexandria (Va.) Episcopal 2019 safety Litchfield Ajavon will visit for the Spring Game.

from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/04/michigan-tuesday-has-ole-old-news.html

Michigan Monday: Goes Off The Board Today

If you have followed this blog for years, you know a couple times a year I go off the board and talk a little golf. 


With Michigan Football in Spring Practice and Basketball now over, I'd thought I would talk a little Masters and what we saw this weekend. 


Coming into the Masters, all I heard was a Tiger vs. Phil match-up on Sunday again.  I thought that would be difficult as this was really Tiger's first major on his comeback and Phil is always an all or nothing guy in majors.   Starting on Sunday, Phil was in 50th place and Tiger was in 40th.  After both barely made the cut.   They both played well on Sunday but not enough to make any noise.   


I watched many of Tiger's shots this weekend and he is still struggling with his game.  Yes, it was great that he could get through 4 rounds with out pain but his game still has a ton of rough edges.  His driver is killing him, his irons are not consistent, and his short game which had been great coming into the Masters was not sharp.    He had been pretty good on the flat Florida courses and the slower bermuda, but I believe he still needs to play 3 or 4 majors before he sharpens the knife for that type of competition.


I think its great that Patrick Reed won, he has been quietly one of the better players on tour for a few years now.  His game really doesn't have any weaknesses and he showed that this weekend.   About 10 years ago, I got to attend two rounds at the Masters.   TV doesn't come close to doing the place justice, the greens look like a carnival ride (the slopes are borderline unfair).  I don't believe you would ever have a flat putt.   Experience is so important there and Pat finally found that right formula. 


US golf is in great shape.   When Jordan Spieth gets it going like that, he is clearly the best player in the world.  He had been struggling a bit this season but it looks like he has finally found his game again.  Ricky Fowler has always been talented but many had wondered if he was Sergio 2.0 (a talented kid that could never win a major), Sergio won the Masters last year and it looks like Ricky is about to win a major very soon. 


The golf industry took a big up turn when Tiger was in his prime and dominating the tour.   With Jordan, Ricky, Phil, DJ, Brooks Koepka, Day, Reed, and many more the game is in great shape.   I doubt we will ever see an uptick like we did during Tiger's run but golf might be making a quiet comeback and kids have plenty of good guys to look up to. 



from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/04/michigan-monday-goes-off-board-today.html

Spring Showcase: Made in Maryland Festival

From Chesapeake Bay seafood, to Smith Island Cake, to many of the home brews and wines crafted by the state’s local breweries and wineries, it would seem impossible to be able to sample Maryland’s vast food and drink options all in one day. But the Made in Maryland Festival is making it easy to sip on some Layton’s Chance wine from Dorchester County while indulging in Baltimore’s favorite crab cuisine from Jimmy’s Famous Seafood, at one convenient location.

In its second year, the Made in Maryland Festival is building off the huge success of last year’s debut, with even more vendors and entertainment for people of all ages to enjoy on Sunday, May 6, at Kurtz’s Beach in Pasadena.

This completely Maryland-themed festival will feature artisans, crafters, live jousting, food vendors, local wineries and breweries, live music, and children’s activities. The event supports The Chesapeake Bay Trust, a 501c(3) nonprofit grant-making organization dedicated to improving the watersheds of the Chesapeake Bay, Maryland Coastal Bays, and Youghiogheny River.

Event coordinator, Hayley Bowerman, said the scale of this year’s event is directly a result of 2017’s success.

“Last year’s inaugural event was met with an overwhelming response. The number of attendees that showed up at the gate needing tickets on the day-of was more than double what we anticipated,” Bowerman said. “We’re most excited for our overall lineup of entertainment and activities this year. This is really an all-ages festival that offers something for everyone, whether you’re planning to attend with small children, your significant other, or a group of friends.”

From the entertainment headlined by local 80’s tribute band The Reagan Years, to beverages from Baltimore-based Patapsco Distilling Company and Ocean City’s own Hoop Tea, as well as local authors and artists, appearances by Natty Boh and the Baltimore Hon Hive, and a fresh plant market just in time for Mother’s Day, every aspect of the festivals highlights its Maryland roots.

Even the Kurtz’s Beach location is a Maryland staple that has been family-owned and operated in Anne Arundel County for nearly 85 years. Owner John Mason says the festival is a perfect way to celebrate that anniversary.

“This festival is kind of bringing everything together because we’re a Maryland institution that has relied on the bay and its health as part of our business,” said Mason. “We always wanted to do something to really celebrate the state. My family and I are simply stewards of this magical place among nature and we’re honored to invite everyone here to see what Anne Arundel County has to offer.”

Bowerman says this collaboration of Maryland-based businesses is what fuels this unique festival.

“Our ultimate goal is to create an event that perfectly incorporates all the things that ‘Maryland’ brings to mind,” said Bowerman. “We already have a great combination of offerings and eventually we’d love to bring in all the businesses, brands, sporting teams, and more from all corners of our state.”

“For now, our immediate goal is simply to create a fun atmosphere that celebrates all the great aspects of our state, while also promoting The Chesapeake Bay Trust.”

For more information and to purchase tickets visit madeinmarylandfest.com.

The post Spring Showcase: Made in Maryland Festival appeared first on MDBIZNews.

from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2018/04/spring-showcase-made-maryland-festival/

Michigan Friday: Been A Tough for Wolverine Fans

We know what happened on Monday and then last night, Michigan lost to ND in the Frozen 4 with a goal with 3.7 left.   Let's just pretend this week never happened.  Erase it from your memory!

• Michigan offered 4-star Klein Collins RB Isaiah Spiller yesterday.

• Michigan Basketball has offered 2019 five-star small forward Keion Brooks

We have been talking about positive changes with the program since the Outback Bowl.  I huge new asset is the acquisition of offensive line coach Ed Warinner.


He met with the media for 15 minutes yesterday and I came away every impressed at his knowledge, coaching, and approach. 


Some highlights I picked up:

• He is here to work with the offensive line but will also lend his experience and knowledge to the overall offense. 
• Best 5 will play
• Grant is in every meeting and coach says he is the smartest guy in the room.
• Spanellis is working at Center & Guard
• Stueber is working at Guard & Tackle
• James Hudson is not a starter right now but has a very high celling and could be in the two deep.
• Cesar is doing a great job at center and could be an NFL center if he continues to improve.
• Coach knows Bredeson very well and recruited him hard.  Really has enjoyed coaching him this spring.

We know this unit could make or break the Wolverines next season.  They are playing against the defense line 1's, so they should be ready for ND and the rest of the schedule. 


It's great to have one coach focusing on their success everyday!






from The BIG HOUSE Blog http://mbighouse.blogspot.com/2018/04/michigan-friday-been-tough-week-being.html

Tech company of the week: Immuta

Last May, Governor Hogan announced the Excel Maryland Initiative at the inaugural Maryland Business Summit in front of more than 700 business, education, and community leaders in the state. The initiative’s goal is lofty – to launch a comprehensive, statewide economic development strategy focused on developing new collaborative techniques to accelerate growth in the life sciences and cybersecurity industries.

With more than 35 incubators and research parks and a number one ranking in STEM job concentration, Maryland is fertile ground for entrepreneurs in life sciences and cybersecurity, industries where Maryland already leads. Excel Maryland, the latest tool in the state’s toolbox, is designed to propel these industries to even greater heights.

MDBizNews sat down with a few local businesses that are thriving in the state’s cybersecurity sector and giving the Commerce team plenty to brag about at the upcoming RSA Conference.

College Park-based Immuta serves algorithm-driven enterprises in order to accelerate their development and control machine learning, as well as other advanced analytics. They are, in essence, a data management company that can provide fast and personalized data access to clients that will improve creation, deployment, and auditability of machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Immuta’s team has deep Maryland roots – many built their IT careers in the state and a number are proud Terp alumni. Steve Touw, chief technology officer for Immuta, said the company has found immense value in the resources here in Maryland.

“With proximity to the nation’s capital, Baltimore and Annapolis, Maryland’s full of amazing opportunities, which is why we’re so excited to call the ‘Old Line State’ our home,” said Touw. “We’ve found an incredible talent pool here with deep experience in technology and a real passion for data privacy.”

Customers can use Immuta’s software platform to connect to any information storage technology, using any tool, while enforcing the strictest privacy controls. This allows data science programs to easily and quickly turn their data into insight. According to the company, this is a groundbreaking platform that has gone untapped by their competitors.

“We’re made up of data scientists, software developers and lawyers with combined decades of experience helping large organizations move at the speed of A.I.,” said Touw. “By drawing on our incredibly unique backgrounds, our team has built a platform like no other — allowing for the fastest, most reliable access to data and data policy enforcement, all in one intuitive product.”

The future looks bright for Immuta as more and more organizations invest in powerful data science tools while governments continue to enact stricter regulations, a challenge that the company is eager to take on.

“Data science is becoming more important, but also much harder in practice,” said Touw. “Immuta allows companies to easily adapt to both of these major trends — making better use of their data while complying with any data regulation.”

For more information visit immuta.com.

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from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2018/04/tech-company-of-the-week-immuta/

ID Agent moves to Maryland

ID Agent, a provider of Dark Web monitoring and identity theft protection solutions, recently opened its headquarters in Maryland.

The company relocated from Washington, D.C. to Bowie and selected a 3,000 square-foot space in the Melford Business Park that it plans to expand within the next two months. With this move, the company will bring 10 jobs to Maryland and anticipates doubling its workforce in the coming year.

After operating for 14 years as part of Winvale, located in Washington, D.C., ID Agent strategically moved to Maryland for its direct access to a specialized and talented workforce, affordable cost of living, and central location.

“This move made critical sense to our growth plan and recruitment efforts. There are thousands of commuters who travel along Route 50, and we can attract the best of the best of those seeking a 20- minute drive, as opposed to an hour on a good day,” said Kevin Lancaster, chief executive officer. “Maryland is a great place to be, especially when it comes to cybersecurity.”

ID Agent has experienced exponential growth over the past year, which Lancaster said was another determining factor in making the move to Maryland.

“With a strong cybersecurity industry supported by 115,000 technology warriors and an array of business-friendly tax credits and programs, our administration continues to ensure that companies have the resources they need to grow and thrive in Maryland,” said Governor Larry Hogan.

READ MORE.

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from https://mdbiznews.commerce.maryland.gov/2018/04/id-agent-moves-maryland/