2023 SC Awards Finalists: Best Emerging Technology

Axiado’s AX3000 Trusted Control/Compute Unit (TCU) was designed to address the growing security challenges in data centers, 5G infrastructure, edge computing environments, and other disaggregated compute systems. With increasing cybersecurity risks and regulations, the AX3000 offers a cost-effective, AI-enhanced hardware processor that consolidates security functions in a single chip. The AX3000 TCU comes with zero-trust security, acting as a last line of defense while complying with the Open Compute Project’s (OCP) secure control module (DC-SCM) standard. This unique approach was designed for the rapidly expanding data center, telco, and enterprise markets, where customers need to meet or exceed government regulations. Axiado offers dedicated application and software engineers to each customer, with support for legacy software and custom software features. The AX3000’s total cost of ownership balances the costs of running existing solutions with migration costs, while offering scalability and upgradability. Axiado continues to develop new security features and improve system performance, with AI engines developed to learn and automate critical tasks over time. The AX3000 TCU aims to address unmet security needs in the market and simplify the supply chain for customers.

BlackCloak’s Concierge Cybersecurity and Privacy Platform was designed to protect the digital private lives of business executives and their families. As corporate cybersecurity becomes more robust, cybercriminals are targeting executives’ personal networks and devices to access corporate systems. BlackCloak’s holistic approach includes weekly penetration testing, Wi-Fi security, dark web scanning, data removal, credit monitoring, and device privacy hardening. The company has experienced steady growth as more organizations recognize the need for such protection. With a dedicated customer success team, BlackCloak aims to ensure prompt responses and support. The average annual cost of ownership runs at $6,000, with minimal effort required from the client during onboarding. The platform gets updated twice a month, and the company continually strengthens its service by staying informed about emerging threats and incorporating client feedback.

Concentric AI’s Data Security Posture Management (DSPM) addresses the critical need for organizations to discover and protect business-critical content, including intellectual property, financial data, and personal information across on-premises and cloud-based data stores, as well as messaging and communication apps. The DSPM product scans data, detects sensitive content, identifies appropriate classification categories, and automatically tags data using artificial intelligence (AI) for improved accuracy and efficiency. Concentric AI has a growing customer base, supported by a 24×7 customer service team. As a cloud-based service, the company bases its pricing model on the volume of data protected, with product updates and support included in the subscription. Concentric AI continues to develop its platform, expanding integrations, enhancing the core platform, and refining AI models for better accuracy and granularity. The company has been recognized in Gartner’s Hype Cycles, and was a finalist for the SINET innovation award in 2022. Concentric AI’s DSPM aims to allow organizations to effectively secure their unstructured data, meeting customer needs in the ever-evolving data security landscape.

Rezilion’s Dynamic Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) platform addresses the increasing threats and regulations surrounding software supply chains, particularly vulnerabilities associated with third-party and open-source software. Recent incidents such as the Log4j and SolarWinds attacks have highlighted the need for real-time visibility into software supply chain risks and vulnerabilities. Rezilion’s platform offers risk detection through threat intelligence feed integration, identifying open-source software vulnerabilities and malicious code. The platform prioritizes vulnerabilities based on the unique threat to a customer’s environment and automates remediation. Catering to a diverse customer base, from start-ups to Fortune 100 enterprises, Rezilion offers a total cost of ownership significantly lower than competitors because of its automation capabilities. The company offers high service levels, including 24/7 global technical support and a comprehensive customer success program. Rezilion aims to constantly develop its platform to support more environments, address a wider range of threats, and improve remediation automation.

SandboxAQ’s Security Suite addresses the growing threat posed by quantum computing to public-key encryption, which could jeopardize data security, national security, and personal privacy. The product offers protection against quantum-based threats for government agencies and large enterprises in various industries by using next-generation post-quantum cryptography (PQC) algorithms. The Security Suite features three modules focusing on cryptographic discovery, management, and remediation. It enables crypto-agility, automating the deployment of new cryptographic algorithms as technologies and threats evolve. The Suite has been adopted by several global banks, telecommunications providers, healthcare systems, and U.S. government agencies since its debut in March 2022. Total cost of ownership varies depending on the size and complexity of an organization’s network. SandboxAQ uses agile software development practices to deliver continuous upgrades and improvements. The company’s success in securing contracts with multiple government agencies demonstrates its ability to meet the needs and high standards of large, complex organizations in heavily-regulated sectors.