Author: gradycampbell

Hoover, AL –  June 21, 2023 – ShadowDragon™, a provider of ethical open source intelligence (OSINT), unique datasets and APIs, was selected among hundreds of candidates as one of the World Economic Forum’s 2023 “Technology Pioneers”. This exclusive cohort represents global companies at the forefront of new technologies and innovation, and that are poised to make a significant impact on society.

One of ShadowDragon’s most important missions is making the world a safer place by developing easy-to-use digital investigation tools that simplify the complexities of modern online investigations. ShadowDragon tools, data and training courses are made available to vetted law enforcement, public servants and corporate organizations who provide protection to their communities — from building cases against organized crime, to managing public health crises or physical threats against employees.

“Throughout my career, from earlier years as an ethical hacker, to being an investigator tasked with solving complex insider threat cases, OSINT was a place to turn in pursuit of more information to identify exactly who was behind those complex threats,” said Daniel Clemens, CEO and Founder of ShadowDragon. “I believe that the lawful use of publicly available information can save lives, reduce crime and hold those who take advantage of the weak accountable. As a Technology Pioneer, ShadowDragon looks forward to contributing to both dialogue and action around new solutions that overcome global crises such as human trafficking and child exploitation.”

ShadowDragon has also partnered with nonprofits that share common goals, including stopping human traffickers, to empower investigators with the ShadowDragon tools and tested investigative methods. ShadowDragon delivers OSINT from over 200 networks, including social media platforms, chat rooms, forums, historical datasets and the dark web. By streamlining the collection of this publicly available information, analysts are able to work more quickly, and look for patterns and ask questions about the data to learn more about the problem they’re trying to solve.

“We’re excited to welcome ShadowDragon to our 2023 cohort of Technology Pioneers,” said Verena Kuhn, Head of Innovator Communities at the World Economic Forum. “ShadowDragon and its fellow pioneers are at the forefront of innovation and disruption needed to help us solve the world’s most pressing issues. We look forward to their contribution to the Forum’s content work that brings together the public and private sector to tackle these global issues.”

More information on this year’s Technology Pioneers can be found here. For more information about the ShadowDragon suite of OSINT tools and capabilities, such as SocialNet, OIMonitor, MalNet, Spotter and Horizon, click here.

About ShadowDragon

ShadowDragon provides comprehensive, cyber investigative resources and training for use by private companies, intelligence gathering professionals, law enforcement, and government. The U.S.-based company delivers open source intelligence (OSINT) from over 200 networks including social media platforms, chat rooms, forums, historical datasets, and the dark web. The company monitors malware history, data breach dumps, and other areas for active cyber threats. These data collection and analytic tools help defend against malicious acts in the digital and physical world. For more information, visit www.shadowdragon.io. Visit the ShadowDragon Trust Center for details about the company’s approach to “OSINT for good”.

About World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

About the Technology Pioneers

Launched in 2000, the Technology Pioneer community is composed of early-stage companies from around the world that are involved in the design, development and deployment of new technologies and innovations, and are poised to have a significant impact on business and society. The World Economic Forum provides the community with a platform to engage with public and private sector leaders and to contribute new solutions to overcome the current crisis and build future resiliency.

The Technology Pioneers community is part of the Innovator Communities within the Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Innovator Communities convene the world’s leading global startups across different growth stages from early-stage Technology Pioneers to growth-stage Global Innovators and unicorn companies valued at more than $1 billion.

Allen, TX  –  April 14, 2023 – Allen-based Cytracom, a provider of cloud solutions for managed service providers (MSPs), has announced the appointment of Chief Information Security Officer James Hill and the launch of its Trust Center. 

The two moves underscore Cytracom’s commitment to staying ahead of the curve in cybersecurity and its dedication to providing its partners with the tools and resources they need to navigate the constantly changing landscape of cybersecurity threats, company execs say.

According to Co-founder and CEO Zane Conkle, the company is building on its already-strong security practices. “With the ever-evolving risks faced by MSPs and businesses, investing in security leadership and establishing a Trust Center that offers immediate access to learn about our security practices, view our compliance audits, and stay updated on the latest methods for securing customer environments, demonstrates our unwavering dedication to protecting our partners,” he said in a statement.

The company’s investment and commitment to security and compliance will accelerate its success and that of its partners, highlighting why more MSP channel partners choose the company, he notes.

Appointment of Cybersecurity Veteran James Hill

Cytracom COO John Tippett says the company’s “channel partners trust them with their own network security as well as their clients, and with the rapidly increasing cyber risk in the industry, Cytracom has made a strategic decision to invest in a CISO.”

In a statement, Tippett said Hill’s expertise in the MSP channel, corporate and public sector risk assessments, forensics, NIST framework, and vulnerability management aligns with the company’s business and partners.

As CISO, Hill’s role is to ensure Cytracom and its employees are working securely, minimizing exposure and risk with an effective and sustainable cybersecurity strategy and program, the company said. Hill also is responsible for anticipating future threats and ensuring the company and its channel partners are prepared to meet them.

Hill’s “vision, talent, and immediate call for the Trust Center introduces another lens on security and new resources to help our partners successfully navigate the security challenges in today’s market,” Tippett said.

The Cytracom Trust Center

The new trust center was developed in response to requests from Cytracom’s partners. Designed to improve communication and trust between the company and MSPs, it offers access to its security practices and compliance audits.

The new portal will notify subscribed partners in real time of any changes to Cytracom’s security and compliance status and help speed up the sales cycle by providing faster access to compliance documentation, according to a news release.

Seeing Potential

Cytracom was founded in 2008 by Conkle and other industry veterans who recognized the potential of cloud-based communications for businesses. The company started out providing VoIP services to businesses but expanded to offer a wider range of cloud-based solutions for managed service providers.

Today, the company’s solutions include communications, security, and networking in a single platform to help MSPs connect and secure traditional and hybrid workforces.

In 2020, the company was acquired by San Francisco-based private equity firm Sverica Capital Management for an undisclosed amount. The acquisition provided backing to Cytracom to enhance its range of services offered to MSPs, develop additional features for its services, and accelerate the company’s growth.

The company moved to Allen in 2017.

Palm Coast, FL, USA  –  April 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) – Inc. this week announced its sixth annual Female Founders list honoring a bold group of 200 women whose innovations and ideas are shaping the world into a better place.

The founders cross all industries and bring with them unique stories of success from each stage of the entrepreneurial journey — from startup to going public, being acquired by big buyers, or spending decades at the helm of an organization. They are reinventing everything from shoes to food and are challenging issues like financial literacy and reproductive health.

“Ten years ago I set out to inspire women in tech and enable top-tier talent to have a work-life harmony that was very rare in consulting,” states Hale. “We continue to break the mold, staying true to who we are and succeeding at scale. Our team is 100% on-shore, is 47% women, and achieves industry-leading retention and profitability.”

Coastal Cloud is a Salesforce Multi-Cloud Expert Partner providing consulting, implementation, and managed services for businesses, nonprofits, and the public sector. With multi-year CAGR exceeding 40%, the company again surpassed revenue goals in 2022 and grew team size to become the largest Salesforce-focused consulting firm in North America. Coastal Cloud also leads the industry in customer satisfaction, receiving the Salesforce Partner Innovation Award in Customer Success for three consecutive years.

Hale’s focus on culture as a strategic differentiator has continued this year through mentoring, lectures, and her role in developing the Salesforce Women Founders Group. Coastal Cloud has also continued to increase opportunities for the next generation by expanding its internship program across the country.

Each year, Inc. editors review thousands of applications highlighting female founders who are challenging the status quo and tackling some of the world’s biggest problems. The list features women who have overcome challenges and lifted those around them while leading impactful organizations across the country. They join the ranks of previous honorees including Jessica Alba, Tracee Ellis Ross, Rihanna, and Shonda Rhimes.

“These 200 female founders have identified solutions to difficult problems and created valuable, industry-changing companies out of them. We congratulate this year’s list on their achievements and look forward to their continued success,” says Inc. editor-in-chief Scott Omelianuk.

To see the complete list, go to: https://www.inc.com/female-founders

About Coastal Cloud 

Coastal Cloud is a Salesforce Multi-Cloud Expert Partner based in Palm Coast, Florida. Through its unique consulting business model, the company provides implementations and managed services to assist clients in migrating to next-generation systems.  With a team of over 500 experts holding more than 1,700 Salesforce certifications, Coastal Cloud has pre-configured the Salesforce platform to serve a wide variety of industries, including communications and media, healthcare, high-tech, manufacturing, private equity, and more. Coastal Cloud has earned a 5/5 Customer Satisfaction rating on the Salesforce AppExchange and is ranked #1 on G2.com for Salesforce Consulting. For the third year in a row, Coastal Cloud has received the Salesforce Customer Success Partner Innovation Award. For more information, please visit www.CoastalCloud.US.

Palm Coast, FL – December 16, 2022 – Coastal Cloud announced it has been recognized for excellence in digital transformation and innovation, contributing to job creation and economic sustainability. Coastal Cloud credits this achievement in part to its unique business model and core principles which attract diverse talent resulting in a company of over 44% women, a statistic that breaks the mold in technology consulting.

For this innovative work, Coastal Cloud was awarded the EFI Entrepreneur and Job Growth Award during its most recent Board of Directors meeting in St. Augustine.

Founded in 2012, Coastal Cloud is a Salesforce Multi-Cloud Expert Partner providing consulting, implementation and managed services for businesses, nonprofits, and the public sector. With a team of over 500 experts holding more than 1,200 Salesforce certifications, Coastal Cloud has also been recognized by Salesforce for the past 3 years as the only winner of the Customer Success Award out of 1900 partners worldwide.

“We focus on workforce development,” said Sara Hale, Coastal Cloud’s President and Co-Founder. “We are able to recruit great experienced talent, but we have also invested in growing talent. We now have a formal internship program that recruits from many universities, and this January we are kicking off an apprenticeship program to identify talent from diverse backgrounds.”

“We are honored to be recognized by Enterprise Florida with this award,” Hale continued. “We would not be where we are today without the incredible support that we have received in Florida, from CareerSource FlaglerVolusia, CareerSource Florida, the Florida Dept of Economic Opportunity, JAXUSA, JAX Chamber, GrowFL and Enterprise Florida. This state has proven itself to be a great place to start a business and we will be forever thankful that we chose Florida.”

About the EFI Entrepreneur and Job Growth Award 

The Enterprise Florida Entrepreneur and Job Growth Award was established by Enterprise Florida in 2019 to recognize Florida businesses that have created jobs and invested in communities across the state.

About Enterprise Florida

Enterprise Florida, Inc. (EFI) is a public-private partnership between Florida’s business and government leaders and is the principal economic development organization for Florida. EFI’s mission is to expand and diversify the state’s economy through job creation.

About Coastal Cloud

Coastal Cloud is a Salesforce Multi-Cloud Expert Partner that provides consulting, implementation and managed services to businesses, nonprofits, and the public sector. Founded in 2012, the company offers insight and expertise into a wide variety of industries, including communications and media, healthcare, high-tech, manufacturing, private equity and more. Coastal Cloud has earned a 5/5 customer satisfaction rating on the Salesforce AppExchange and is the #1 rated consulting partner on G2Crowd.com. Coastal Cloud attributes its success to a unique company culture, nimble expertise, and onshore-only teams. With a team of over 500 experts holding more than 1,200 Salesforce certifications, Coastal Cloud has been recognized by Salesforce for the past 3 years as the only winner of the Customer Success Award out of 1900 partners worldwide. For more information, please visit www.CoastalCloud.US.

San Jose, Costa Rica – December 1, 2022 – Gener8 LLC (“Gener8”), a portfolio company of Sverica Capital Management LP (“Sverica”), announced today that it has expanded its manufacturing footprint by launching a new facility in Costa Rica.

Gener8’s 30,000 square feet manufacturing facility is located in La Lima industrial Park in Cartago. The state of the art facility will enable high complex electromechanical instrument manufacturing in an ESD controlled environment and ISO Class 8 cleanroom.   

“Just as Gener8 has aggressively built a complete biotech instruments design services solution comprised of hardware, software and micro-fluidic cartridges, the Costa Rican site adds the last piece for a complete product life cycle solution – efficient, high-volume manufacturing. This is a compelling offering for our customers” said Jerry Jurkiewicz, Gener8 CEO.   

“We chose Costa Rica due to its wealth of technical talent, its eager and available work force, and its geographic and time zone proximity to our US operations. I’d like to thank the Costa Rican government and CINDE for creating such a business-friendly environment and for making the process of launching a site here so seamless,” Jurkiewicz added.

Manuel Tovar, the Minister of Foreign Trade stated, “Costa Rica is a regional leader in the sophistication of manufacturing processes with a proven track record. Thanks to this, Gener8 honors us with the decision to establish its first manufacturing plant outside the United States in our country. The investment will allow 60 Costa Ricans to have quality employment in the manufacture of electromechanical instruments. We are an ideal location for smart manufacturing industries, which operate with a high level of complexity and generate a wide range of products while contributing to the revitalization of the economy”.

“The arrival of Gener8 on national soil presents us with a great opportunity to go beyond activities related to designing and manufacturing highly complex instruments and boost the research and development of new technologies for medical diagnostics and clinical laboratory equipment. This result is a reflection of the huge efforts that we have made as a country in the last several years to turn into a world leader in attracting medical device companies, occupying fifth-place after powerhouses such as Germany, the United States, and France,” commented Jorge Sequeira, managing director of CINDE. 

Gener8 will employ 60 employees in the first 12 months with an aggressive growth projection in the coming years.

“The high complexity of instruments we design, and manufacture will bring exciting job opportunities for engineers and technicians with experience in mechatronics, systems integration and software testing” said Alfred Macha, Vicepresident of Costa Rica Operations, Gener8. 

About Gener8
Gener8, founded in 2002, is a leading provider of turnkey design and manufacturing services specializing in high complexity products, primarily for medical device and diagnostics applications. Gener8 maintains state-of-the-art facilities and a world-class engineering team with more than 40 PhDs spanning a multitude of disciplines, including electrical, mechanical, software, optical and systems engineering. For more information, please visit www.gener8.net.