PALO ALTO, CA--(Marketwired - Jul 26, 2016) - Allegis Capital, a seed and early stage two-decade-old venture capital firm focused on cybersecurity and analytics, announced today that it has become a strategic partner of DataTribe, a unique "startup studio" formed to create and grow technology startups by leveraging the most advanced technologies forged by U.S. government R&D projects.
Robert Ackerman Jr., the founder and a managing director of Allegis, is also one of three co-founders and directors of DataTribe. DataTribe is co-headquartered in Fulton, Md., in the Washington D.C. Beltway, and in Silicon Valley.
DataTribe is drawing upon the Beltway and Silicon Valley to build new companies at the cutting edge of innovation in cybersecurity, data and analytics. The Beltway has 3.5 times as many cybersecurity engineers as the rest of the country combined according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The region has a minimal startup ecosystem, however. Its ties to Allegis Capital and the Silicon Valley venture ecosystem are intended to close that gap.
About DataTribe
DataTribe will co-create, develop the focus and strategy of two to three startups annually, refine their execution and hand-pick their entrepreneurial teams, primarily from the ranks of engineers working on successful government R&D projects. The foundations upon which startups will be based will be sizable government R&D projects, often conducted in national laboratories, which have been implemented, tested and validated.
DataTribe will then license and commercialize this technology, develop it via open source or turn to highly select engineering teams to transform the technology into commercial applications.
In addition, the startups will follow leadership precepts developed by the Navy's elite Seal Team 6 to develop an intimate understanding of asymmetric engagement with commercial adversaries, enabling them to more effectively overcome the challenges startups typically face.
When DataTribe-backed startups become ready for Series A venture financing, Allegis is likely to become one of their investors.
DataTribe Strategic Partners
Allegis has joined a small team of additional strategic partners, including Deloitte, the prominent financial consulting firm and Yahoo Japan. The partners' own business demands require operating at the forefront of innovation in cybersecurity, data and analytics. They will work with DataTribe executives to help evaluate potential startup market opportunities and provide "go-to-market" validation and product roadmaps. They will also help startups recruit key executives.
Allegis, in particular, will support all aspects of the development and growth of DataTribe startups.
"DataTribe represents an opportunity for us to leverage our 20 years of startup expertise, deep market knowledge and extended Silicon Valley networks to leverage world-class expertise resulting from government R&D in its areas of focus to create disruptive startups in cybersecurity data and analytics," said Spencer Tall, Allegis Managing Director. "The breadth and depth of DataTribe's expertise in select areas of government R&D will be unparalleled."
DataTribe has three co-founders and directors. In addition to Ackerman, they are Mike Janke, founder and former CEO of Silent Circle, a leading secure communications service, and a former member of Navy Seal Team 6; and Steve Witt, the co-founder and former CEO of Onyara, the commercial developer of the Apache NiFi, a high-level open source project originated at the NSA, and a former CIA information technology officer.
DataTribe
DataTribe is a "startup studio" formed to create and help build technology startups focused on breakthrough innovation in cybersecurity, data and analytics. Co-based in Fulton, Maryland and Silicon Valley, DataTribe operates at the forefront of emerging commercial market needs by leveraging advanced research and applied development efforts from U.S. and aligned government labs in combination with Silicon Valley experience and networks to create cutting-edge startups. The goal of these startups is to define and lead new market segments. For more information, visit www.datatribe.com
Allegis Capital
Allegis Capital is a seed and early-stage venture capital investor in companies building disruptive and innovative cyber security solutions for the global digital economy. Founded in 1996, the firm has more than $700 million in capital under management and has been active in cyber security investing since 2000. Allegis cybersecurity investments include SYNACK, CyberGRX, Platfora, Shape Security, vArmour and Red Owl, Area One Security, E8 Security, Bracket Computing, IronPort Systems and Solera Networks. For more information, visit www.allegiscap.com
Contact Information:
For more information on DataTribe and Allegis Capital contact:
Steve Kaufman
Jennifer Jones & Partners
352-633-3716
Jennifer Jones
Jennifer Jones & Partners
650-465-5831