FULTON, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--DataTribe, a global cyber foundry that invests in and co-builds next-generation cybersecurity and data science companies, today announced Frenos as the winner of its seventh annual DataTribe Challenge. Frenos competed against three other finalists and presented to an expert panel of judges and a live audience of potential investors and customers.
Based in Charlotte, NC, Frenos offers a continuous security assessment platform with zero impact on operations, specifically designed for operational technology environments and critical infrastructure where performing attack simulations and penetration testing on live systems is not feasible.
“Winning the DataTribe Challenge is an honor, and we extend our gratitude to DataTribe’s team of experienced startup coaches for their invaluable strategy workshops and insights from their seed-to-A playbook,” said Brian Proctor, co-founder and CEO of Frenos. “Our nation’s critical infrastructure is the backbone of everything essential—from national security to economic strength. We’re committed to advancing our mission to protect these vital assets and strengthen resilience where it matters most.”
The DataTribe Challenge is an annual competition that brings together entrepreneurs from around the world to identify technology startups with a vision to disrupt cybersecurity and data science.
"The DataTribe Challenge is dedicated to finding the next generation of talented innovators who will solve over-the-horizon cybersecurity challenges. DataTribe is grateful to all four finalists for participating in this year’s DataTribe Challenge," said Leo Scott, DataTribe Chief Technology Officer. "Our finalists are working to address some of the most complex security challenges of our time - deepfakes, identity verification in the age of artificial intelligence, data quality, and enterprise security. Our winner – Frenos – stood above the rest as a company focused on a problem ripe for innovation and yearning for a solution.”
Each of the finalists is pre-Series A and has not received funding in excess of $1.2 million to date. They also have an Enterprise, Big Data or Cyber Security product, beta, or concept to present.
The DataTribe finalists include:
DataMonstr – Based in Austin, TX, DataMonstr provides complete protection to the development environment, both at developer endpoints and the source code repository level, allowing insights and proactive security to the highest-risk machines in the enterprise without having to sacrifice the productivity of your engineering group.
ForceField – Based in New Jersey, ForceField offers a system that verifies the authenticity of recorded media such as photos, videos, and audio to establish a clear chain of custody and protect provenance. Their goal is to reduce fraudulent manipulation of media in areas like insurance claims.
Frenos – Based in Charlotte, NC, Frenos transforms how critical infrastructure teams assess the cybersecurity posture of mission-critical environments, devices, and applications. Our continuous security assessment platform reduces assessment time from months to minutes, with zero impact on operations. By proactively identifying the most effective risk mitigations at scale, Frenos helps companies save time, money, and resources.
Validia – Based in San Francisco, Validia provides real-time identity verification addressing the critical vulnerability of sophisticated impersonation threats, particularly deepfakes, in remote work environments. Validia’s approach enables seamless, continuous identity authentication across all digital interactions without compromising user experience or privacy and eliminates the frustrating user experience of constant MFA prompts and codes.
To learn more about the 7th Annual DataTribe Challenge, please visit: https://datatribe.com/challenge.
About DataTribe
DataTribe is a startup foundry that invests in and co-builds world-class startups focused on generational leaps in cybersecurity and data science. Founded by leading investors, startup veterans, and alumni of the U.S. intelligence community, DataTribe commits capital, in-kind services, access to an unparalleled network, and decades of professional expertise to give their companies an unfair advantage. DataTribe is headquartered in the Washington-Baltimore metro area in Fulton, Maryland. For more information, visit https://datatribe.com.