News for Security

The Global Security Challenge has been featured in the December edition of Global Responce. Gracing the cover and being the featured story, the article interviewed the winners of the challenge and highlighted the successful regional finalists who were present at the event, taking place at PitchLive on the 25th October 2011.

This year’s finals at PitchLive represented everything that our competitions are about: showcasing innovation, promoting small business, making connections, and rewarding excellence.

At OmniCompete, we strongly believe that competitions should not just benefit the winner, but all participants. We try to ensure benefit through written and oral feedback at various stages of each competition, networking opportunities at final events, and connections made after competitions end.

Although TracMap, Best Security SME from the Asia Pacific region, did not win the 2011 Global Security Challenge, it certainly made the most of the experience. Returning to New Zealand after last week's Global Security Challenge global finals, TracMap's Managing Director Colin Brown shared his journey in the Otago Daily News. Speaking to the paper, Brown said "It's been a massive week for us; the profile and reputation we've gained from getting into the finals was considerable, but we also got very positive feedback and made some invaluable contacts from those attending, so the benefits will be ongoing."

TracMap NZ is provides leading technology in the GPS sector. Originally designed solely for agricultural use, TracMap has applied its technology to rescue helicopters, enabling more efficient search and patrol operations. Based in New Zealand, the company has product distribution to nine countries.

Speaking in an interview with MySecurity, 2010 Global Security Challenge winner Kim Mettam of iWebgate spoke of his company's successful bid for the 2010 Global Security Challenge. He also praised the ability of competitions to foster innovation, saying 

"Competitions like the Global Security Challenge, which is really at the apex of all competitions worldwide, are a very good taxpayer’s spend of dollars for government because they encourage the best of the best to come out of the wood work and have the opportunity to be seen and heard."

Spanish SME Agnitio SL and Swiss startup Arktis Radiation Detectors were yesterday awarded the 2011 Global Security Challenge! Full details available in our press release.

We're delighted to announce the 2011 Global Security Challenge mentors, two weeks ahead of the global finals. The winning startup will be mentored by Carles Ferrer, General Partner at Nauta Capital. The winning SME will be mentored by Chris Hodges, Investment Director at the Business Growth Fund. More information about both mentors is available below.

Carles Ferrer is an experienced venture capitalist with particular interest in early stage technology companies. He plays active roles on the boards of several organisations including the Global Security Challenge, iJento, European Venture Contest, IBM SmartCamp and the Techtour. Carles is the owner and general partner at Nauta Capital based in the Barcelona office. Nauta Capital is an early stage Venture Capital firm with a focus on wireless, security/enterprise software, and e-commerce. Carles has extensive venture capital experience and has been managing different venture funds and early stage technology companies since 2000. Prior to his work with Nauta Capital, he was Director of the Equity Division at Groupo Financiero. At the Spanish Investment Bank, Carles managed four  Venture Capital funds exceeding 100M under management. His previous experience includes management positions in corporate strategy and finance divisions with blue chip companies in the telecommunications and technology sectors.

Chris Hodges has over a decade of investment experience in venture capital, growth capital and leveraged buy-out transactions over multiple sectors including defence/security, engineering, media (software and services), semiconductors, telecommunications and alternative energy. After finishing his PhD in Physics at  Cambridge University, he spent four years as a Management Consultant at PA Consulting Group, advising corporate clients on the commercial potential of internal technology developments. Chris then took on the role as Investment Manager as part of the UK technology team targeting university spin-outs and other early-stage investments in Scotland Team at 3i. He spent nine years at the Carlyle Group, a principal investment firm that typically invests in sectors such as aerospace, defence, energy, power, healthcare, technology, where he was Director, responsible for the origination and execution of €20-50 million private equity investments in buyout and growth capital transactions across Europe.  Chris is now Investment Director at the Business Growth Fund. The fund was set up by a Business Finance Taskforce with the mission to help the economy with sustainable, long term investments for the future. The taskforce has put emphasis on helping small and medium sized businesses. As a long-term equity investor, the BGF will support its portfolio companies financially, operationally, and strategically.

The Global Security Challenge is pleased to introduce the 12 regional winners who will be competing in the grand final for a total prize fund of $500,000. This year’s GSC received a record number of entries, with ideas and innovations from over 30 countries.

From the regional finals that took place over August and September, we can now confirm the 6 Startups and 6 SMEs that will be at PitchLive to win the lucrative investment.

The 6 Startup grand finalists competing for a $200,000 prize fund will be:

·Arktis Radiation Detection from Switzerland. Arktis develops a platform technology which allows new capabilities in the detection of neutron and gamma radiation emitted by radioactive materials.

·CipherCloud from the United States. CipherCloud provides cloud data encryption and tokenization solutions with innovative technology to protect sensitive data before it's sent to the cloud.

·Defog/ IARD from Israel. Defog produces OFRI (Observation through fog and Haze Range Intensifier), a video surveillance solution that makes images clear and increase their reach.

·EasySecured Software & Services from India. Easy Secured  offer and information security solutions.

·InView Techniology Corporation from the United States. InView provide innovative cameras and hyper-spectral imagers that employ advanced computational imaging.

·Radius Diagnostics from Oxford, United Kingdom. Radius are developing lightweight x-ray emitters, producing diagnostic x-rays without the need for vacuum tubes, power electronics or radioactive materials.

The 6 SME grand finalists competing for a $300,000 prize fund will be:

·Agnitio SL from Spain. Agnitio SL is concerned with developing advanced technology in order to identify individuals through voice recognition software.

·C4 Security from Israel. C4 offers security for IT and advanced solutions for utilities and critical infrastructures (SCADA) as well as information warfare.

·Defensoft from the United States. Defensoft provides a border security planning servicedeveloping a system which automatically selects optimum locations for Sensor Towers, UGS, Fences, Roads, and Personnel Resources based on Line-of-sight and time-and-space algorithms.

·Eureka Aerospace from the United States. Eureka Aerospace is a high technology research and development firm concentrating on microwave and RF technologies, coupling them with advanced signal and image processing techniques

·Ipsotek from London, United Kingdom. Ipsotek develop video analytic solutions including scenario-based detection, virtual perspective and integrated of combined sound and video analytics.

·TracMap from New Zealand. TracMap provides GPS guidance solutions for aircraft, boats and land-based vehicles operating in Search and Rescue, defence and law enforcement situations in demanding outdoor environments

For further information on the grand final, visit the Global Security Challenge or visit PitchLive for tickets to the final event.

2010 Global Security Challenge finalist Safend has just been acquired by Wave for approximately $12.8 million. Safend won best SME in the EMEA region last year, advancing to the global finals.

Speaking during the GSC last year, Edy Almer, VP Product Management and Marketing said “Global Security Challenge’s recognition of Safend’s new ideas for cyber security validates our product’s innovation and excellence-in-class.” 

Congratulations to Safend on an incredible exit! Safend joins the ranks of GSC alumni TenCube and Vumii, who also sold their firms for large sums. Including Safend's acquisition, GSC winners and finalists have now generated a collective $117M in investment and acquisitions.

The Global Security Challenge is pleased to announce the winners of the East Coast (North American) regional final.

InView Technology Corporation won the Startup category with an innovation providing the next generation of high-performance infrared cameras and hyperspectral imagers. The SME category saw Defensoft pick up the prize for its technology that automatically determines optimum locations for security system sensors, infrastructure and response forces to protect areas.

Both finalists progress to the Grand Final of the Global Security Challenge, where they will meet other finalists from Asia, Europe, the UK and the Middle East, to compete for a prize fund of $500,000.

The Grand Final will take place in London, on the 24^th & 25^th October, as part of PitchLive.

The Global Security Challenge is pleased to announce the winners of the Middle East regional final.

In the Startup category, Israeli based firm Defog were victorious with its real-time video and image enhancement solution. C4 Security, also from Israel, were victorious in the SME category for its independent network operational safety and security innovation with cyber-forensics capabilities.

Both finalists progress to the Grand Final of the Global Security Challenge, where they will meet other finalists from Asia, Europe, the UK and the US, to compete for a prize fund of $500,000.

The Grand Final will take place in London, on the 24^th & 25^th October, as part of PitchLive.

The Global Security Challenge is pleased to announce the winners of the European regional final.

In the Startup category, Swiss based Arktis Radiation Detectors won over the judges with its nuclear safeguards and threat detection innovation. Agnitio SL, originating from Spain, were successful in the SME category for its advanced voice biometric systems.

Both finalists progress to the Grand Final of the Global Security Challenge, where they will meet other finalists from Asia, the Middle East, the UK and the US, to compete for a prize fund of $500,000.

The Grand Final will take place in London, on the 24^th & 25^th October, as part of PitchLive.

Earlier this month, the Economist featured Ingenia Technology in its Technology Quarterly. London-based Ingenia Technology won the 2006 Global Security Challenge, and was spun out of Imperial College.

But if you shine a laser at the surface of an object, the characteristic way in which the light is reflected back can be used to gather information about the same features. And a fast, low-cost way of doing just that has now been commercialised by Ingenia Technology, a company based in London, to provide what it calls a tamper-proof method of “laser surface authentication”.

News organisation France 24, are reporting that 2010 GSC winner mPedigree is in the early stages of a beta launch in Kenya.

The Ghanaian non-profit is expanding their anti-medication-counterfeiting service into East Africa, alongside pharmaceutical organisation Universal Corporation Limited and supported by strategic partners such as HP and Orange Healthcare. 

The Global Security Challenge is pleased to announce the winners of the Asia-Pacific regional final.

In the Startup category, Indian based firm EasySecured Software & Services were victorious with its mobile authentication technology that does not store any data on the local device. New Zealand’s TracMap succeeded in the SME category for its advanced GPS tracking software which can shorten aerial rescue times and improve law enforcement.

Both finalists progress to the Grand Final of the Global Security Challenge, where they will meet other finalists from Israel, Europe, the UK and the US, to compete for a prize fund of $500,000.

The Grand Final will take place in London, on the 24^th & 25^th October, as part of PitchLive.

Global Security Challenge regional finalists from around the world are looking forward to their respective regional events. This year's startups and SMEs are attracting press coverage and sharing the news around the world, including Aerograph Ltd and TracMap in New Zealand and Incapusla in the US. Australian magazine Ferret has also featured the APAC final and three finalists from Australia & New Zealand.

If you're a finalist and you've shared the news or attracted press coverage, let us know!

2009 winner of the Cyber Security Challenge has been acquired by software giant Oracle. Full details can be found in the Register.

Speaking on the Global Security Challenge, Waseem Daher, Chief Operating Officer and co-founder of Ksplice said: "We thank the Global Security Challenge for creating valuable opportunities for promising security companies."

Irish firm DecaWave has just announced a major breakthrough in their Scensor Chip technology. The DW1000 model, which offers low-cost wireless tracking, is on track to be ready for commercial  availability in 2012.

The official press release is available online, and the news has also been reported by Silicon Republic.

 2010 Global Security Challenge winner mPedigree has just signed it first Indian client, Themis Medicare. This expansion marks the spreading of mPedigree's anti-counterfeit medicine SMS technology to continents beyond Africa.

Speaking to Securing Pharma, mPedigree's Bright Simons said "We expect growing cooperation with the Indian pharmaceutical industry over the next couple of months, and eventually with patient groups in India as efforts for a regional service gear up."

 Kromek's liquid scanner machines are currently being tested at Durham Tees Valley Airport. British SME Kromek won the Global Security Challenge Best SME category in 2009. Its liquid scanner machines have the potential to end the flight ban on liquids currently imposed on travellers.

To view the scanners in action, see this video.

We are pleased to announce that MIT Enterprise Forum for Israel will host a GSC regional event for the second year in a row. MIT Forum will host the finals for continental Europe and Africa/Mid East, taking place in Israel at the end of September. Please stay tuned for confirmation of the date and location.

 2010 Best Security Startup mPedigree was awarded the Innovation Prize at the annual Africa Business Awards last week. The Ghanaian startup beat other finalists including Syngenta (total assets: $17 billion) and Nedbank (market valuation: $10 billlion) with its SMS technology that enables consumers to identify counterfeit medicine.

Congratulations to mPedigree!

We are delighted to confirm that the 2011 Global Security Challenge Asia Pacific regional final will take place in Sydney Australia, as part of the Security 2011 Exhibition. Organised by Diversified Exhibitions Australia, the Security Expo is the largest security event in Australia and New Zealand, attracting over 4,000 participants.  Last year's winner of the GSC SME award was Australian company iWebGate, and organisers hope that Australian startups and SMEs will find inspiration in its success.

“We are excited to bring the Global Security Challenge to Sydney for Security 2011 Exhibition,” said Kobe Johns, Exhibition Manager for Security 2011 Exhibition at Diversified Exhibitions Australia. “The application deadline is looming, and we strongly encourage regional start-ups and businesses to find inspiration in iWebGate’s success and enter the competition.”

Last week, the Economist featured BriefCam, an Israeli startup which made it to the Global Security Challenge global finals last year. In an article entitled "Just the interesting bits - Security: A new approach to video analysis provides a lightning-quick way to scan hours of footage recorded by security cameras", BriefCam's CCTV synposis technology was praised.

"When the video summary is needed, all moving events from the period of interest are collected and time-shifted to create the synopsis."

The Stanford Social Innovation review published a collective impact case study on mPedigree late last week. Winners of the 2010 Global Security Challenge startup category, mPedigree has received widespread coverage in major press, most recently the BBC.

"Local telecommunications companies also gained increased usage of and demand for telecommunications services, providing them with an incentive to participate in the program. HP saw increased opportunity to expand its partner network within the region. By identifying these collective interests, the mPedigree Network was able to secure support from the key constituents it needed to drive impactful change.

Societal issues are complex and often require a complex solution to prove successful. However the benefit, in many cases such as this one, is well worth the effort."

2010 best security startup mPedigree was featured in the BBC today, in an article entitled African apps boost business growth.

"M-Pedigree" is the mobile phone app that's been developed to tackle the problem. Customers buying any medicine are asked to scratch off a verification strip on the packaging which reveals a numeric code. A quick text to M-Pedigree will confirm with the manufacturer if the goods are genuine or not.

This feature comes less than two weeks before the 2011 Global Security Challenge closes for entries. The deadline is 31 May and submissions can be made online for free.

Congratulations to 2020 Imaging, winners of the first ever IFSEC Future of Security Competition. 2020 Imaging was selected as a finalist through online judging and was further evaluated by OmniCompete's first ever crowd-voting session and a live judging panel at IFSEC yesterday.

In addition to benefiting from exposure and praise at the world's largest annual security exposition, 2020 Imaging won $10,000 and high-level mentorship.

The fifth annual National Security Innovation Competition ended last week at the United States Air Force Academy. The competition was won by a team from the University of Ottawa, who received a $10,000 prize fund. The second place team from Notre Dame University received $5,000 and the $2,500 third place prize went to Virgina Polytechnic Institute and State University.

Comparable to a Global Security Challenge for university students, the NSIC attracts high-quality security innovations from Canadian and American universities. We expect to see some of these teams grow into start-ups competing in the Global Security Challenge in the coming years!

mPedigree, Ghanaian start-up and winner of the 2010 Global Security Challenge, was today recognised for its prominent role in combating counterfeit medicine in Africa in an op-ed entitled "Busting the fake drug market" in mydigitalfc.com.

"If anything, fake drugs are a big and deadly business. No one knows for sure, how big. No one knew quite how to stop it.

Then the mobile revolution took hold of Africa. During 2004-2005, Bright Simons of Ghana invented a simple fra­mework for certification in the agricultural sector. In 2007, Ashifi Gogo, another Ghanaian and Nathan Sigworth of the US, joined forces with Simons to develop the model further and apply it to pharmaceuticals. Mobile authentication of drugs was born. The first implementation was in Ghana by mPedigree, founded by Simons. Like many powerful ideas, the essence of mobile authentication is simple."

Crowd-voting is now open for the inaugural IFSEC Future of Security Competition. The finalists have prepared 90-second long pitches, available through the OmniCompete website. Everyone is eligible to vote once, but must first register (cost-free) with OmniCompete. Public votes will be accepted until 17th May 2011, and will count towards the final evaluation.

All finalists will pitch their products live at IFSEC 2011 in Birmingham, UK, after which judges will add their evaluations to the public vote in order to determine the winning team, who will be awarded $10,000 and top-level industry mentorship.
 

Congratulations to Global Security Challenge 2010 finalist BriefCam. This Israeli company was just named Milestone Systems' Solution Partner of the Year.

"Milestone Solution Partner of the Year was BriefCam for their Video Synopsis technology that is tightly integrated with XProtect, and for their strategic alignments in the field that produced great results."

Global Security Challenge 2010 SME winner iWebGate was today named as one of Australia's 'Magnificent Seven' by leading business magazine BRW.

"The upside of the software is that it provides a level of security as though your network was not connected to the internet - although it is." 

OmniCompete is delighted to announce that a consortium led by Global Security Challenge LLP has been chosen by the European Commission to execute the “European Security Challenge” project, which falls under the Framework Programme 7 (FP7). The project, which officially begins today, will study the use of prizes to foster innovation, particularly in the security sector and will provide the European Commission with a range of custom-designed competition plans.

Global Security Challenge LLP was awarded the contract in partnership with Slovenian research centre Jožef Stefan Institute and French PR agency 3D Communications. The “European Security Challenge” (grant agreement 261566) project will explore the potential of inducement prizes to foster innovation in the security industry. It is part of the European Commission’s FP7-SEC-2010-1 research call, by the Directorate-General for Enterprise and Industry.

“We’re delighted to have secured this opportunity to show the European Commission that prizes and competitions can be a powerful tool for government and industry seeking to foster innovation.” said Simon Schneider, Co-President of consortium leader Global Security Challenge LLP.

Forthcoming Prize Summit to fall under remit of project for DG Enterprise & Industry

The Prize Summit, a forthcoming workshop on the use of prizes to foster innovation, will fall under the remit of this project. The Summit is a collaborative effort of a group of partners led by OmniCompete, including London Business School and tech4i2. 

The Prize Summit will take place on 8 April in London and will be headlined by UK Minister for Universities and Science David Willetts.

“We are looking forward to an interesting and informative dialogue on the importance of fostering innovation, and the great capacity for prizes in this way” said Sir Andrew Likierman, Dean of the London Business School.
 

A full copy of the press release is available here.

David Lacey of Computer Weekly praised the Global Security Challenge in his IT blog this week, in a post entitled "Reflections on RSA 2011." Comparing the RSA Conference to the GSC, he said:

"You have to attend the Global Security Challenge to discover really innovative developments."

2010 GSC start-up winner mPedigree was yesterday higlighted in an Observer article entitled "It's time the world listened to new stories out of Africa".

"Repression remains rife, corruption endemic, infrastructure woeful, bureaucracy stifling. But one result is that people respond with immense ingenuity and world-beating innovations emerge.

Two examples are M-Pesa, a Kenyan system for transferring money by text that is attracting global attention, and mPedigree, a Ghanaian service to determine whether a medicine is counterfeit from its bar code, sent to a central number by text."

The ability to transport freight by air has enhanced living standards across the planet. The taste pallet of the world has never been so diverse, with exotic fruits and livestock lifted from the furthest regions. Globalisation has benefitted from air freight as a conduit for cost economies of scale and specialisation. Even through recreation, as sporting tournaments rely upon air travel to send equipment and personnel around the world to delight its international audience.

To supply such infinite wants can affect our environment too. An often cited example is the amount of carbon dioxide that is released by shipping in fruit from all over the world. The 11,682 mile journey it would take to air freight a single 45 gram Kiwifruit from New Zealand releases up to 600 grams of CO2 or enough for a 2 kilometre drive in the car.

Air freight also has its own security issues. In 2007, a report to the United States Congress by Bart Elias, a specialist in aviation security, described air cargo as the following:

“The air cargo system is a complex, multi-faceted network that handles a vast amount of freight... [It] is vulnerable to several security threats including potential plots to place explosives aboard aircraft; illegal shipments of hazardous materials; criminal activities such as smuggling and theft; and potential hijackings and sabotage by persons with access to aircraft.”

The Department for Transport in the United Kingdom acknowledges aviation as a major industry, carrying over 235 million passengers a year and over 2.3 million tonnes of freight. Corroborating its importance to the economy, the Freight Transport Association also calculates air freight representing 30% of exports by value, though less than 1% of UK products by tonnage.

In the UK, 60% of air freight is carried in passenger planes with the remainder going on specialist cargo planes. However, as we mentioned in a previous article on airport security, only 3-4% of cargo on passenger planes were screened worldwide in 2008. Although this may appear at first glance as a disregard for air safety, the answers for such a low percentage are more logical.

A manufacturer or assembler originating in the UK has the option to be validated as a ‘known consigner’ before its freight reaches the airport. This method of pre-validation and checks can bypass airport security and allow access straight onto aircraft. Their status as a ‘known’ supplier is reviewed after 12 months which would suggest that a high level of trust must be given between annual reviews. Manufacturers need to ensure that their products as well as their employees are not taking advantage of the system. Commercial airlines must also be vetted and placed on a certified list to carry freight before entering EU airspace.

Some countries can be more lax, screening only to make sure that the consignment sheet matches the items. In light of the bomb scare which occurred in October 2010, the chemical PETN was hidden in printers that originated from Yemen travelling to the UK and US but as a substance can be difficult to detect through basic x-ray scanners and can elude sniffer dogs as the substance is odourless. Since this event, air freight from Yemen has been under more stringent control. The United States responded to this threat by banning all air cargo emanating from the country for the last 4 months.

Scanning every item of freight is however seen as unrealistic to some industry experts. According to David Learmount of Flight Global:  

"It is unrealistic to ground all cargo flights or to scan everything... Lessons need to be learnt from this, but we cannot change things overnight."One of the lessons learned is that there is still a great need for more innovative security products that can contribute to efforts to secure air freight in an efficient and effective manner. Many such products are currently being developed by individuals, start-ups or security SMEs. The Global Security Challenge offers unique funding opportunities for innovators, in the form of an annual competition. Airport security is just one area of interest for the 2011 Global Security Challenge.For more details, visit Global Security Challenge 2011.

Global Security Challenge is delighted to partner with the Colorado Homeland Defense Alliance (CHDA) and their National Security Innovation Competition (NSIC). The NSIC is a competition for undergraduate and postgraduate students at Canadian or American universities.

This natural partnership connects the university-level CHDA competition with the start-up/SME business level GSC, creating a mutually beneficial link.

In answer to a common question as to what determines a ‘Start-Up’ and at what point do you move up to an SME for the purposes of entering the GSC.

Who can enter the Global Security Challenge?

For the Start-up category, virtually anyone! You don’t necessarily have to be a registered company to enter this catagory you could be:

·         An employee of an large company, self-employed or unemployed with a great idea.

·         A team of full-time students at University, in any discipline, looking for an investment.

·         A retired professional with a proposal worth hearing.

·         You qualify as a start-up to enter the competition as long as your revenues are less than $5m in annual revenues or investments.

Just think what you could do and how much you could develop your innovation with not only $200,000 but the advice and mentoring of TSWG behind you!

For the Small-to-Medium sized Enterprises (SME) category, you must be a company founded after the January 1, 2001 and receiving less than $15m in annual revenues or investments.

For both categories, you cannot enter if you have been a GSC regional finalists from 2010 and all GSC winners from the previous years are excluded from entering this year's competition. You can only enter yourself once.

The table below will allow you to make a distinction as to which category you can enter. Best of luck with you entry!

Global Security Challenge 2010 finalist BriefCam has been profiled in the Economist, in an article entitled "Searching security video: Just the interesting bits". Israeli start-up BriefCam advanced to the 2010 GSC finals from the European regional finals.

"Using motion-detection algorithms, the BriefCam software separates the background (static or non-moving objects) from the moving objects, tracking and analysing any motion within the frame. It uses this information to create a database of backgrounds, events, objects and activities."

Raytheon Systems Ltd has officially joined the IFSEC Future of Security Competition as a key sponsor, in an agreement signed earlier this month.

The IFSEC competition is seeking innovative commercial security solutions from individuals, groups and companies with an annual turnover below €50M.

The competition precedes the annual IFSEC exposition, renowned as the world’s leading annual security event, where finalists will present live.

All finalists will benefit from exposure to over 600 companies and 24,000+ security professionals who attend IFSEC each year and the winner will receive a $10,000 cash prize and high-level mentorship.

Raytheon is one of the world’s largest defense contractors, producing commercial and military products. Commercial products by Raytheon include air traffic control systems and radars and sensors. 

Portfolio director of UBM Live James Blue said: “Raytheon is highly regarded in the security sector and we’re very pleased to have them on board. This sponsorship agreement is a testament to the timeliness and importance of our competition, which seeks to draw out and reward innovative commercial security solutions.”

The IFSEC Future of Security Competition steering committee approved this sponsorship deal and also unveiled extra criteria for the final judging round.

Finalists will have to demonstrate how their solution is cost-effective for end-users, in addition to presenting the commercial uses. Given the current economic climate and austerity measures taken in all sectors, this added criteria is most appropriate and reflective of the market.

The IFSEC Future of Security competition closes for entrants on 28 February 2011. Finalists will proceed to the IFSEC 2011 exhibition in Birmingham from 16-19 May 2011.

The Competition can be entered through the OmniCompete website. To support this website, please contact IFSEC. 

The horrific attack that took place in Moscow Airport in January this year, killing 35 people and injuring 110, is a clear indication that terrorists are using sophisticated approaches to avoid detection in airports. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev acknowledged this, calling the attack a ‘clear security breach’.

Innovations in airport security would allow security services to stay one step ahead of a likely attack. Current measures in place in airports usually mean lengthy delays before you get the gate. If queues at the check-in are not the problem, the airport scanners undoubtedly are. Metal detectors, x-ray machines and full-body scanners, are measures to ensure safe air travel.  Unfortunately, in rare but significant cases, these measures prove not to be enough.

One of the ways to combat terrorist attempts is to implement procedures to identify what a suspect material is, in order to prevent attacks and recognise chemical agents before their release. Chemical detection can be a crucial step in airport security.

Kromek, a British SME and winner of the ‘Best Security SME’ category in the 2009 Global Security Challenge, have made significant contributions to this market with breakthrough technologies including their bottle scanning verifier and identifier. The Global Security Challenge recognised that this innovation was one of the best it its field and Kromek has been extremely successful since 2009. In Autumn 2010, its liquid scanner machines were approved for use in airports throughout the EU.

Kromek’s product can review a bottle of any shape, size and composition between 80ml and 2000ml and can recognize in less than 30 seconds whether a suspect liquid poses a serious threat to the people or to the aeroplane on which it is carried.

Even in freight, some startling statistics indicate that only 3-4% of cargo on passenger planes was screened worldwide in 2008, yet chemical compositions can be so advanced as to avoid detection. The odourless and volatile pentaerythritol tetranitrate, better know as PETN, was discovered on cargo planes in October 2010, despite initial searches from explosives detection equipment and sniffer dogs not discovering any threat.

As Professor David Menachof, an expert in supply chain security at Hull University Business School said, “Britain and other countries remain vulnerable to terrorists switching their focus to cargo planes... It is a widely held belief within the aviation sector that freight is the weak link in the aviation security regime.”

The Global Security Challenge aims to recognise and support innovative security solutions for problems such as chemical detection. Whether you are a person with an innovative concept, a recent start-up company, part of a researched project at university of an established SME, The Global Security Challenge accepts solutions from all walks of life.

Entries are currently being accepted for the 6th Annual Global Security Challenge.

Securing Pharma today announced the launch of the 6th annual Global Security Challenge. 

"One of the 2010 GSC winners was text message-based medicine authentication company mPedigree, which won the Best Security Start-Up category and $200,000 in prize money. The free-to-enter competition is funded by the US Government's Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) and is now in its sixth year."

IFSEC Future of Security Competition deadline extended until 28^th February

Cost-effectiveness is now part of final judging criteria to reflect end-users needs

1 February 2011:  Security innovators have one more month to enter the IFSEC Future of Security Competition, as the deadline is pushed back to 28^th February.

IFSEC made its name as the world’s leading annual security event, but for the first time ever, the May exposition will be preceded by a competition designed to recognise and reward security innovations. Finalists will be invited to present their innovation live at IFSEC 2011, ensuring exposure to over 600 companies and 24,000+ security professionals who attend IFSEC each year.

The Future of Security Competition is seeking commercial security solutions. The competition is open to individuals, groups and companies with an annual turnover below €50M.

Winners will receive prizes packs, including a $10,000 cash prize; mentorship from Blue Star Capital, Kingsbury Ventures and Kromek; and a stamp of approval from the independent panel of high-level judges. All finalists will benefit from presenting live on stage at the IFSEC’11 expo, distinguishing themselves from the many other exhibitors and attendees.

Speaking about the motivation behind the competition, Portfolio Director of UBM Live James Blue said:  “For many years now, IFSEC has been the platform for numerous technological developments and product launches. We appreciate that it is tough for inventors, start-up companies and many SMEs to break into the security market...With a high-level panel of security experts judging the entries, winning this competition will carry great kudos and numerous benefits.”

The IFSEC Future of Security Competition is backed by a steering committee and partners, who met last month to unanimously approve the extension of the deadline. Partners include Global Security Challenge, Blue Star Capital, Kingsbury Ventures, Kromek, Security Innovation & Technology Consortium (SITC), A|D|S and Info4Security.

To enter the Competition: http://www.globalsecuritychallenge.com/ifsec.php

To support the initiative: http://www.ifsec.co.uk/page.cfm/Link=209/nocache=true

For more information please visit http://www.ifsec.co.uk/page.cfm/ID=208

or contact            Jacqueline.Roughley@ubm.com +44 (0) 20 7955 3754

2010 GSC start-up winner mPedigree was today referenced in a Time Magazine article entitled "Kenya's Banking Revolution".

"The link between development and phones provided the context for further innovation, much of it using the cheapest form of mobile communication: text messaging. Out of that came South Africa's Mxit, a social network based on texting; txteagle, a developing-world outsourcing network; and mPedigree, a Ghanaian service that determines whether a medicine is genuine or counterfeit from its bar code, sent to a central number by text."

GSC 2010 winner mPedigree was interviewed by the Economist for an article entitled "Mobile services in poor countries: Not just talk" . Ghanaian start-up mPedigree won the 2010 Global Security Challenge with scratch code and SMS technology that enables consumers to identify counterfeit medicine.

“If your anti-malaria pill is made of any old white powder, you may not survive,” says Bright Simons, one of the founders of mPedigree, an advocacy group from Ghana.

Mr Simons is not just fighting with words. Late last year mPedigree launched a mobile service in Ghana and Nigeria that could make a dent in the fake-drug trade. People buying medicine scratch off a panel attached to the packaging. This reveals a code, which they can text to a computer system that looks it up in a database. Seconds later comes a reply saying whether the drug is genuine.
 

GSC 2010 finalist DecaWave was today featured in an article in the New York Times entitled "Using your mobile phones as a proximity sensor".

"DecaWave's ScenSor uses wireless radio chips to enable "precision RTLS (Real Time Location Systems) applications. In the concept video, distance measurements are used to determine proximity and do things such as enable/disable a laptop, find a lost teddy bear, enable access in a hospital room for a doctor, identify nearby patient info and then download the correct records to the doctor, and advise of approaching friends."
 

Our world in 2011 is a 24-hour, cross-border, multi-platform and integrated network, in pursuit of globalised economies and social communities for the ‘information age’. Many of our products and services have become digitalised, either in their production or delivery, as we demand ever faster, cost-efficient ways to process and monitor our demands. Delivery systems are not achieved with trucks on highways so much as they are completed by micro-processors on the internet super-highway.

Cyber warfare can take place between individuals, organisations or countries in cyberspace, with the intent of targeting centres of military, industrial or civilian importance. They might be seen as proxy wars or as a main area of conflict. Although these battles are bloodless, an attack is enough to disrupt vital operations and prolong projects.

As a result, cyber attacks are one of the greatest threats to modern society today. Attacks maybe a form of protest with political, economic or ideological motivation and their ability to disrupt the general public is increasingly more effective, as society becomes increasingly dependent on technology for its transactions. 

The United Kingdom recognises cyber attacks as one of the most significant developments to deter. British Secretary of State for Defence Liam Brunt acknowledged in Parliament in September of last year,

“Investing in better cyber-security will not be an option for the United Kingdom... We will face increasing threats in cyberspace in the years ahead - the question is how we identify the weakest areas, which need to be looked at first, and how we develop the technologies so that, as the other technologies that might affect us continue to evolve, we are best protected”.

Defence spending is set to rise in real terms. It is forecasted to reach £46.1 billion in this fiscal year, despite cuts to personnel in the armed forces, and cyber security is perceived a mainstream agenda.  In a speech to Parliament on the 19th October 2010, British Prime Minister David Cameron, announced a four year plan to invest £500 million in a national cyber security programme as part of the ‘Strategic Security and Defence Review’, recognising that these unconventional battlefields of the future represent as much danger as traditional battlefields of the past.

In truth, cyber security has been a concern since the widespread adoption of the internet at the end of the 20^th century.  For the consumer, McAfee and Symantec were offering their first instantaneous and comprehensive solutions back in 1999. Cyber attacks, however, have more impetus if they are focused on the things we depend on and take for granted. Energy, communication, manufacturing, transportation, government; their organisation and management are dependent on systems susceptible to cyber attack. Should these sectors experience a severe cyber attack that causes damage or shuts down a server, the result could be chaos if we are not prepared.

We have already witnessed the extensive damage that cyber attacks can cause. Last year, it was reported that Iran’s nuclear power developments were disrupted by a virus known as ‘Stuxnet’. This is a computer virus aimed at industrial systems such as power plants, with a purpose of damaging complicated software systems. There has been speculation that Mossad, the national intelligence agency of Israel, was responsible for this attack in order to slow down Iran’s nuclear programme, though this has never been confirmed.

Regardless of what you might think about this particular attack, this incident shows that progress and development can be brought down with the right click, download or programming code.

Cyber security needs to take precedence in our virtual world, in order to protect the real one. Wars are no longer controlled and delivered by a Field Marshal or 4-Star General; it proves to be war of the people, by the people and not necessarily for the people. Solutions for cyber security measures must be developed and delivered constantly. The nature of the technology itself means that we must always be innovating and evolving our methods to stop cyber attacks.

 If you were lucky enough to get a new phone or a tablet computer this holiday season, you’ve either happily organised your files and contacts by now or you’re still trying to figure out why your home screen is cluttered with so many applications. Or maybe you’re just stuck on a level of ‘Angry Birds’.

Nevertheless, with the growing processing power, information and capabilities that these smart phones and tablet computers are entrusted with, a question is developing in the technology community, namely: should there be some kind of anti-virus or security measure in place for mobile applications?

Because of the relative ease with which apps can be developed, passing on the torch of software development from the IT department to a single person with a knack for computer programming implies that greater trust must be given to more developers. Since the introduction of ‘Apps’ in July 2008, there are now over 400,000 available to download from Apple’s own store. This colossal number does not include the competing devices for their market share, with newer entrants such as the Android Market, Windows Phone 7 and the Blackberry App World. Several manufacturers with their own outlets and programming facilities create a multi-platform dilemma for imposing security measures. 

We are barely a year into the revived tablet computing revolution and consumer demand for these devices is rife, with tens of millions sold around the world.  Predictably, many security vendors, such as BitDefenderand Fortinet, are reporting a rise in malicious mobile software on social network applications. These may take the form of pop-up advertisement links when browsing the internet or retrieve information over an unsecure Wi-Fi network.  

Smart phones and tablet computers are filled with enough personal data to take advantage of and apps contain instructions that often require information to be shared: From permission to access files, to knowing your current location and in some cases activating ‘push’ features that essentially puts your mobile device on ‘auto-pilot’ to receive information. Even so, what security features are there to stop malicious codes and downloads from entering your device?

Within the two most popular software development kits, the Apple App Storeand Android Market, there is a stringent approval process to ensure apps are not harmful to their users. Regardless, a few still slip through the net before being deleted from their respective stores and just because it is gone from the store does not mean it is deleted on your mobile device.

The mobile computing device is certain to receive more universal functions and it is more than likely that security measures will play a vital role in dealing with highly private and sensitive information being transmitted. Applications of the future are being tailored to monitor your household’s power usage, trade files with multiple users via cloud computing and even trace the movements of your mail; even Angry Birds needs to link with your smart phone account to submit high scores.

If laptops and computers need anti-virus software in addition to built-in firewalls to prevent data attacks, it is only a matter of time before security measures in our mobile devices will hit the mainstream.

For those who have developed innovative solutions to these security issues, London-based competition vendor OmniCompete is pleased to announce the Global Security Challenge. Due to popular demand, the challenge will be opening earlier for entrants in 2011, with a scheduled launch date of early February. The Global Security Challenge is a central hub for innovators, start-ups and investors, hosting competitionsand eventsaround the globe. It awards$500,000 USD annually for developments in innovative technology within the security arena and past finalists have gone on to raise over $80 million USD in additional new investment. 2010 ‘Best Security Start-up’ winner, mPedigree developed a system to identify counterfeit medicine using scratch codes and SMS technology.

Details about the 2011 Global Security Challenge will be available soon.

Congratulations to DecaWave, the Irish company who competed in the 2010 GSC finals earlier this month! DecaWave has just been awarded "Best Technology Development for RTLS/WSN" at IDTechEx in Boston.

"As DecaWave's flagship product, ScenSor uses UWB technology to locate objects to a precision of 10cm – far superior to the capability of existing RTLS products. Among its unique benefits, ScenSor offers best in class line-of-sight (500m) and non-line-of-sight range (45m); and it is a physically small chip (7mm2 90nm TSMC) with resultant cost savings."

BusinessGhana published the results of the GSC 2010 Summit in an article entitled "Ghanaian Technology Enterprise Boosts Africa in Prestigious Global Contest", giving special mention to Ghanaian start-up winner mPedigree.

"While being just as robust as emerging methods such as EMID and RFID, and far more secure than holograms, the mPedigree approach is widely accessible through basic text messaging, requires no specialist equipment or training, is free to access for consumers, and a fraction of the price of holograms, and RFID and EMID techniques."
 

 EUObserver today published an article entitled "UK counter-terrorism chief pledges respect for civil liberties" on Security Minister Pauline Neville-Jones' speech given at the GSC Summit last week.

"We do regard the whole side of the civil liberties agenda ... as being absolutely crucial to what we are trying to do. There's absolutely no point in having a safe society which is not a free one. You know - we might as well be in prison," she said.

In an article entitled "iWebGate and mPedigree win Global Security Challenge", Computer Weekly reports on the GSC Summit and profiles winners iWebGate and mPedigree.

"iWebGate won the best security SME category and was awarded $300,000 and mentorship from the Carlyle Group for its online security product. The product set ups a virtual, highly secure reception area between an organisation's trusted network and volatile public networks such as the internet. It is a low-cost product aimed at enabling businesses to improve the overall security of trusted networks while keeping it simple to do business on the internet.

mPedigree won the best security start-up category and was awarded $200,000 and mentorship from Advent Venture Partners for its world-first system that enables consumers to verify the authenticity of their medicines using free text messages."

Israeli company ID-U Biometrics was today featured in MIT's Technology Review in an article entitled "For your eyes only". ID-U Biometrics will join other GSC finalists from around the world tomorrow at the GSC Summit.

"The way you view the world is unique, so why not use it to identify you? A company in Israel has developed a security system that does just this--exploiting a person's unique pattern of eye movements to identify them."
 

GSC Co-President and OmniCompete CEO Simon Schneider explains his belief in the power of prizes to drive innovation and solve problems in an op ed entitled "Why I set up an investor's championship" in the latest edition of the New Scientist.

“This is not just a business competition with one or two winners”.

Israeli company BriefCam, who will be competing in the GSC Summit 2010 later this week, has been profiled by the New Scientist in an article entitled "All-seeing eye for CCTV surveillance".

" ""In some cities, CCTV is a victim of its own success: the number of cameras means there is not enough time to review the tapes. That could change, with software that can automatically summarise the footage."

 Just a week before the GSC Summit, Irish finalist DecaWave has secured €2M in funding.

"DecaWave, a Dublin company specialising in semiconductor technology, has secured funding of €2 million, in an investment round led by Cork-based Kernel Capital and Dermot Desmond’s equity firm, International Investment & Underwriting."

The America Mid-West Regional Held at the University of Michigan and sponsored by the Michigan Security Network was a huge success!  Listen to the Radio archive.

A materials analysis company from Canada and a suburban Chicago developer of lightweight biological protection masks won the Midwest Regional final of the $500,000 Global Security Challenge Tuesday. The event was held on the campus of the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

"Kromek beat finalists from Australia, the US and Spain in a competition which saw over 200 applicants from the opening rounds. Kromek entered the final as the winner of the Western European GSC competition.

As Security SME of the year, Kromek will receive $400,000 from the Technical Support Working Group (TSWG) department of the US government, the national research and development arm for combating terrorism at home and abroad."
 

Ksplice, a new security company that offers services to speed the deployment of security patches, was awarded a cash prize today as the winner of the Cyber Security Challenge, a part of the annual Global Security Challenge. 

The Cyber Security Challenge recognizes the world's best startups responding to mounting challenges in cyber security. The competition is sponsored by BAE Systems and features a cash award to the winning startups. 

"It was enough to make any would-be terrorist question whether their trade had a future: a darkened room packed with serious-looking government and military officials being shown ever more ingenious ways to thwart bombers and plotters.

The Global Security Challenge (GSC) – a sort of Dragons' Den for the James Bond world – is officially a way for companies hawking new security and anti-terrorism devices to compete for funding. Here, they get to network furiously with investors and bigwigs from potential clients in the Pentagon and Ministry of Defence as well as private industry."

"The 2009 competition will include six regional semi-finals held throughout Europe, Asia and North America and will culminate with the grand final at the GSC Security Summit held at London Business School on November 13, 2009. The winners of the final will receive cash grants, mentorship and invaluable publicity and exposure. Mentors come from the world's leading venture capital funds, including Hummer Winblad and Civitas Group."

"According to Venture Business Research, which provides information on private companies in high-growth sectors, more than $6 billion of investment has flowed into private security and defense businesses in the United States and Europe so far this year, up from about $3.5 billion in all of 2006.

Spotting that potential, MBA students at London Business School staged the inaugural Global Security Challenge last year, when the British start-up Ingenia Technology took the $10,000 first prize for an anti-counterfeit laser-scanning device.

The interest in the competition was so great that the U.S. government's Technical Support Working Group raised this year's prize to $500,000."

"Specifically designed to help start-ups in the booming post-September 11 security field, the second annual competition increased the prize money from $10,000 to $500,000 (thanks to the Technical Support Working Group at the U.S. Defense Dept.) making it "the biggest business plan competition in the world," according to co-founder Simon Schneider."" ""afsdaf

"Entrepreneurs with a good idea for a security technology start-up have a chance to win a $500,000 (£253,000) grant to support the development of their business plan.

The contest, co-founded by London Business School and backed by the US Pentagon among others, is open to businesses with less than $5m in annual revenues with a demonstrable product."
 

"The National University of Singapore has been selected to host the first-ever Asian leg of the Global Security Challenge."