On Thursday, cybersecurity firm HUB Security, a Tel Aviv-based startup launched in 2017 by veterans of the Israeli Defense Forces 8200 and 81 intelligence units, announced that it is partnering with U.S. rural broadband provider Trilogy Networks to join the Rural Cloud Initiative, a coalition of more than 70 network, technology and applications providers working together to accelerate the digital transformation of rural America.
“Rural America represents the home of the majority of advanced technology assets associated with critical infrastructure like the oil and gas industry. These networks have never had more significant security exposure than today,” HUB CEO Eyal Moshe said in a comment on the partnership. “Critical to both commercial and national security these networks require new, innovative and extremely secure security paradigms and platforms. Next-generation applications and services offered by 5G, AI, and the Internet of Things will bring massive operational and economic advantages to the rural markets, but further drive the concern. Securing the edge of the network is paramount which is why we are so excited to work with Trilogy and the RCI.”
“Agriculture and its two million U.S. farms are increasingly using these emerging technologies to drive autonomous trackers, drones for observation or spraying, automated irrigation further defines the need for secure, cloud native edge networks and underscores the value of working with the RCI,” said CTO HUB Andrey Laramenko.
“HUB security’s zero-trust confidential computing approach for edge computing will deliver protection to support these critical assets,” says George Woodward, Trilogy CEO. “Building security into the edge, allows for a robust, fast, high performance, cloud native network allowing industry to capitalize on the value of these emerging technologies while minimizing the opportunity for catastrophic attacks. This relationship represents a winning combination to the RCI and the rural markets.”
HUB noted that the recent ransom attack on the Colonial Pipeline that forced the closure of the main fuel artery in the Eastern U.S. resulted from a single compromised password. Similarly, an attack on a Florida water treatment plant earlier this year aimed to adjust chemicals to dangerous concentrations, underscoring cybersecurity requirements throughout every element in the network.
Awz Ventures
In other news from the investable universe of Israeli cyber startups investing in North American next-generation applications, Awz Ventures, a Canadian-based multi-stage venture capital firm that launched in partnership with MAFAT (the Israeli Ministry of Defense‘s Directorate of Defense Research & Development) announced the successful close of its Awz Seed I fund, oversubscribed from its $50 million target. The fund has identified 10 potential investment opportunities in cloud security, quantum, aerospace, deep tech, robotics, artificial intelligence, and cyber security.
Every 18 months, Awz Ventures will raise subsequent $75 million Awz X-Seed funds to invest in its next cohort of 15 companies, which will take up residence in the hub for enrichment and growth. aerospace. The company will invest an average of $3-5 million in each portfolio company.
