Rome startup awarded Air Force contract

ROME, N.Y. >> Mentis Technologies, LLC, a cybersecurity startup company, were selected as the recipient of a Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contract.

This is Mentis Technologies’ second SBIR award to develop innovative cybersecurity solutions for the nation’s Air Force. This phase of the SBIR includes conducting a feasibility study to determine the effectiveness of potential or existing commercial or defense solution(s) to protect Cyber Physical Systems (CPS).

Recently, the Air Force SBIR/STTR ProgramOffice, issued a new type of solicitation which included Air Force special topics. Mentis’ award is a special topic facilitated as a partnership between the Air Force and MD5. MD5 is an innovation and entrepreneurship program run out of the Office of the Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for Manufacturing and Industrial Base Policy (MIBP).

Under this contract, Mentis Technologies will be conducting research and development of software and hardware to secure Cyber Physical Systems. Sometimes called Internet of Things (IoT), CPS’ are found in businesses such as manufacturing, in homes with smart sensors and appliances, and even in DoD weapon systems. Mentis Technologies has developed a prototype of an innovative technology utilizing an open source intrusion detection and prevention application, machine learning, and proprietary methods to monitor layers of the OIP stack. Brian Abbe, CEO, Mentis Technologies stated, “The goal is to make the product compatible with current CPS’ to provide security of legacy systems and to build this technology into future systems.”

Mentis is a member of the Griffiss Institute Business Incubator in Rome, NY, and a virtual member of The Tech Garden in Syracuse, NY. Mentis develops advanced cybersecurity systems to prevent cyber criminals from entering computers and networks. Their flagship product, which was previously awarded a SBIR, uses a remote browsing technique built on patented technol- ogy from the Air Force Research Laboratory Information Directorate, in Rome, NY. A video overview of this product is available to view here. Additionally, Mentis provides a darkweb scanning tool called InfraDrip, that monitors and alerts users if their Personally Identifiable Information has been leaked onto the darkweb.

A successful Phase I project could lead to a multiyear Phase II award that would allow Mentis to develop and demonstrate the CPS prototype systemin Air Force applications.