devICT Tours Knowmadics CyberLab

Last week, members of devICT, Wichita’s volunteer developer community, toured Knowmadics’ CyberLabs on our second floor. devICT and Knowmadics are both Groover Labs members.

View fullsize

After the tour, Knowmadics CyberLab Director Clint Stevens, Sr. Technical Integrator Anthony George, and Software Engineer Tim Marks, spoke with members of the nonprofit developer group about the cybersecurity firm’s mission to support recently announced partnerships like their space-based IoT security program, a collaboration with Wichita State University to develop ways to strengthen the reliability and integrity of data collection and transfer among current in-orbit and future space vehicles.

The discussion covered a broad range of topics, including the types of positions Knowmadics plans to fill in its Wichita location and how the firm can build programs to train and support software development and cybersecurity expertise in the region. Knowmadics is scaling its Wichita operations, having hired five new local employees over the past month.

Members of devICT were particularly interested in the technical aspects of Knowmadics projects. The group discussed a variety of future presentation topics that might be of interest to the Wichita-area technology community.

We’ll keep tabs on these topics and share about them when more information is available. One of the many benefits of membership at Groover Labs is the opportunity to network with other members, and we were happy to connect devICT and Knowmadics, two organizations that share a deep passion for technology and entrepreneurship.

USD 265 Students Tour Knowmadics and Groover Labs

Last week, anchor tenant Knowmadics, an Arlington, Va.-based cybersecurity firm that offers end-to-end solutions for complete security awareness, hosted a group of specialized cybersecurity students from USD 265’s Eisenhower High School in Goddard, Kan. The daylong event was coordinated by Knowmadics CyberLab Director Clint Stevens, who orchestrated the tour and speakers.

Cybersecurity Class

Eisenhower High School’s cybersecurity class, taught by USD 265’s Damien Hays, is designed to empower students with advanced skill sets to provide an advantage for high school graduates entering post-secondary two or four-year tech programs. The students gain in-demand skills, explore careers, and dive deeply into the ethical and unethical implications of wide-ranging cybersecurity environments.

Groover Labs Tours

The day began with a tour of Groover Labs, where the students learned how shared workspaces and coworking foster collaboration and innovation - hallmarks of startup culture and new product development. Maker Labs lead Jeremiah Burian walked the students through each of Groover Labs’ five Maker Labs while discussing the value of affordable rapid product prototyping facilities and the importance of product iteration.

Activities in the CyberLab

The students were exposed to security topics in both the physical and cyber domains to include offensive and defensive concepts; higher education and job opportunities; and a discussion on real world experiences from the experts. The event culminated in a hands-on team vs team exercise where the students had to identify a “rogue” Wi-Fi network and associated devices, work through remotely accessing the network by executing a de-auth attack, and physically acquire the “rogue” devices that were hidden in locked rooms, without having keys.

Guest Speakers

Guest speakers included Jared Dible of Millenium Corporation; Anthony George, GCE (and Groover Labs member); Jeremiah Rempel of the 184th Wing of the Kansas Air National Guard; and Molly Brown of FlagshipKansas.Tech. The speakers covered a wide range of topics, including recent trends in cybersecurity, and answered students’ questions about the future of the industry.

Knowmadics, Inc. and Groover Labs Launch Cyber Center of Excellence

Knowmadics, Inc. and Groover Labs Launch Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) for Innovation, Entrepreneurship and Job Creation Initiatives in Wichita, Kan.

 Herndon, VA. November 3, 2022 -- Knowmadics, a provider of innovative end-to-end solutions for solving complex operational challenges and Groover Labs, a 501(c)(3) designated non-profit organization dedicated to innovation, collaboration and entrepreneurship, today announced that Knowmadics will open a new Cyber Center of Excellence (CCoE) for national cybersecurity initiatives at Groover Labs’ 42,000-square-foot facility in downtown Wichita, Kansas.

“Kansas has emerged as a national leader in industry innovation and workforce development, and I’m pleased the partnership between Knowmadics and Groover Labs will help build on this success,” said Senator Jerry Moran (R-Kan). “The new Cyber Center will not only advance technology growth, but will also create good jobs and utilize the talented students and experts in the Wichita area.”

 At the CCoE, Knowmadics’ public and private partners – with the support of academic institutions from across the country – will work together to solve some of the most difficult cybersecurity challenges facing the nation. Based out of a pending build-out of the Groover Labs CyberLink, the facility will include an industry-leading secure cyber lab; office and meeting spaces; prototyping capabilities; and resources and support for other advancements.

 “With its commitment to creating infrastructure and developing local talent, we are proud to partner with Groover Labs’ leadership to take part in ‘Building a Stronger Economy’ in Kansas,” said Claire Ostrum, President of Knowmadics. “Our passion for technology growth, and the ability to maximize the valuable human capital resources found in Kansas, align perfectly with Groover Labs’ location, capabilities, philosophy, passion and environment. We are looking forward to calling Kansas the ‘home’ of our Cyber Center of Excellence.”

 As part of the infrastructure improvements and additions to its existing facility, Groover Labs will expand and enhance offerings that will provide Knowmadics with access to unique capabilities at its prototyping lab. This access will not only further initiatives for the CCoE, but enable Knowmadics to expand and relocate other existing lines of business that currently operate outside of Kansas. Groover Labs Co-Founder Curt Gridley noted “we are proud that Knowmadics has chosen to join the entrepreneurial landscape that we are fostering here at Groover Labs and excited that they see this as the ideal venue to continue developing their innovative business. We look forward to partnering with Knowmadics to provide the state-of-the-art facilities they need in support of their rapid growth.”

 Greater Wichita Partnership’s President Jeff Fluhr also noted “Technology innovation is a key industry sector in our Regional Growth Plan. The Brookings Institute has named the Greater Wichita Region number one in digital service job growth. Knowmadics’ investment in Wichita just further solidifies our region’s position in growing industries such as cybersecurity. We are proud to have Knowmadics in our region.”

 With the build-out of the Groover Labs CyberLink, Knowmadics will commit to the CCoE operations by becoming its anchor member/user. With this move, Knowmadics will extensively engage with local and national private sector companies, universities, military and Homeland Security communities.

 Knowmadics will also create high-quality jobs and recruit from local universities, to take advantage of the local talent pool. Through a previously announced partnership program with Friends University in Wichita, Knowmadics has already started this outreach by working toward the establishment of a collaborative cyber lab academic curriculum, including potential internship opportunities. The ultimate goal is to recruit and retain technology professionals in the greater Wichita region, for which the Groover Labs CyberLink infrastructure expansion and center will play an instrumental role.

About Knowmadics, Inc.

Knowmadics solves complex operational challenges through innovative end-to-end solutions that deliver complete security awareness, full continuum duty of care and enhanced process efficiencies. Combining a scalable automated software platform, elite operational support, proactive cyber assessments and a continuous innovation program, they enable predictable, optimized situational response that fosters enterprise trust. Knowmadics is based in Herndon, Va.

 Contact:

Joyson Cherian

W2 Communications

knowmadics@w2comm.com