Welcome to the IT Security Entrepreneurs’ Forum website. I would like to thank all of you who applied to attend and those of you who participated in this groundbreaking conference. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive, the quote, “This exceeded my expectations” has been the resounding theme. At the conference, attendees had the opportunity to meet and learn from seasoned entrepreneurs, investors, and corporate and government IT security leaders. Experienced professionals who fund, build, deploy and purchase innovative IT Security Solutions discussed market trends and opportunities in order to help the participants understand approaches to best address and access these markets during the critical first years of their venture. Material presented at the Forum is readily available on the agenda page of this website.

This public-private partnership initiative was designed to help representatives with backgrounds ranging from academia, start-ups, and early through expansion stage companies accelerate the development and transfer of technology through education, awareness and social networks. Government and industry share a legacy of established business processes that must be protected, but this adherence to tradition can sometimes inhibit growth and innovation. Clearly these are competing forces that creative minds can and should address in order to improve upon the past for the benefit of the future.

In the face of mounting threats to our nation's IT and Telecommunications infrastructure, all levels of American government and industry, academia, science and the investment community should share a common resolve to accelerate best-of-class products that are proven and commercially available towards faster on-ramps for government review and faster off-ramps for implementation. The importance of “social capital” cannot be understated and better collaboration between the government and the private sector is needed to ensure the government is not regulated to the caboose of the innovation train.

I would like to extend a special thanks to all of our sponsors, in particular The Department of Homeland Security, Kauffman Foundation, Pascal Levensohn of Levensohn Venture Partners, our presenters and the forum committee who worked diligently to ensure the conference met your expectations and standards. As you continue on your journey I hope we have provided relevant information that brings you one step closer to success.

Sincerely,


Robert D. Rodriguez
Forum Chairman