Thursday, April 14, 2011

Miami Cybersecurity Company Selected to Participate in State’s Economic Gardening Program

MIAMI, Fla., – AuthenWare, a security software provider that focuses on the prevention of identity theft, has been selected to receive free technical assistance through the state-funded GrowFL program.

Founded in 2006 by CEO Ron Brittian and Chief Technology Officer Felix Racca, AuthenWare creates cybersecurity software for clients that range from individuals and small businesses to government offices and other large-scale enterprises.

“We are very excited to be part of the GrowFL program,” said company President Tom Helou. “The GrowFL designation means access to valuable resources that will help us grow and create new jobs in the state of Florida.”

Part of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute, GrowFL was created in 2009 by the Florida Legislature and is based at the University of Central Florida in Orlando. When selecting businesses for the program the institute looks for ones that have the potential to succeed, according to Dr. Tom O’Neal, executive director of the Florida Economic Gardening Institute.

“AuthenWare is a forward-thinking company that already has achieved much in a short period of time,” said O’Neal, who also is associate vice president for UCF’s Office of Research and Commercialization.

GrowFL will offer support to AuthenWare through a number of free services, including access to market research and technology, strategy analysis, CEO roundtables and forums, database research and website optimization.

AuthenWare’s main headquarters is located in Miami, with satellite offices in New York City and Mendoza, Argentina, Helou said.

A leading cybersecurity software provider, AuthenWare’s innovative authentication system offers tight security through a combination of keystroke dynamics, as well as behavioral and environmental characteristics [including changes in behavior such as those caused by medication, injury or fatigue] to minimize identity theft, web fraud and other system vulnerabilities.

Helou said the company’s affiliation with GrowFL opens up an entire network of resources from funding to marketing to real estate to employee training.

“The network understands second-stage companies,” he said. “Our membership in the GrowFL community means introductions to companies that can help us grow and succeed.”

About AuthenWare:
AuthenWare is a leading cybersecurity software provider that focuses on fighting identity theft through its innovative tokenless authentication system that delivers security with a multi-dimensional approach to validating identity. Using a series of algorithms that record and measure a person’s keyboard typing patterns, as well as other behavioral and environmental heuristics, the product creates a personal security pattern – the AuthenWare Singularity Pattern – that is as unique as the person’s DNA. For more information about Authenware, visit www.authenware.com.

About the Florida Economic Gardening Institute:
The Florida Economic Gardening Institute was created by the 2009 Florida Legislature as the Economic Gardening Technical Assistance Program to stimulate investment in Florida’s economy by providing technical assistance for expanding businesses in the state. Qualified companies must be engaged in the following sectors to receive no-cost technical assistance: Manufacturing; Finance & Insurance Services; Wholesale Trade; Information Industries; Professional, Scientific & Technical Services; Management Services; and, Administrative & Support Services. Additional information is available at www.GrowFL.com.