Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Tours San Diego Tech Companies

Tour demonstrated San Diego’s thriving innovation economy and collaborative focus on increasing cybersecurity throughout the region

SAN DIEGO--()--Dr. John Zangardi, acting, Department of Defense (DoD) Chief Information Officer (CIO), alongside more than 20 senior military, government and international information warfare leaders, toured eight independent tech companies located in San Diego on Aug. 14-15.

Hosted by San Diego’s Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) and San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation (EDC), the tech tours allowed CIO participants to witness how San Diego and the surrounding region continues to evolve as a technology and cyber hub within the United States.

While many San Diego companies were considered for this visit, CCOE and EDC tapped eight companies to highlight a cross section of new technologies in the region to include Qualcomm, AttackIQ, Qubitekk, Webroot, Illumina, iBoss, FICO and KnuEdge. The collective group demonstrated everything from cybersecurity initiatives and machine learning to commercial quantum computing and data analytics.

“It was quite impressive to speak with each company and see the passion they have for their work,” said Dr. John Zangardi in a recent DoD press release. “San Diego comprises some of the most energetic and creative brains in the fields of cyber, technology and data sciences. Cyber threats are real. The velocity of change in the cyber threat environment requires a rapid decision-making process and response times that must leverage the right mix of human and learning adaptive solutions to increase the Department of Defense’s offensive and defensive capabilities, whether from government or industry.”

There was also an opportunity for attendees to tour the University of California San Diego and see how the research curriculum supports aspiring youth in the fields of big data, machine learning and artificial intelligence.

Rear Adm. (ret.) Ken Slaght, CCOE co-chair and president, emphasized that visits like this provide a new perspective on cybersecurity and cyber readiness.

“This is the first time where San Diego is being recognized as an up-and-coming ‘Silicon Valley’ by several influential leaders,” said Slaght. “For Dr. Zangardi and high-ranking information warriors to take an interest in what San Diego continues to do to support innovation and technology development means a great deal. San Diego plays a significant role in cyber preparedness for the nation and will continue strengthening these efforts well into the future.”

The DoD CIO tour highlights the importance of collaboration between the public, private, academic, government and military sectors in order to foster greater national cybersecurity. The DoD CIO tour also provided national and international cyber leaders a glimpse of what is to come during October’s National Cybersecurity Awareness Month when CCOE and the City of San Diego present Secure San Diego, which will showcase region-wide efforts to foster a more secure cyber environment and position San Diego as a global hub of cybersecurity innovation.

About Cyber Center of Excellence

The Cyber Center of Excellence (CCOE) is a nonprofit organization that supplies the leadership and fosters collaboration, to establish San Diego as a worldwide center for cybersecurity products and services. Working together to build programs that promote cyber best practices among the key economic pillars of our community, and by promoting talent acquisition, retention and development, the CCOE aims to make San Diego a magnet for an industry that already provides 16,500 jobs and invests $1.9 billion into the San Diego economy. Learn more at www.sdccoe.org.

About San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation

San Diego Regional Economic Development Corporation’s (EDC’s) mission is to maximize the region’s economic prosperity and global competitiveness. As an independently funded non-profit fueled by more than 160 companies and organizations, EDC takes a data-driven approach to attracting, retaining and expanding companies and the talent pool across the region’s three traded economies: military, tourism and innovation. Learn more at www.sandiegobusiness.org.

Contacts

KCD PR
Kevin Dinino, 619-739-4265
kevin@kcdpr.com

Release Summary

Department of Defense Chief Information Officer Tours San Diego Tech Companies, demonstrated San Diego’s thriving innovation economy and collaboration

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Contacts

KCD PR
Kevin Dinino, 619-739-4265
kevin@kcdpr.com