Canberra cyber security firm wins $2.2 million in innovation contracts to deliver world leading cyber simulation and secure communications capability to Defence.

The Minister for Defence Industry, the Hon Melissa Price MP, announced that Australian cyber security company Penten had secured $2.2m in Defence innovation contracts to deliver cutting edge cyber defences for Army through the Defence Innovation Hub. The contracts will see Penten develop new capability to the Australian Army to send communications over unsecured networks, monitor network traffic and mitigate attacks on its network.

Canberra based Penten, specialises in developing world leading cyber security solutions for Government, has grown from 4 to 70 employees in just 4 years and exports to 3 countries. Penten was recently named Australian Business of the Year at the Telstra Business Awards.

“Innovation is critical to build and sustain the Australian Defence Force’s capability edge,” said Minister Price. “Australia benefits from an industrial base of many agile small to medium enterprises like Penten.”

Penten is delivering capabilities using Artificial Intelligence to identify, disrupt and trap digital adversaries and is creating and delivering new secure mobility technologies to help government build a connected and integrated security workforce.

“We are excited and thankful for the faith Defence has shown in Penten and Australian SMEs to deliver new world leading technology to the Australian Army first and then let us export it to the world.” said Matthew Wilson, Penten CEO.

“Initiatives like the Defence Innovation Hub support Australian industry to create sovereign advantage for Australia, and ensure that companies like Penten are able to continue to invest and grow high-end engineering and software development jobs here in Australia.”

The contracts awarded to Penten were selected as part of Army Innovation Day 2018, which called for innovative solutions for the next generation Army and were facilitated through the Defence Innovation Hub, an initiative of the 2016 Defence Industry Policy Statement.

About Penten
Penten is an Australian headquartered cyber security company building innovative cyber technologies to help defend Australia’s most sensitive information from the world’s most advanced cyber adversaries. penten.com @PentenCyber

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