Cyber Startups: Successful Pilot Program Expansion

Principal Investigator: 
Gisele Stolz, director, Entrepreneurship Programs & MEC Business Incubators, Office of Entrepreneurship, Innovation & Economic Development, George Mason University

Co-Principal Investigators: 
Paula Sorrell, Innovation and Economic Development, George Mason University; Diane Murphy, School of Technology and Innovation, Marymount University; Sarah Spalding, College of Business, Ideation, Leadership and Technology, Marymount University

Project Description: 
Recognizing that startups and small businesses are an important and growing part of the Virginia cybersecurity ecosystem, the proposed project focuses on two objectives: to provide cybersecurity students from diverse backgrounds with relevant, hands-on experiential learning opportunities; and to provide cybersecurity startups and subject matter experts with the talent they need to scale their businesses. This project seeks to diversify the talent pipeline to cybersecurity jobs and build a resilient and diverse cybersecurity innovation ecosystem that will help Northern Virginia thrive post-pandemic.