Yoick - Hightechwire

The finalists have been named in the 2006 Global Security Challenge.

As an advisor I’ve had the pleasure of reviewing these five companies and the competition for ultimate winner is going to be fierce.

This London Business School initiative has been endorsed by US Senate Majority Leader, Bill Frist: “The GSC is an example of the innovative thinking we need to stay ahead of the security curve.”

The finalists are:

• Ingenia - laser technology to give passports etc an authenticating fingerprint (London, UK)
• ScanWalk - technology to identify people by their gait (London, UK)
• Secerno - database security (Oxford, UK)
• TIRF - portable biosensors (Pennsylvania, US)
• Vumii - laser-based night surveillance system (Georgia, US).

The winner, who will be announced in London on October 26th, will receive $10,000 in prize money as well as mentorship from Siemens Venture Capital. Good luck guys.

I’ve blogged before about this great London Business School initiative and wanted to let you know that we have opened registration for the conference and dinner on the 26th October in London. It would be great to see Yoickers in attendance!

There is an awesome line up of speakers for the conference, including:

-          Jeff David – Head of TSWG at US Department of Defense

-          Ruth David – frm. Director of Science & Technology at the CIA and CEO of Analytic Services

-          Bruce Mann – Head of Civil Contingencies at UK Cabinet Office

-          Niloo Howe – Managing Partner at Paladin Capital

-          Roger Novak – Partner at Novak Biddle

-          Dr. Uwe Albrecht – Director at Siemens Venture Capital

-          Bruce George – Member of UK Parliament and VP of the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe Parliamentary Assembly

-          Stephen Bonner – Global Director of Information Risk Management at Barclays

As a member of the Advisory Board of the Global Security Challenge, I’m pleased to let you know that NATO has decided to join Siemens Venture Capital and a host of other key players in the VC and government sectors in support of this initiative.

Organised through London Business School the Challenge’s mission is to “stimulate technological innovation to make us all safer without encroaching on civil liberties.” Hear, hear!

The algorithm is essentially a business plan competition peaking with a Grand Final and one day security conference on October 26th. A must attend event for anyone interested in the growing Homeland Security market ($57bn in 2006, $10bn in 2010).

The challenge was founded by Simon Schneider and his MBA colleagues at LBS on the belief that entrepreneurs, and private sector technology solutions, developed around the globe have a role to play in winning the war on terror and crime.

Assistant Secretary General of NATO, Marshall Billingslea, made a good point, “The inventiveness and creativity of our private sectors is one of the greatest assets NATO nations have in the fight against terrorism. We need to do a better job of tapping into that creativity.”