In-Q-Tel

In-Q-Tel of Arlington, Virginia, United States is a not-for-profit venture capital firm that invests in high-tech companies for the sole purpose of keeping the Central Intelligence Agency, and other intelligence agencies, equipped with the latest in information technology in support of United States intelligence capability.

About
Originally named Peleus and known as In-Q-It, In-Q-Tel was launched in 1999 under the direction of Gilman Louie. In-Q-Tel’s mission is to identify and invest in companies developing cutting-edge technologies that serve United States national security interests. Originally associated with the Central Intelligence Agency Directorate of Science & Technology, In-Q-Tel now engages with entrepreneurs, growth companies, researchers, and venture capitalists to deliver technologies that provide superior capabilities for the CIA, DIA, NGA, and the larger Intelligence Community. In-Q-Tel concentrates on three broad commercial technology areas: software, infrastructure and materials sciences.

Former CIA director George Tenet says,

We [the CIA] decided to use our limited dollars to leverage technology developed elsewhere. In 1999 we chartered ... In-Q-Tel. ... While we pay the bills, In-Q-Tel is independent of CIA. CIA identifies pressing problems, and In-Q-Tel provides the technology to address them. The In-Q-Tel alliance has put the Agency back at the leading edge of technology ... This ... collaboration ... enabled CIA to take advantage of the technology that Las Vegas uses to identify corrupt card players and apply it to link analysis for terrorists [cf. the parallel data-mining effort by the SOCOM-DIA operation Able Danger ], and to adapt the technology that online booksellers use and convert it to scour millions of pages of documents looking for unexpected results.

In-Q-Tel sold 5,636 shares of Google Inc., worth over $2.2 million, on Nov 15, 2005. The stocks were a result of Google’s acquisition of Keyhole, the CIA funded satellite mapping software now known as Google Earth.

As of August 2006, In-Q-Tel had reviewed more than 5,800 business plans, invested some $150 million in more than 90 companies, and delivered more than 130 technology solutions to the intelligence community. In 2005 it was said to be funded with about $37 million a year from the CIA.

Former board members include Jim Breyer, Anita K. Jones and Gilman Louie.

Investment Portfolio
Many companies listed on In-Q-Tel's investment website page, are secret. In-Q-Tel functions partially in public, however what products it has and how they are used is strictly secret. According to the Washington Post, "virtually any U.S. entrepreneur, inventor or research scientist working on ways to analyze data has probably received a phone call from In-Q-Tel or at least been Googled by its staff of technology-watchers."

Software

 * Huddle - cloud-based content collaboration software
 * Oculis Labs -visual cyber security solutions
 * Destineer -games FPS training sim
 * GeoIQ FortiusOne -visualization on maps
 * Forterra -virtual worlds for training
 * Quantum4D -visualization technology
 * Visual Sciences -Real-time Visual Analysis software
 * Spotfire -visualisation data analytics
 * Palantir Technologies - Data Integration, Search and Discovery, Knowledge Management, and Secure Collaboration
 * PiXlogic - Visual Search Engine (VSE)
 * Agent Logic - event detection and response software -Webspector webpage change software
 * ArcSight - secure software
 * Zaplet -email
 * Authentica -secure messaging and secure document sharing
 * Teradici Corporation -desktop virtualization
 * Connectify -Wifi & VPN
 * SafeWeb PrivacyMatrix -browsing (This was a web anonymity service that was shut down in Nov. 2001; not to be confused with Norton Safe Web)
 * Visible Technologies -Social Media monitoring
 * Silver Tail Systems -website fraud prevention
 * InnoCentive -crowdsourcing websites
 * Fetch Technologies -Internet Data Management -bots & RSS
 * SRA OrionMagic - cms software
 * Recorded Future -web intelligence and predictive analytics
 * Traction Software -web 2.0
 * Basis Technology -translation software -Rosette Platform
 * Language Weaver -automatic language translation
 * Lingotek -translate
 * Cassatt -desktop software
 * Tacit Knowledge Systems -internal software
 * FMS -analysis, visualization, and knowledgebase to the Federal Intelligence Community
 * Initiate Systems -real-time multiple database software
 * TerraGo -geospatial mapping data GeoPDF
 * Geosemble -geospatial mapping
 * NovoDynamics -Arabic character recognition
 * Adapx -Microsoft Office & GIS
 * Digital Reasoning -Synthesys v3.0 -review facts and associations at a glance
 * CallMiner -phone speech analytics software
 * Carnegie Speech -speech recognition
 * AzTE PRISM -handwriting recognition
 * A4Vision -3D facial imaging
 * oculis labs -computer vision, facial recognition and detection with webcam
 * SRD -identity resolution software
 * Inktomi Corp - network infrastructure software
 * Mohomine mohoClassifier - organises mass data
 * Stratify -organises mass data
 * Endeca -search data repositories
 * Inxight -search engine
 * Convera RetrievalWare - search engine
 * MetaCarta - search engine
 * Attensity - search engine
 * NetBase -search engine
 * Platfora - big data analytics and visualization
 * Intelliseek -search engine
 * FireEye -malware protection

Biotech

 * Biomatrica -biolab tech anhydrobiosis storage
 * SpectraFluidics -detection of trace airborne chemicals
 * Arcxis Biotechnologies -sample processing and pathogen detection
 * febit group -DNA
 * Boreal Genomics -DNA fingerprints
 * T2 Biosystems -medical diagnostic devices, miniaturized magnetic resonance (MR)
 * OpGen -microbial genome analysis
 * Infobionics -biotech Cellular Database
 * Microchip Biotechnologies -analysis instrumentation for biodefense
 * Cambrios Technologies -biomaterials for solid-state electronic devices
 * Seahawk Biosystems - diagnosis biosensor products
 * Sionex -chemical and biological sensors
 * Polychromix -material analysis and chemical sensing
 * IatroQuest -detect biological and chemical agents
 * IntegenX -NanoBioProcessor & molecular diagnostics
 * Seventh Sense Biosystems -health monitoring and medical diagnostics
 * Sonitus Medical -transmits sound via the teeth
 * MedShape -orthopedic devices from shape memory materials

Electricity

 * Electro Energy - nickel-metal hydride batteries for satellites & aircraft
 * Qynergy Corporation - Long-lived batteries -Micro-Electro-Mechanical Systems (MEMS)
 * Infinite Power Solutions -micro-batteries
 * Skybuilt Power -solar, wind, fuel cells, batteries, fossil fuels, telecommunications -Mobile Power Station(MPS) 3.5 kW to 150 kW
 * Semprius -solar energy
 * AdaptivEnergy -miniature piezo generators
 * Power Assure -managing power consumption
 * MiserWare -reduces energy

Electronics

 * Nanosys -nanotech components
 * Alfalight -high-power lasers & torches
 * IDELIX Software -Pliable Display Technology (PDT) Software
 * Perceptive Pixel -multi-touch displays
 * WiSpry -radio components
 * Nextreme Thermal Solutions -circuit-board thermoelectric components
 * Digital Solid State Propulsion -electronic controls for solid rocket motors
 * Infinite Z -virtual-holographic monitors

Video

 * 3VR Security -DVR archiving
 * MotionDSP -digital video
 * Pixim -video cameras
 * COPAN -data storage
 * iMove -immersive video
 * Pelican Imaging -better camera phones
 * LensVector -optical autofocus
 * InView Technology -cameras and hyper-spectral imagers
 * Rhevision -tunable camera lens
 * Signal Innovations Group -signal, image, and video analytics
 * Elemental Technologies -video processing
 * KZO Innovations -streaming video software
 * VSee -video conferencing

Hardware

 * Genia Photonics - fiber-optics products
 * Advanced Photonix, Inc. -fiber optics
 * SitScape -Command & Control Room hardware
 * SpotterRF -Micro Surveillance Radar -track a person walking 148 acre
 * QD Vision -monitors, displays and lighting
 * GATR Technologies -inflatable satellite dishes
 * CoreStreet -door access control systems
 * Etherstack -radios
 * Paratek microwave -smart scanning antennas

Sensor Networks

 * ThingMagic -RFID
 * Dust Networks - low-power wireless mesh networking systems
 * Ember Corporation - ZigBee- wireless semiconductor
 * Gainspan - low power Wi-Fi
 * Tendril Networks - software for wireless sensor and control networks
 * TenXsys -telemetry systems for remote monitoring, NASA
 * StreamBase -real-time data in government/military, RFID/sensor networks
 * Thetus - software for remote sensing instruments
 * Soflinx defender -a Wireless Sensor Network for fences
 * PlateScan -automatic license plate recognition (ALPR) sensor network

Data Centers

 * Bay Microsystems -packet processing and data traffic
 * Cleversafe -data storage clouds and massive digital archives
 * Cloudera -data storage and analysis
 * Asankya -Hypermesh data streams
 * CopperEye -data retention
 * Systems Research and Development - real-time data warehousing
 * Network Appliance -Decru -networked data storage

Security Testing

 * RedSeal Systems -security testing
 * Network Chemistry - RFprotect -WiFi security
 * Veracode -application security testing

Governance
In-Q-Tel is a Virginia-registered corporation, legally independent of the CIA or any other government agency. The corporation is bound by its Charter agreement and annual contract with the CIA, which set out the relationship between the two organizations. In-Q-Tel's mission to support the Intelligence Community's technical needs is promoted by the In-Q-Tel Interface Center (QIC), an office within the CIA that facilitates communication and relationships between In-Q-Tel and government intelligence organizations. While In-Q-Tel is a nonprofit corporation, it differs from IARPA and other models in that its employees can profit from its investments. According to public records, In-Q-Tel's current principals include:
 * Christopher A. R. Darby, President/CEO
 * Bruce Adams, Secretary
 * Michael M. Crow, Chairman
 * Paul G. Kaminiski, Director
 * Jeong H. Kim, Director

Other related personnel
Numerous noteworthy business and intelligence community professionals have been involved with In-Q-Tel at various times, including the following:
 * Michael D. Griffin – former President; later Administrator of NASA.
 * Norman R. Augustine
 * Gilman Louie
 * Amit Yoran
 * John Seely Brown
 * Stephen Friedman
 * Paul McMahon
 * William Perry
 * Alex J. Mandl
 * Craig Goss
 * Rob Painter – former Director for Technology Assessment; left to become Senior Federal Sales Manager at Google.
 * Christopher K. Tucker, first chief strategic officer

Views of In-Q-Tel
"In my view the organization has been far more successful than I dreamed it would be," said Norman R. Augustine, who was recruited in 1998 to help set up In-Q-Tel and is an In-Q-Tel trustee.

in the News

 * Spy Agency Fund Targets Bay Area Technology 06/10/2012

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