MORGANTOWN, WV (Aug. 7, 2023) – A joint venture between two nationally recognized defense innovation and cybersecurity organizations will focus on cybersecurity technology innovation and growing and equipping the West Virginia workforce to become a national leader in cybersecurity.
The venture, known as the Cyber Innovation Institute, LLC, which will be based in Morgantown, West Virginia, will combine the resources of McLean, Virginia-based By Light Professional IT Services (By Light) with Morgantown-based Civil-Military Innovation Institute (CMI2). This collaboration will bring By Light’s deep national security and defense sector relationships to the growing West Virginia defense innovation ecosystem.
“West Virginia is becoming a hub of expertise within the cybersecurity community, where the people and technologies required to protect our most critical systems are developed and enhanced every day,” said Senator Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) “I am proud to see West Virginia-based groups like CMI2 leading these efforts for the state and at the national level.”
By Light, a national company, boasts support for all branches of the military, Combatant Commands and the Federal Government with transformative solutions that form the foundation for robust, diverse, resilient, and protected networks and computing environments that enable warfighting operations. CMI2 is a national defense innovation non-profit that fosters military modernization via a frontline, warfighter-first approach that leverages technology innovations from universities and industry.
“The joint venture with CMI2 is an opportunity to enhance By Light’s robust cybersecurity infrastructure and expertise as we also expand the base of the State’s cybersecurity workforce,” said Bob Donahue, By Light Founder and CEO.
“This joint venture brings together two strong organizations who will advance innovative cybersecurity technology, create the future cybersecurity workforce, and supply that workforce with cutting-edge technology,” said CMI2 founder Dr. Zenovy Wowczuk. “The people and knowledge we combine will focus on cybersecurity technology development while also cultivating and populating human capital for this sector.”
The Cyber Innovation Institute will function via two locations within CMI2’s infrastructure in West Virginia, including the Tactical Operations Related to Cybersecurity Hub (TORCH) facility in Morgantown and CMI2’s Adaptive Experimentation Facility in Fola, West Virginia.
“It is another opportunity in West Virginia with the announcement of the joint venture known as “Cyber Innovation Institute” between CMI2 and By Light,” said Glenn Jeffries, West Virginia State Senator. “The joint venture is expected to not only enhance the capabilities of both companies but also contribute to the broader cyber security framework. Through collaborative research and development, sharing of knowledge, and best practices, the venture can foster an environment of mutual growth and progress within the industry. As we continue to focus on bringing companies like By Light to West Virginia, having talent like CMI2 helps make these opportunities possible.”
