WHAT'S NEW THIS WEEK?
1. Northrop Grumman and Leidos Dynetics Team to Work Together on NASA Human Landing System Bid
The Dynetics team has worked as a primary contractor for HLS for more than three years. It was one of the 11 businesses chosen in 2019 for the NextSTEP-2 Appendix E contract, which is for Next Space Technologies for Exploration Partnership. After that, in 2020, the Leidos subsidiary was chosen under NextSTEP-2 Appendix H, along with SpaceX and Blue Origin.Dynetics was one of five businesses chosen in September 2021 under Appendix N, which enables industry partners to work with NASA to develop lander designs and carry out risk-reduction operations in support of long-term lander development. On September 16, 2022, the most recent SLD solicitation, also known as NextSTEP-2 Appendix P, was made public. Additionally, Northrop Grumman has been a major proponent of HLS, earning top contracts under Appendices E and N.
“We’re excited to enter the competition to support NASA’s Sustaining Lunar Development efforts, adding Northrop Grumman to our team,” said Leidos Dynetics Group President Steve Cook.
2. IBM to Acquire Octo
The purchase of Octo will be IBM’s ninth in 2022. Since Arvind Krishna became CEO of IBM in April 2020, IBM has acquired more than 25 firms, increasing its hybrid cloud and artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities. The news from today adds to earlier acquisitions by IBM Consulting, such as Dialexa, Neudesic, and Taos.
Federal government organizations face numerous difficulties, such as a lack of technologically skilled workers, the need to reestablish domestic supply chains in the United States, and rising public demand for services. Agencies want an industry partner to assist them in navigating a scalable road to IT modernization with the ability to take advantage of cutting-edge technology and applications, reduce costs and operational efficiencies, and enhance security in order to manage these complex concerns. Government can deliver quick changes and respond to challenges thanks to the convergence of new hybrid cloud and AI technologies. oLabs, Octo’s 14,000 square foot innovation hub with in-house computing capability, expands IBM’s capacity to collaborate with federal agencies to quickly prototype emerging technology solutions, enabling greater impact for federal agencies and the people they serve. This capability is based on a shared commitment to co-creation. According to Mehul Sanghani, Chief Executive Officer of Octo, “Octo was founded on the belief that digital transformation could be delivered at scale to modernize the federal government’s approach to today’s most pressing challenges — from public healthcare to national security, to defense and intelligence.”
The fourth quarter of this year is the anticipated closing date for IBM’s acquisition of Octo from Arlington Capital Partners, subject to usual closing conditions and regulatory approvals. The deal’s financial specifics were kept confidential.
3. For fans to experience the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, FIFA and Phygtl work together.
A Silicon Valley-based software firm called Phygtl wants to merge the real and virtual worlds in order to give users and supporters a more engaging and satisfying social media experience.In the experience, consumers pick up a piece of The Golden-Globe-Football, add their own spin to it, and then use the engagement and interactions of other users to move up a leaderboard. “Phygtl was born to take humankind into a new dimension where we no longer just “follow” on social media but have the possibility to “experience” products, places, and purposes while being rewarded for our time with tokenized commercial benefits,” said co-founder and CEO Tommaso Di Bartolo. Di Bartolo is a seasoned entrepreneur, UC Berkeley faculty member, and author of Navigating the Metaverse.
4. PR Newswire will host the media center and serve as the official news partner for CES 2023.
Through the agreement, businesses will be equipped to rapidly share milestone announcements and updates with more than 4,000 websites, over 3,000 media sources, and more than 550 news content systems by utilizing Cision’s knowledge and experience. The package includes content creation and services, marketing of the CES official website, distribution of worldwide press releases, guaranteed paid placement, video production, and multimedia communication, as well as website monitoring. According to Jamie Kaplan, vice president of communications for the Consumer Technology Association, “thousands of firms rely on CES to support their corporate strategy, raise visibility, and generate money.” The credibility and visibility that exhibitors seek to express their message and expand media coverage are enhanced by PR Newswire. To educate businesses and communication leaders on how to maximize media coverage before, during, and after the event, Ision will host a webinar. The Consumer Technology Association’s Vice President of Communications, Jamie Kaplan, Cision’s Insights Director, Camille Rollason, and moderator Shibani Joshi will all be present during the webinar on Thursday, December 15 at 2 p.m. ET/1 p.m. CT.
5. Players of All Skill Levels Are Welcome to Participate in the SANS 2022 Holiday Hack Challenge, the Year's Most Anticipated Cybersecurity Tradition.
Ed Skoudis, President of the SANS Technology Institute college and SANS Chief Holiday Officer, remarked, “We are happy to present another year of the SANS Holiday Hack Challenge. Since 2002, the cybersecurity community and I have been working together to save Christmas. This year, we hope that even more players will join the fun in advancing essential skills and cyber capabilities all over the world. The Holiday Hack Challenge is anticipated to attract even more cybersecurity experts and students this year after more than 17,000 gamers took part in 2021. As they explore the North Pole and develop their cybersecurity expertise across cloud platforms, users may create personalized avatars and team up with coworkers, friends, and players from across the world in a unique shared virtual experience.
