Cybersecurity startup to launch interactive escape game

Coralville-based ProCircular spin-off Cybercade is just weeks away from unveiling a web-based escape game for employees to learn the basics of cybersecurity. Cybercade is a startup company founded by his five-man executive team, which includes tech entrepreneur Tyler Olson, aiming to make cybersecurity accessible and interesting to the public. “Cybersecurity is a difficult concept for many people,” he said at Cedar’s CBJ Business His Security and Safety event held at the Olympic Southside Theater in Rapids on Dec. 6. rice field. “Is there a way to take it easy?” His answer to stepping up cybersecurity training—something he and the audience agreed on that often seems mundane, irrelevant, and even punishing—is , an interactive escape is to create his room his program. Cybercade worked with Cameron Dean, a video game designer who has worked on Call of Duty and World of Warcraft, and Jim Sherlock, Senior Director of Customer Success at Pearson.

The company’s first escape room, or mission, is set to go live in beta in the coming weeks, making it accessible to about 50 Iowa businesses. He said companies of all sizes can benefit from training. In a virtual online format he can work with 5 people at the same time for an hour and get tips on topics such as password management, encryption and multi-factor authentication. Participants can see and hear each other and take notes together in multiple rooms. Each room has multiple puzzles for a total of 15 puzzles. He expects Cybercade to expand to offer eight more escape rooms and his missions in 2023. Companies will then be able to sign up for subscriptions that give access to beginner, intermediate and advanced lessons. Companies can also sign up for lessons for their industry. for example. Retail companies can complete retail-themed missions, and healthcare companies can complete healthcare-themed escape rooms.

Discussions to create an interactive cybersecurity experience began last December. ProCircular had been discussing the idea for several years and had applied for a patent on the idea, but the company decided it made more sense to spin off the idea into a new company. “The Cyber ​​cade grew out of research in his Cybersecurity incident response program at ProCircular and its roots in cybersecurity applied from the front lines,” Warner said in an email to CBJ. says. “That relationship is alive and well, and every Cybercade game is based on the latest real-world experiences.” By April, Olson and his CEO of ProCircular, Aaron Warner, said: We decided an escape room was the best concept to move forward. “Companies are used to buying escape room experiences in terms of team building,” Olson explained. “If you have the budget for something familiar and similar, and all companies are looking for better ways to deliver training, we thought this would be a great format to bring this product to life.” May , ProCircular received $250,000 from the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA) to launch the project. Funding was obtained from an Innovation Acceleration and Promotion Fund loan, and recommendations were made by the Technology Commercialization Board.

Olson expects the startup to raise a “substantial amount” in the future. “We plan to grow rapidly and anticipate being the hottest startup in Iowa,” he said. Mr. Olson is the founder and CEO of He SHYLD Academy, a cybersecurity organization, and Away Agents, a rental property management company. He speaks on technical areas such as social media, data analytics, cybersecurity, IT and Web 2.0. Cybercade The final member of his team is Frank Pinello, a fintech expert and president of On Air His Parking, a company that offers affordable off-airport parking options by reservation.