We’re honored to announce that Ostra Cybersecurity has been named a finalist for the prestigious ACG (Association for Corporate Growth) BOLD Awards in the category “Small & Growing.”

These awards celebrate ambitious goals, game-changing innovations, and visionary leaders who make significant strides for their companies and stakeholders. They recognize exceptional corporate leadership and strategic success that leads to impressive growth and sustainability.

Finalists were placed into six categories: Small & Growing, Middle Market, Large & Established, BOLDest Transaction of the Year, BOLDest Leader of the Year, and BOLD Inspiration Community Partnership.

The BOLD Awards Gala will be held on February 27, 2024, at the Metropolitan Club in Minneapolis. During this event, each of the individual category winners will be acknowledged. A live, real-time vote will determine the ultimate victor—the Boldest of the BOLD.

What Sets Ostra Cybersecurity Apart?

Ostra’s path to becoming a BOLD Award finalist is marked by dedication and an unwavering commitment to serving small and medium-sized businesses in the cybersecurity landscape.

Before founding Ostra, Michael Kennedy spent over twenty years developing advanced cyber defense mechanisms for one of the world’s leading healthcare providers. Recognizing that smaller enterprises lacked similar protection measures and witnessing firsthand the devastating effects of a ransomware attack on a friend’s Minnesota-based company spurred Kennedy to take action. Inspired by his industry expertise and passion to make a difference, Ostra was born.

Our mission addresses an alarming observation: although nearly half of all cyberattacks target small businesses, only 14% have adequate defenses. Ostra aims to rectify this imbalance. Through partnerships with Managed Service Providers (MSPs), consultants, and IT specialists, we provide unparalleled security tailored to meet the unique needs of SMBs. We offer genuine enterprise-grade cybersecurity support at an affordable price.

Ostra’s Impactful Year of Protection in 2023

This past year has been remarkable for Ostra, as we achieved significant milestones that underscore our unwavering commitment to safeguarding our customers’ digital assets:

Processing over 30 billion events, analyzing 1.3 million alerts, and effectively mitigating 20,000 security incidents.
Providing around-the-clock vigilance against cyber threats through our dedicated team.
Experiencing a threefold growth in protecting SMB clients, with approximately half being based in Minnesota.
Innovating our portfolio by introducing Ostra Encompass (TM) and Ostra Extend (TM), expanding our managed cybersecurity solutions to meet evolving needs.

Kennedy’s words best capture Ostra’s progress and ethos: “I am so grateful for our people—Ostra’s talented employees have a reputation for going ‘all-in’ to make enterprise-level cybersecurity accessible and affordable for small and medium-sized businesses. We all believe that regardless of size, all businesses deserve the same level of protection that the world’s largest companies invest millions of dollars in each year.”

Standing Strong Together in Cybersecurity

As Your Trusted Cybersecurity Team, we at Ostra strive to make best-in-class cybersecurity accessible to businesses of all sizes. Our Security-as-a-Service combines top-tier tools, technology, and talent to ensure that detection, hunting and complete remediation of cyber threats are part of our core offering.

Rooted in the belief that every business deserves elite data protection, Ostra is here to bring Fortune 100-level security to everyone. Learn more about our mission and offerings by visiting ostra.net.

Celebrating ACG’s Legacy of Fostering Growth

In acknowledging our professional colleagues, we would also like to commend ACG (Association for Corporate Growth). ACG is a global professional association focused on driving middle-market growth. With over 14,000 members worldwide, it is the leading organization for professionals involved in corporate growth, development, mergers and acquisitions.

Since 1954, ACG has played a vital role in fostering a global professional community. The Minnesota chapter has served as a beacon for local business vitality since 1966. With nearly 300 members contributing to Minnesota’s dynamic economy, ACG continues to advocate for middle-market success.

Read Ostra’s full press release announcement.

Stacey Kusnier

Stacey Kusnier is the Marketing Director at Ostra Cybersecurity, a multi-layered and fully managed Security as a Service. With a passion for fostering mission-driven culture and B2B marketing, Stacey drives campaign strategies to support Ostra’s sales team and Channel Partners.