CIA-funded venture firm seeks high-tech aid for US spies

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Arlington: of In-Q-Tel’s investments have resulted from the more than 1,000 submissions it gets annually from tech firms seeking capital. In other cases, In-Q-Tel seeks out its own investments, even helping create companies to ensure interesting technology moves forward.

Seahawk Biosystems Corp., an Austin, Texas start-up, is one of the latter.

Last month, In-Q-Tel gave company founder Curt Bilby an undisclosed amount to turn blood analysis technology developed by the US Naval Research Laboratory into a viable product.

Today, Seahawk is developing a biosensor tool that can test blood for antibodies and DNA. Initially, Seahawk’s biosensors will be marketed commercially to veterinarians to do animal blood testing, but the CIA also may someday use the technology.

“The company didn’t exist before they (In-Q-Tel officials) contacted me,” said Bilby. A veteran of several start-ups, Bilby added that the In-Q-Tel is more helpful and hands-on than traditional venture capital firms, helping with everything from gaining access to government agencies to public relations.

“It’s been a lot more than the typical, ’Here’s a check and give us a report in a few months and we’ll sprinkle some advice on you very now and then,’ “ he said.

Language Weaver Inc. is another typical In-Q-Tel company. Based in Los Angeles, it makes language translation software, including a product that can quickly translate Arabic broadcasts into English.

Chief executive Bryce Benjamin claims even he doesn’t know if the CIA actually uses his product, although he did get a hint during a recent visit with In-Q-Tel’s board.

“People don’t tell me anything ... so I really don’t know the extent we’re being deployed or how we’re being deployed,” Benjamin said. “But they (board members) were all saying to me, ’Keep it up, you’re making a difference.’ “

The other thing In-Q-Tel officials told Benjamin was to look for more ways to sell his software on the commercial market. That may sound odd coming from a capital-area outfit that works for the government, but it really isn’t.

In-Q-Tel invests only in companies that can create products both for government and commercial applications. That helps keep the price of the products down for government buyers and also helps ensure a company’s long-term viability, Cook said.

“The last thing we want to do is find a great technology, get a (CIA-affiliated) customer really excited about it and then the company goes out of business,” she explained.