o George Mason Launches $15M "Grand Challenge Initiative"
o Tysons-based Merlin Ventures Raises $75 Million
o College Park-based IonQ Completes Deal for Memory Startup
o North Bethesda-based Uscreen Names Allison Yazdian as CEO
o NVTC Names 2025 Technology CFO Award Winners
o Briefly Noted: Booz Allen Hamilton, Amatriot Group
George Mason Launches $15 Million “Grand Challenge Initiative”
Fairfax, Va. – George Mason University said on Thursday it has launched what it’s calling its Grand Challenge Initiative, a comprehensive research framework backed by an initial five-year, $15 million investment. The initiative aims to align university resources, faculty expertise and educational programs around six interconnected areas. Those areas include: advancing 21st-century education for all; building a climate-resilient society; driving responsible digital innovation and sustainable infrastructure; improving human health, well-being and preparedness; pioneering space exploration, research and collaboration; and strengthening peace, trust and engagement in democracy.
"Our world is at a crossroads," said George Mason President Gregory Washington. “It is time to either brace for global decline and a future that none of us want, or seize control of our destiny and work to reverse course. It will take all of us working together on all these solutions at once to alter the trajectory of our future."
Tysons-based Merlin Ventures Raises $75 Million for Inaugural Fund
Tysons, Va. – Merlin Ventures, a Tysons- and Israel-based venture capital firm focused on companies developing technology for the U.S. government, said it has raised $75 million for its inaugural investment fund. The firm said it will use the fund to more heavily invest in seed-stage cybersecurity companies, primarily in Israel. Merlin has exited six investments since initially building out its Israeli team in 2021. They include Talon and Dig Security, both acquired by Palo Alto Networks, and more recently, InfoSec Global, acquired by Keyfactor, and Veriti, acquired by Check Point Software. The new fund has already made its first two investments.
"This new fund allows us to double down on our commitment to seed-stage companies and positions us as the go-to partner for the Israeli cybersecurity ecosystem and for U.S. investors eager to invest in the Israeli market," said Seth Spergel, managing partner.
College Park-Based IonQ Completes Deal for Quantum Memory Startup
College Park, Md. – IonQ, the College Park-based quantum computing and networking company, said it has completed its acquisition of Boston-based Lightsynq Technologies, a startup founded by former Harvard University quantum memory experts. Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed. IonQ said the move will significantly accelerate its quantum networking and quantum computing roadmaps.
“With this acquisition, we’re not just acquiring talent and technology, we’re accelerating our development timeline to fault-tolerant quantum computers and long-distance networking capabilities,” said Niccolo de Masi, the CEO of IonQ. “This deal accelerates the shift from experimental bulk optics to scalable optical chips, moving us closer to commercializing our next generation of advanced quantum technologies and the quantum internet.”
North Bethesda-Based Uscreen Names Allison Yazdian as CEO
North Bethesda, Md. – Uscreen, the North Bethesda-based developer of a video monetization platform, has named Allison Yazdian as its new CEO. Yazdian, most recently the senior vice president of creator growth and success at LTK, succeeds founder PJ Taei, who will transition to the role of executive chairman. Uscreen’s platform allows creators and companies—particularly across the fitness, education, coaching, sports and media & entertainment sectors—to launch their own branded video apps and subscription platforms. To date, more than 13,000 creators have used Uscreen.
NVTC Names 2025 Technology CFO Award Winners
McLean, Va. – The Northern Virginia Technology Council announced the winners of its 2025 Technology CFO Awards. The awardees were selected by an independent panel of past CFO Awards honorees. This year’s winners are listed below:
Emerging Growth CFO of the Year: Priyanka Dalwadi, Bcore
Private Company CFO of the Year: David Uehlinger, Gunnison
Public Company CFO of the Year: Travis Johnson, Amentum
Transformative CFO of the Year: Andrew Woodruff, Markon2025 Class of Rising Stars:
Cara Anastasio, Emergent BioSolutions
Sander Borgers, EdgeConneX
Julie Brewer, EdgeCore Digital Infrastructure
Dan Demases, BlueHalo
Eric Frank, Upside
Matthew Mundt, GRVTY
Briefly Noted
(McLean, Va.) McLean-based management and technology consulting giant Booz Allen Hamilton has named Robert O’Brien to its board of directors. O’Brien, the co-founder and chairman of American Global Strategies, served as the U.S. National Security Advisor from 2019-2021, and was recently appointed to serve on the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board.\
(Vienna, Va.) The Amatriot Group, a Vienna-based provider of tailored IT talent tools formerly known as Government Tactical Solutions, has named Kristin Burmeister as its senior vice president of commercial sales. Burmeister previously spent more than 11 years at Kforce, most recently as a business partner in the company’s West region.