>Launched in 1999 as an independent, not-for-profit organization, IQT was created to bridge the gap between the technology needs of the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC) and new advances in commercial technology. With limited insight into fast-moving private sector innovation, the IC needed a way to find emerging companies, and, more importantly, to work with them. As a private company with deep ties to the commercial world, we attract and build relationships with technology startups outside the reach of the Intelligence Community. In fact, more than 70 percent of the companies that IQT partners with have never before done business with the government.
As a strategic investor, our model is unique. We make investments in startup companies that have developed commercially-focused technologies that will provide strong, near-term advantages (within 36 months) to the IC mission. We design our strategic investments to accelerate product development and delivery for this ready-soon innovation, and specifically to help companies add capabilities needed by our customers in the Intelligence Community. Additionally, IQT effectively leverages its direct investments by attracting a significant amount of private sector funds, often from top-tier venture capital firms, to co-invest in our portfolio companies. On average, for every dollar that IQT invests in a company, the venture capital community has invested over nine dollars, helping to deliver crucial new capabilities at a lower cost to the government.