By Henry Mortimer, Editor-at-Large

Do you worry that someone might be secretly listening to your phone calls or reading your texts? Soon you may not have to, if the folks at KoolSpan have their way.

“Our vision is to be the default choice for secure voice and messaging globally,” says Nigel Jones, CEO of the Bethesda-based company. “Ultimately, we think we are heading towards a world where everybody will be making secure calls and sending secure messaging by default.”

To accomplish this goal, KoolSpan has developed a seamless application that enables businesses and consumers to make phone calls and send text messages securely. The company offers several encryption solutions supporting Android and iPhone phones, including TrustCall Global Service, a cloud-based subscription service for secure mobile communications, and TrustCall On-Prem, which includes on-premise infrastructure for secure calls and messages as well as secure mobile-to-desktop calls.

The original idea for KoolSpan, which “literally started in a garage,” says Jones, was to find a replacement for a VPN, which would allow a remote laptop to be connected to a secure environment. Eventually, as technology changed and their customers’ needs expanded, the company pivoted to focus on developing secure mobile communications. And that mindset for creating products that adapt to the user, rather than the reverse, has served as the company’s driving force.

“We [hope to] get to a point where you don't even know you’re making a secure call or sending a secure message, it’s just secure,” says Jones, who began his career as a communications officer in the Marine Corps and has more than 20 years of experience in operations, financial management, private equity, and mergers and acquisitions. “We think we can be the foundation for that capability.”

Jones, who took the reins of KoolSpan in 2014, hopes that the company, which recently joined the Maryland Technology Council, will serve as a catalyst in the community, as well.

“We are working [with the council] to grow the ecosystem of technology companies, and in particular cyber security companies, in the region, and I’m really excited to do that,” he says.

Connect with Nigel on LinkedIn

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We are a collaborative community that is actively engaged in building strong technology and life science industries by supporting the efforts of our individual members. On December 30, 2016, the Tech Council of Maryland and the Chesapeake Regional Tech Council merged to create the Maryland Tech Council (MTC). We are the largest technology trade association in the state of Maryland with over 600 members and we provide value by giving them a forum to learn, share, and connect. The valuable resources we provide to our members help them reach their full potential as vital members of their communities.

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