Colorado Companies to Watch 2021: The Fixers

Caliola Engineering

Colorado Springs

With Colorado boasting the nation’s top aerospace economy on a per capita basis, it just made sense for founder and California native Jennifer Halford to move to Colorado and start Caliola Engineering in Colorado Springs. In the past year, the company’s workforce has grown by 80%, largely due to its winning two Department of Defense Phase II Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) contracts within an hour of each other. Totaling almost $3 million, those contracts made it clear Halford’s decision to relocate to Colorado had more than paid off.

Caliola Engineering’s OverKey product looks to make the process of encrypting messages more accessible and cost-effective and ultimately transition the market’s focus away from the suppliers who make encryption devices.

“We plan to continue to cultivate our current network, while also branching out into adjacent markets that have a need for low-cost reliable secure communications,” Halford said. “This growth will require even more new hires, whom we believe will value our company culture and join our team.”

Cloudrise

Grand Junction

What is the best way to turn a city into a technology hub? Do it yourself, which is exactly what Cloudrise is doing in Grand Junction. Working with Colorado Mesa University, Cloudrise wants cybersecurity and skills in technology-related areas to be at the forefront of students’ minds when they are considering possible career opportunities. Cloudrise’s move helped the company raise $3 million in funding from the Greater Colorado Venture Fund, which has since grown to $3.5 million.

In order to make sure this was not just a one-off success, Cloudrise partnered with Netskope, the fastest growing cybersecurity software company in the world, and created a joint-venture with UK- based CyberOrchard, to build the Cloudrise platform. With its funding secure, combined with the company’s commitment to building technological opportunities and improving cybersecurity curriculum, Colorado may have a new tech hub in no time.

“At Cloudrise, the culture is simple: Strive to disrupt the norm, innovate where necessary, and be as capital-efficient as possible, all in the mission of providing a better customer experience and greater shareholder value,” a company spokesperson said.

Rule4

Boulder

In the world of cybersecurity, versatility is key. For Rule4, versatility and the ability to tackle complex projects are what set it apart from competitors. Rather than offering a set package, the company tailors its skills and solutions to the needs of each client. “Rule4 customizes our services to each client and each project, and we’re often challenged with finding innovative solutions to problems that haven’t been solved before,” a company spokesperson said. “Our team is curious, agile and experienced, and we regularly stretch into new territory to help our clients.”

Rule4 prides itself on being “vendor agnostic,” which means the company doesn’t try to get an extra dollar by recommending certain vendors or cutting costs. Rather, it assists clients with the best technology for their situation, which seems to be working as Rule4 has maintained a Net Promotor Score of 89+, a measure of clientele happiness that averages around 50 in the tech industry.

Proper preparation is the true key to smooth transition, which is exactly what allowed Rule4 to prosper throughout COVID-19 as opposed to merely finding ways to stay alive. The company had already tested work-from-home availability, equipment and staff preparedness so when the inevitable switch happened, there was no drop-in client satisfaction.

Harrison Home Systems Inc. 

Lakewood

Finding a company that shares your values is imperative when looking to establish a level of trust and professionalism, especially when it comes to upgrading your home. That’s why Harrison Home Systems (HHS) holds the core values of dedication, passion, care, and genuine authenticity to such a high standard and they’ve been rewarded for it. Earning the CEPro 2020 Home of the Year award and the 2021 Consumer Technology Associations’ Integrator of the Year award further communicates the quality level of work this company achieves.

HHS is undaunted by complexity. Often, integration companies are hesitant to tackle condo projects, but HHS dives into these assignments head on. “HHS developed custom-branded websites for each condo project, giving the developer/Realtors a complete resource to provide condo buyers for their education about technology options,” a company spokesperson said.

HHS’s willingness to do the difficult paid off in 2015 when it became the preferred audio-visual provider for 250 Columbine, a condo complex in Cherry Creek. HHS has since become a mainstay in providing luxury condo technology for projects such as The Coloradoan, Laurel, McGregor Square and The Lakehouse.