“Yes, you can safely call our software a game changer,” says co-founder Dennis Schouten firmly about the innovative nature of the solution that Chunk Works has developed. “The point is that we not only offer data security for today, but also for the computing power that future hackers will have at their disposal. I will spare you the technical details, but the essence is that they can decipher encrypted data very quickly with quantum computers. Banks in particular, but also utility companies, for example, are seriously concerned and want a new and reliable lock on the door as soon as possible.”
How Chunk Works Works
Co-founder Stan Scharnigg explains the exact problem that Chunk Works’ software addresses. “Traditional data security involves organizations storing their data encrypted on a single, secure server. Storing it is free, but downloading the data costs money. Because they often end up with a lot of data in that one place, it is too expensive to ‘move’ everything to another provider – even if that is actually better, cheaper and/or more secure. So they stay. A ‘lock-in’, you call it. Good for the provider, but bad in terms of data security.”
“Storing data in a split and encrypted manner is much more effective in the fight against hackers, now and in the future – and that is exactly what our product does,” Schouten explains. “Our software automatically cuts up, encrypts and stores each customer file in a distributed manner. Hackers then steal ‘snippets’ of data at most and they can’t do anything with them, because the bigger puzzle is missing. Think of it as a form of risk spreading. Technically, every party can secure their data anytime and anywhere with our software, because the solution is cloud and provider independent. What also makes us unique is the so-called ‘crypto agility’: the rapid switching of encryption algorithms. For example, if an algorithm is cracked, it can easily be replaced with a more secure one using our platform. This flexibility ensures that companies are always ready for what the future brings.”
Social impact
Scharnigg and his colleagues have known for a long time that their product does what they intend. “We have an initial version in use with a customer and it works fantastically: data such as IP, contracts and customer data are quantum-safe with our solution. The crucial thing now is that we continue with this version fine tune so that we can sell a 'one size fits all' solution in the future - regardless of the size or type of organization. Then we can also scale up our production and sales. That is where our social impact lies, because a cyber breach at banks or utilities can easily shut down payment transactions and our energy supply. That threat is real and will only increase in the future."
Growing and scaling up thanks to business development from ROM InWest
The social impact that Chunk Works aims to have was reason enough for ROM InWest to support the young tech company. “We are happy with the support of their Senior Business Developer Jorn Eiting van Liempt. The critical questions he asks us force us to position the company in such a way that we can scale in a healthy way. His tips clearly come from his own experience and help us avoid pitfalls.” Schouten is also positive. “With all their knowledge, skills and professionalism, ROM InWest is a great partner to have at our side – especially in this phase.”
Chunck Works' tip for other entrepreneurs: organize an advisory board
In addition to the support of ROM InWest, Chunk Works several people with extensive experience in cybersecurity on their advisory board – including Martijn Hakstege and Mathijs Valk. Schouten mentions this as a tip for other tech entrepreneurs. “The support and brainstorming of industry experts are, in my opinion, very important for a young company in general. The cybersecurity sector in particular is a world of its own. Experts know what is needed to make a product successful and how to scale an organization. We regularly brainstorm with them about our strategy and more practical matters such as contract negotiations. In addition to the support from ROM InWest, their confirmation is a sign that we are doing well.”
