OnDefend CEO Chris Freedman Honored with JAXUSA Innovator of the Year Award
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., December 16, 2025—(BUSINESS WIRE)—The JAXUSA Partnership, an esteemed economic development initiative of the JAX Chamber, has conferred the prestigious 2025 Innovator of the Year Award upon OnDefend.
This accolade acknowledges OnDefend’s forward-thinking leadership and pioneering contributions to the realm of cybersecurity.
The JAXUSA Innovator of the Year Award is designed to celebrate individuals or companies whose visionary endeavors, creative ingenuity, and technological breakthroughs substantially bolster Jacksonville’s competitive edge.
The award distinguishes outstanding leadership and innovation that foster economic expansion, enhance the region’s profile, and catalyze new opportunities throughout Northeast Florida. Recipients exemplify progress by advocating new concepts, adopting emergent technologies, and nurturing a more dynamic, resilient regional economy.
“OnDefend and Chris Freedman epitomize the innovative leadership propelling Jacksonville’s economy forward,” remarked Aundra Wallace, President of JAXUSA Partnership.
“Their avant-garde contributions not only reinforce our regional competitiveness but also play a crucial role in importing new enterprises to Northeast Florida.”
Established in 2016 in Jacksonville, OnDefend’s mission centers on equipping organizations to defend against authentic threats.
By merging elite expertise with proprietary innovation, OnDefend has emerged as a trusted leader in addressing some of the most intricate challenges within the information security sector.
The company has also extended its footprint beyond Jacksonville, inaugurating a new office in Washington, D.C., and employing a diverse team across the nation.
Noteworthy Achievements of OnDefend:
- Home to one of the largest U.S.-based red teams (ethical hackers).
- Creator of proprietary breach and attack simulation technology, BlindSPOT.
- Selected as an Independent Security Inspector for TikTok USDS, influencing the development of the Continuous Security Inspector program for other hyperscale platforms.
- Pioneering advanced initiatives to ensure security across IoT devices, as well as artificial intelligence and large language model systems.
In 2024, OnDefend garnered recognition as the fourth fastest-growing company on the Jacksonville Business Journal’s list of fastest-growing companies, achieving an impressive 116% growth rate.
The organization has also been acknowledged by the University of Florida’s Gator-100 and Florida State University’s Seminole 100 lists of fastest-growing businesses, as well as GrowFL’s Companies to Watch.
Chris Freedman, a native of Jacksonville and CEO of OnDefend, attributes this remarkable success to the innovative talents within the organization.
At OnDefend, we have assembled a team comprised of some of the brightest minds in security, seamlessly integrating elite expertise with cutting-edge proprietary technology. Our objective is to bolster both public and private sectors against real-world threats.
By transcending traditional paradigms and emulating adversarial strategies, we empower clients to safeguard their futures and fortify our nation’s defense against foreign perils, all while driving innovation and investing back into the Jacksonville community we proudly call home.
Source link: Finance.yahoo.com.
