Source: Mattermost

Palo Alto, Calif., June 24, 2024 – Mattermost, Inc., a leader in secure collaboration for mission-critical work in complex environments, today announced that it has completed its $1.25 million Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II contract, delivering mission-critical ChatOps capabilities for the Air Force Research Laboratory’s (AFRL) Tactical Assault Kit (TAK) and ATAK operating systems.

Built in collaboration with the development team at BrainGu, a leader in mission software solutions, the Mattermost integration for TAK improves distributed collaboration and enhances warfighter efficiency, safety and accuracy. Developed to improve TAK’s tactical chat function by providing secure, enterprise-grade ChatOps capabilities, the plugin also leverages the Mattermost open-source secure collaboration platform’s self-hosting capabilities, enabling teams to retain full data ownership and meet communications security (COMSEC) requirements. Additionally, with support from BrainGu, the Mattermost integration creates an extension for TAK capabilities, laying the foundation for future capabilities such as AI-enabled decision support tools.

“We’re pleased to address a demonstrated capability gap with the delivery of the Mattermost integration for TAK, enabling our operators to leverage streamlined ChatOps functionality that facilitates the mission-critical transmission of intelligence,” said Corey Hulen, co-founder and CTO of Mattermost. “In partnership with BrainGu and goTenna, we’ve developed this integration to satisfy the Department of Defense’s need for primary, alternate, contingent and emergency communications protocol.”

In addition to the secure ChatOps plugin, Mattermost and BrainGu also worked closely with goTenna, the world’s leading mobile mesh networking platform, to develop and deliver transmission-layer integrations for TAK on goTenna’s mesh radios, addressing challenges associated with low-bandwidth communications and providing resilient, decentralized connectivity. The goTenna plugin also offers support for ATAK systems, enabling seamless connectivity with TAK servers and ensuring scalability and reliability in diverse operational environments.

With new collaboration features now available, 350,000 civilian, DoD and partner TAK users can leverage the secure chat integration and low-bandwidth capabilities to effectively communicate mission-critical information between operational teams at the tactical edge and their forward operating bases (FOB) in near-real-time. The completion of this contract marks Mattermost’s second completed SBIR Phase II this year, just two months after the company announced the completion of its first contract with delivery of its message acknowledgment and urgency capabilities for the 618th AOC.

To learn more about how Mattermost enables mission-critical collaboration for government customers, visit https://mattermost.com/solutions/industries/government/.

Supporting Quotes

“Resilient communications is key to mission success,” said Tim Gast, Vice President, Labs, at BrainGu. “We’re proud to join Mattermost and goTenna in putting innovative software in the hands of warfighters to enhance decision quality and drive positive outcomes, and we’re looking forward to continuing our pursuit of what’s next.”

“We’re pleased to support tactical ChatOps and aid in the transmission of mission-critical intelligence across distributed environments, enabling support to operators working in low-bandwidth conditions via goTenna’s mesh capabilities,” said goTenna CEO Ari Schuler. “The goTenna and Mattermost partnership brings together two operator-focused companies seeking to support hundreds of thousands of airmen and TAK users with the secure communication they need to be successful in their mission.”

About Mattermost

Mattermost is the leading collaboration platform for mission-critical work. We serve government, defense, aerospace and critical infrastructure in their support of the national security strategy. We accelerate decision advantage through self-sovereign collaboration, critical incident management and DevSecOps workflows to bolster the focus, adaptability and resilience of the world's most important organizations.

Our enterprise software and single-tenant SaaS platforms are built to meet the custom needs of rigorous and complex environments while offering a secure and unrivaled collaboration experience across web, desktop and mobile with channel-based messaging, file sharing, audio calling and screen share, with integrated tooling, workflow automation and AI assistance.

Mattermost is developed on an open core platform vetted by the world’s leading security organizations and co-built with over 4,000 open source project contributors who’ve provided over 30,000 code improvements towards our shared vision of accelerating the world’s mission critical work.

For more information, visit mattermost.com.

About AFRL

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) is the primary scientific research and development center for the Department of the Air Force. AFRL plays an integral role in leading the discovery, development and integration of affordable warfighting technologies for our air, space and cyberspace force. With a workforce of more than 12,500 across nine technology areas and 40 other operations across the globe, AFRL provides a diverse portfolio of science and technology ranging from fundamental to advanced research and technology development.

For more information, visit afresearchlab.com.

About goTenna

goTenna is advancing universal access to connectivity by building the world’s most intelligent and scalable mobile mesh networks. goTenna is the world’s leading mobile mesh networking company, providing off-grid connectivity solutions for smartphones and other devices, as well as augmenting traditional communications networks. This technology enables mobile, long-range connectivity without cell, wifi, or satellite connectivity. goTenna’s drive to create resilient connectivity began during Hurricane Sandy in 2012 when approximately a third of cell towers and power stations in affected areas failed. goTenna’s products are currently used by over 300 law enforcement, military, and public safety agencies worldwide. Based in Brooklyn, goTenna is backed by investors including Founders Fund, Union Square Ventures, Comcast Ventures, Collaborative Fund, and Bloomberg Beta.

For more information, visit gotenna.com.

BrainGu is a technology company focused on building platforms that empower developers and accelerate secure software delivery in complex, contested, and highly regulated environments. Our DevSecOps-first approach and modular ecosystem streamline the path from prototype to production—whether in the cloud, at the edge, or within air-gapped systems.

For more information, visit braingu.com.