News

Nooks Awarded DIU Bridge Program Contract for CIaaS - Nooks

Jade French — Thu, 10 Sep 2026 12:20:26 GMT

Four-year contract under DIU’s Bridge Program provides a $146.8 million ceiling to accelerate classified access, clearances and secure collaboration for commercial technology companies

ARLINGTON, Va., Sept. 10, 2026 — Nooks, the company that pioneered Classified Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS), today announced it has been awarded a four-year contract supporting the Defense Innovation Unit’s (DIU’s) Bridge Program. The award addresses one of the defense innovation ecosystem’s most persistent barriers: commercial companies still lack timely access to the classified spaces, clearances, security expertise and secure networks required to perform.

Through DIU’s Bridge Program, Nooks will provide shared classified infrastructure and managed security services designed to move selected DIU portfolio companies from contract award to classified execution faster.

The award funds the activation of new Nooks sites in six major innovation markets: Austin, Boston, Chicago, New York, San Francisco Bay Area, and Honolulu, connecting companies to flexible, accredited environments near the talent and capital building the next generation of national security technology. These six new sites add to Nooks’ growing portfolio of classified workspaces, which includes sites in Arlington, Colorado Springs, El Segundo, and Huntsville, expanding the network to ten markets. Nooks plans to announce additional locations in 2027.

“When successful, DIU will have demonstrated a new model, a model where classified infrastructure is resourced based upon usage and becomes operational within months, not years, of the need arising,” said Sarah Pearson, Head of Strategic Initiatives at DIU.

“The government has focused the past 10 years on bringing commercial capabilities into the national security mission, but too many companies still hit a wall when the work becomes classified,” said David “Mudd” Willard, cofounder and CEO of Nooks. “This award recognizes that classified infrastructure should be available as a service, not rebuilt company by company. Working with DIU, we can give innovators the secure foundation they need to move from promising technology to mission impact.”

Nooks’ CIaaS model replaces long construction timelines and significant upfront capital expenditures with subscription-based access to accredited private suites, flexible workstations, secure video conferencing and data-center capabilities. The model allows companies to use the capacity they need, where they need it, while Nooks manages the underlying physical and digital infrastructure.

The space, networks and security services funded under this award are the entry point to a broader Nooks platform designed to cover the full lifecycle of classified work: sponsoring and holding facility and personnel clearances, accredited workspace and secure networks, mobile SCIF pods for work outside fixed facilities and, over time, classified lab and manufacturing space.

The contract also funds FSO-as-a-Service for up to 100 selected DIU portfolio companies. Through its Managed Security Services offering, Nooks will provide fractional Facility Security Officer (FSO) expertise to support Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA) compliance, Facility Clearance and Personnel Clearance processes, insider-threat programs and DD Form 254 administration. For many of these companies, FSO-as-a-Service will be their first step into classified work, giving them a single point of entry to clearances, space and networks as their requirements grow.

Together, the physical network and managed services create an integrated path through the barriers that often slow companies after an initial defense award. Nooks will also advance technology prototypes that streamline SCIF accreditation workflows and enable secure, cross-ecosystem collaboration across Nooks’ Top Secret/Sensitive Compartmented Information network.

“DIU’s Bridge Program is focused on the transition gap, the operational barriers that emerge after a commercial company is selected,” continued Willard. “Whether a company needs a cleared workstation, a network, a lab or an FSO to get its people cleared, our goal is that Nooks is the answer, and that the answer arrives in months, not years.”

The Bridge Program operates within DIU’s Strategic Initiatives Group and will use DIU portfolio companies as a test bed for technology-enabled solutions to post-award barriers, including security clearances, classified-space access, technology accreditation, and testing and evaluation. Classified Infrastructure as a service, the capability Nooks is delivering under this award, is the Bridge Program’s first line of effort.

Plans to scale Bridge efforts across the Department are in development to enable additional companies access in the future.

Can the CEO Be the FSO? What Dual-Hatting Really Costs - Nooks

Jade French — Wed, 12 Aug 2026 12:46:11 GMT

Short answer: yes. Under the federal rule governing defense contractors (32 CFR Part 117 or NISPOM), one employee may hold more than one security role, and nothing stops that employee from being the chief executive. At small defense companies, it happens constantly: the company needs a facility clearance, somebody cleared has to take the appointment, and payroll math says it’s you.

So the real question isn’t whether you can. It’s what the hat costs in hours, and whether those hours should come from the person running the company. Below is the workload, straight from the rule.

Key takeaways

Yes, a CEO can legally serve as the Facility Security Officer (FSO). One employee may hold the FSO, insider threat official, and senior management roles at the same time.
The role must stay in-house: The official FSO must be a cleared U.S.-citizen employee. You can delegate the workload to outside support, but the appointment itself has to stay in-house.
It is a real time commitment: 38.5 hours of mandatory federal training within six months of appointment, then an annual cycle of self-inspection, employee training, and government reporting.
The timing is the government’s clock, not yours. Self-inspections, security reviews, and clearance deadlines arrive on DCSA’s calendar, and the workload grows with every new cleared employee.
The seat can never sit empty. A dual-hatted CEO cannot hand off the FSO role until a cleared successor exists, which takes months.

First, which FSO we mean

FSO is an overloaded acronym. This article is about the Facility Security Officer at a cleared defense contractor: the person who supervises and directs the company’s security program under the National Industrial Security Program (NISP) and its governing rule, 32 CFR Part 117. Not the maritime facility security officer, and not a Foreign Service Officer.

The rule is specific about who can hold the job. The FSO must be a U.S. citizen, a direct employee of the company, cleared to the level of the facility clearance, and listed as Key Management Personnel (KMP). An outside consultant cannot be your FSO of record. The U.S.-citizen-and-employee requirement is in 32 CFR 117.9(d); the clearance-level and KMP requirements are in 117.7(b)(1)(iv).

The rule allows dual-hatting. That’s exactly the trap.

The rule never says “the CEO can be the FSO” in those words. It gets there in pieces. Section 117.7(b)(1)(i) says a single employee may serve in more than one security position. Section 117.7(b)(2) puts the Senior Management Official (the SMO, usually the CEO at a small company) in charge of appointing the FSO and the Insider Threat Program Senior Official (ITPSO) in writing, and lets the SMO name one person to both roles. Nothing in the rule bars the SMO from appointing themselves. Put those together and one founder can lawfully hold the SMO, FSO, and ITPSO roles at once. That is how the CEO becomes the FSO, not because the rule names the job for them, but because the pieces line up.

That flexibility exists for a good reason: a six-person company can’t staff a security department. But the duties don’t shrink with headcount. The same rule that lets you wear every hat also writes the job description for each one, and none of it is waived because you’re busy.

The up-front bill: training and the clearance package

Start with training. A new FSO must complete the required security training within six months of appointment (117.12(d)). For DoD contractors that means the Center for Development of Security Excellence (CDSE) curriculum: 26.5 hours of courses and exams if your facility won’t store classified material, 38.5 hours if it will. The American Council on Education has evaluated that training at three semester hours of college credit. That’s a college course on the side, while you run the company.

Then there’s the Facility Clearance (FCL) Process itself, where a dual-hatted CEO does double duty: you’re the executive signing the paperwork and the security officer assembling it. A company can’t legally sponsor its own Facility Clearance (FCL), you must first be sponsored by a cleared prime contractor or a government agency. Once sponsored, you will navigate the registration process as a dual-hatted CEO, acting as both the executive signing the corporate agreements and the security official assembling the compliance package. This documentation includes your corporate governance documents (which defines your KMPs), foreign ownership disclosures, and the official appointment letters naming you as the FSO and ITPSO.

The government sets specific target deadlines inside the process. Once the initial FCL package is submitted, DCSA typically aims to initiate the personal security clearance process for your required KMPs within 45 days. However, while your internal submission windows are firm, the agency’s overall processing speeds can be unpredictable, and DCSA does not publish a guaranteed end-to-end timeline for final facility approval.

According to DCSA’s published statistics, 70% of initial facility clearance packages are rejected on the first try due to minor administrative or clerical errors, cycling an average of 2.5 times before acceptance. Industry reporting in 2026 puts routine end-to-end timelines at 180 days or more. Keeping the initial package completely accurate is critical to avoiding extensive manual rework.

After the clearance: the drumbeat nobody budgets for

Getting the FCL is the sprint. Keeping it is what eats the calendar. The recurring obligations are written directly into Part 117:

Securing your company’s FCL is a major milestone. But maintaining it requires an ongoing operational cadence. The federal government mandates a recurring cycle of security maintenance that simply cannot be skipped.

Cadence	Required Security Duty	Where it’s written
Upon Hire / Before Access	Conduct an initial security orientation briefing for newly cleared employees covering basic threat awareness, reporting obligations, and safeguarding duties.	32 CFR 117.12(e)
Upon Hire / Before Access	Provide newly cleared employees with initial insider threat awareness training.	32 CFR 117.12(g)(2)
Annually	Conduct a formal, comprehensive self-inspection of your security program and retain the report for DCSA review.	32 CFR 117.7(h)(2)
Annually	The SMO must certify to DCSA in writing that the self-inspection happened and corrective actions were taken.	32 CFR 117.7(h)(2)(iii)
Annually	Run combined security refresher and insider threat awareness training for all cleared employees, and document completion.	32 CFR 117.12(k) & (g)(2)
Continuous	Clearance & System Administration: Manage personnel security clearances (PCLs), process new investigation submissions, monitor Continuous Vetting compliance, and maintain government databases (NISS, DISS, and NBIS).	32 CFR 117.10
Continuous	Foreign Travel Reporting: Track, brief, and formally report all official and personal international travel for your cleared employees.	SEAD 3 Mandate
Ongoing	Incident Reporting: Report adverse information regarding cleared employees, suspicious foreign contacts, or changes to company ownership, addresses, or KMPs.	32 CFR 117.8
As Scheduled	Host DCSA agents at your office for formal, in-person security reviews and audits.	32 CFR 117.7(h)(1)

Nobody publishes how many hours a week this adds up to at a small facility. Not DCSA, not CDSE, not any industry survey.

What the rule publish, however, the strict cadence listed above, and the pattern is what matters. Managing your company’s security program creates a steady weekly baseline of administrative data entry, system upkeep, and reporting judgment calls. Punctuated by sharp spikes around self-inspection season, security reviews, new hires, and every package DCSA sends back. The hours are real, they land on you according to the government’s timetable rather than when it suits you, and they grow with headcount, because every new cleared employee adds training, vetting, and reporting surface.

What it costs when it slips

The downside isn’t administrative slaps on the wrist. If DCSA reviews your facility and determines that your security program is non-compliant, they have the immediate authority to invalidate your facility clearance.

By law, a company with an invalidated clearance is completely blocked from bidding on or being awarded new classified contracts. Existing classified work can only continue if the specific government agency sponsoring you signs off on a special waiver. If DCSA goes a step further and revokes your clearance, your classified business operations end instantly.

Two more provisions make the dual-hat arrangement brittle. First, the FSO seat can never sit empty: “a cleared employee must always be appointed” (117.9(g)(1)). Before a dual-hatted CEO can hand off the role, a cleared successor has to exist, and clearances take months. Second, that annual certification means one signature attests to both the work and the oversight of the work. A security program that is one overloaded person deep has no slack, and a security review is exactly when that shows.

Your three realistic options

Keep the hats and budget the real hours. Legitimate for some companies, especially before storage approval, with a handful of cleared employees. If you choose it, block real calendar time: the training up front, the annual cycle, and slack for DCSA’s schedule, not yours.
Hire a dedicated FSO. The clean fix when classified work is the core of the business. Crowd-sourced salary data puts experienced FSOs in the high five to low six figures: PayScale’s 2025 range runs roughly $61K to $120K, and Glassdoor’s 2026 average total-pay estimate is about $130K. For a company with one classified contract, that’s heavy overhead for a role that isn’t billable.
Keep the title, delegate the workload. The rule requires the FSO of record to be your employee. It says nothing against putting trained support behind that person.

That’s what Managed Security Services are: the named FSO stays in-house (you, or someone you appoint), while the program work (packages, managing government databases (like NISS, DISS, and NBIS), tracking employee training milestones, and prepping your team for self-inspections) is carried by people who do it every day across many facilities. We’ve made the case for delegating before; the short version is that the hat has to stay on someone’s head in your company, but the hours don’t.

If the hat stays on your head, the hours don’t have to

Nooks Managed Security Services takes on the day-to-day security work for cleared and soon-to-be-cleared companies: FSO support, personnel security, and program security, from first sponsorship through the annual audit cycle, we handle the paperwork, tracking, and database management behind the scenes.

Your named FSO and security program stay safely in-house; we carry the operational weight.

If you’re staring down an upcoming FCL application, or already wearing the FSO hat and feeling the operational drag, talk to us. We’ll tell you plainly which parts to keep in-house and which parts we can carry.

Get started with Nooks

FAQ

Can the CEO or owner of a company be the FSO?

Yes, though the rule never says so in those words. It follows from the pieces: 32 CFR 117.7(b)(1)(i) lets one employee hold more than one security role, and 117.7(b)(2) has the Senior Management Official (often the CEO) appoint the FSO, with nothing barring the SMO from appointing themselves. The person must be a U.S. citizen, a direct employee, cleared to the facility clearance level, and on the Key Management Personnel list.

Can a company outsource its FSO completely?

No. The FSO of record must be a U.S.-citizen employee of the company (32 CFR 117.9(d)). Outside providers can lawfully carry much of the workload behind that named employee, but the appointment itself stays in-house.

How much training does a new FSO need?

Required training must be completed within six months of appointment (32 CFR 117.12(d)). For DoD contractors, CDSE’s curriculum runs 26.5 hours for non-possessing facilities and 38.5 hours for possessing facilities, courses and exams included.

How long does getting an FCL take?

DCSA does not publish a timeline. Its published package statistics show 70% of initial and upgrade FCL packages rejected, cycling 2.5 times on average before acceptance. Industry reporting in 2026 describes 180 days or more as routine.

What happens if the FSO role sits empty?

It can’t. Under 32 CFR 117.9(g)(1), the FSO and ITPSO positions may not be temporarily excluded; a cleared employee must always hold them. Practically: a dual-hatted CEO can’t hand off the hat until a cleared successor already exists.

Sources

David “Mudd” Willard Named CEO of Nooks - Nooks

Jade French — Wed, 29 Jul 2026 19:07:21 GMT

Nooks cofounder David “Mudd” Willard has been named Chief Executive Officer. He succeeds Sean “BB” Blackman, who cofounded Nooks and led it as chief executive from the start.

He takes over with the company’s direction unchanged: making classified work more accessible for companies that cannot afford the time or capital to build their own facilities.

Who Mudd is

Mudd cofounded Nooks and has been with the company ever since, most recently as Head of Growth.

He came to it from both sides of the gap Nooks exists to close. He retired from the USAF, having spent a career as an F-15E Weapons System Officer and through a series of fortunate events found himself working at the intersection of entrepreneurs and national security. It was this work that put him in front of the same barrier over and over: a company needs a SCIF to compete for classified work, and is not permitted to build one until it is on a classified contract. Capable companies were not losing those competitions, they were never in them. That is the problem Nooks was built to remove.

“I’m honored and excited to lead Nooks into its growth phase. And I’m grateful to Butterbean for the incredibly difficult and unforgiving work of bringing us from zero to one. The team is building for scale and speed, with a number of exciting efforts unfolding over the coming months. We look forward to the day when getting our best talent onto the programs our nation values is as frictionless as booking an Uber. ”

David “Mudd” Willard

On the transition

Sean “BB” Blackman cofounded Nooks and took it from an idea that sounded implausible to a company with customers and multiple sites. We thank him for it, and wish him the very best in what comes next.

Nooks Awarded MDA SHIELD IDIQ Contract - Nooks

Jade French — Tue, 23 Dec 2025 15:32:07 GMT

We are pleased to announce that Nooks has been selected by the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) as an official awardee for the Scalable Homeland Innovative Enterprise Layered Defense (SHIELD) IDIQ contract.

This selection positions Nooks as a key industry partner eligible to compete for task orders under the $151 billion IDIQ vehicle.

Key Contract Details

Contract Name: SHIELD Multiple Award IDIQ
Agency: Missile Defense Agency (MDA) / DoD
Total Ceiling Value: $151 Billion
Duration: 10-Year Period of Performance
Status: Ordering Phase Active

This contract encompasses a broad range of work areas that allows for the rapid delivery of innovative capabilities to the warfighter with increased speed and agility.

How FCL Sponsorship Works, Step by Step | Nooks

Jade French — Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:12:46 GMT

For companies aiming to work on classified contracts with the U.S. government, obtaining a Facility Clearance (FCL) is often a critical first step. But here’s the catch: you can’t just apply for an FCL on your own. You need to be sponsored. That sponsorship process is a common source of confusion, especially for emerging vendors or startups looking to enter the defense and intelligence space.

In this guide, we’re breaking it down step-by-step to clear the ambiguity of what it means to be sponsored for an FCL and how your organization can prepare.

What Is FCL Sponsorship?

Sponsorship is the process by which a government agency or a prime contractor formally requests that your company be evaluated for a Facility Clearance. This isn’t just a friendly referral – it’s an official endorsement submitted to the Defense Counterintelligence and Security Agency (DCSA), the body that handles clearance investigations.

You can’t receive an FCL unless:

You’re sponsored by a government contracting activity (GCA) or
You’re sponsored as a subcontractor to a cleared prime on a contract that requires access to classified information

When Can Sponsorship Happen?

Sponsorship typically happens:

After your company is selected as a subcontractor on a classified contract
When a federal agency awards a classified contract to your company
Any other circumstance in which your company needs access to a classified environment (e.g. a SCIF) to execute on, or respond to a request for proposals on, a classified contract

It’s important to note: A company cannot be sponsored just because they’re “interested” in getting a clearance. There must be a legitimate contractual requirement for access to classified information.

Who Can Sponsor You?

Only two types of organizations can submit a sponsorship request:

A U.S. Government agency awarding or overseeing a classified contract, also known as a GCA
A cleared prime contractor (with an FCL at the appropriate level)

If you’re working under a prime, they must include details about your scope of work and why access to classified information is necessary.

The Sponsorship Process

Once a sponsor decides to submit a request, here’s what typically happens:

DD-254 and Letter of Sponsorship Sent to DCSA The sponsor sends a formal request in NISS. The sponsorship must include both a Form DD-254, “Department of Defense Contract Security Classification Specification,” which details classification levels, specific security requirements, scope of work, and classified performance location; and a letter of sponsorship outlining:

The nature of your work
The level of classification required (Confidential, Secret, Top Secret)
Why access is needed

DCSA Acknowledgment and Facility Profile After reviewing the sponsorship, DCSA sends your company a Facility Clearance Submission Package, including:

DD Form 441 (Security Agreement)
SF-328 (Certificate Pertaining to Foreign Interests)
Initial Facility Security Officer (FSO) and Key Management Personnel (KMP) submissions
Requests for legal documents such as LLC Agreements, Articles of Incorporation, Capitalization tables, or meeting minutes.

DCSA Review and Eligibility Determination DCSA reviews your company for eligibility. This includes:

Verification of U.S. ownership and control
Legal status (must be a legal U.S. entity)
Business integrity checks

Personnel Clearances for KMPs Before final approval, designated personnel in your organization (e.g. CEO, FSO, Board Members) must hold or obtain Personnel Security Clearances (PCLs).

How Long Does It Take?

Timelines vary widely. DCSA doesn’t publish an official timeline, and the process often takes six months or more, longer if your organization needs time to gather all required documentation or complete personnel clearances. If there are foreign ownership, control, or influence (FOCI) issues, expect delays as your company establishes a legal FOCI mitigation agreement with DCSA.

How Nooks Helps

Nooks helps emerging and established organizations navigate the classified world. If you’re being asked to deliver on a classified contract and need to secure an FCL, we can:

Accelerate your workforce in obtaining and upholding their clearances and accessing secure facilities.
Help your company establish and maintain its security program, including through annual training, self inspection, and ongoing communications with DCSA.
Facilitate the specific requirements of your company programs.

We’ve helped companies large and small get their FCL faster than they thought possible – and we’re here to help you do the same.

Want to learn more about how we can help your team get an FCL? Contact Nooks to speak with our team of security experts.

Fast Company Highlights Nooks as the Future of Secure Collaboration - Nooks

Jade French — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 16:24:00 GMT

A recent Fast Company article explores the urgent need for faster innovation in national security – and cites Nooks as a key solution helping the defense ecosystem move faster.

The Need to Redefine SCIF Access

Traditionally, startups seeking to work with the Department of Defense face major barriers to entering the classified space. Fast Company outlines how this bottleneck forces teams to work with fake data, delaying real progress in fast-moving fields like AI and unmanned systems.

What Fast Company Reports

Obsolete Before You Begin: Defense startups often wait years for access – by then, their technology may already be outdated.
Barriers to Entry: SCIFs are expensive, slow to build, and typically locked behind large primes or government ownership.
Growing Demand: As the DoD ramps up funding for emerging tech, demand for secure, flexible space is outpacing traditional solutions.

The Nooks Solution

Nooks offers Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) – subscription-based, accredited, and scalable access to classified workspaces across the nation. We’re removing the cost and complexity of building secure spaces, so mission-critical teams can focus on delivering results.

Read the full article in Fast Company

Nooks Closes $25M Series A Funding Round with Unmatched Team of Industry Leaders

Jade French — Mon, 09 Jun 2025 14:23:32 GMT

Crystal City, VA – Nooks, the company redefining classified workspaces through its Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) model, is excited to announce the successful closing of its $25M Series A funding round. This investment brings together an extraordinary team of partners, including Zigg Capital, Upper90, SAIC, and Lockheed Martin, to propel Nooks into its next phase of growth and innovation.

As secure collaboration becomes a growing priority for government and industry, this round’s backers represent a blend of investment expertise, defense leadership, and cutting-edge technology know-how. Building on Nooks’ success in key initial markets – Arlington, VA, Colorado Springs, CO, and El Segundo, CA – these partners are helping position Nooks as the go-to provider for flexible and scalable solutions for classified infrastructure needs.

“The Defense Industrial Base needs Nooks to be successful if our country is going to be competitive in the 21st century. The National Security community is spending far too much time and too much cost on bespoke and specialized secure infrastructure – there is a way to dramatically increase speed and efficiency for everyone that Nooks is aggressively pursuing.” states Sean Blackman, CEO of Nooks.

“I am incredibly proud of the investment team we have brought together that are so passionate about solving this problem through a (long overdue) shared access model for classified infrastructure. We’ve put together a truly winning lineup of talent, capital, and government support to get this done.”

Nooks is focused on creating secure, modern, and affordable access to classified facilities for government agencies, contractors, and industry innovators. As a further testament to this pursuit, Nooks has begun integrating advanced technologies and process streamlining in classified workspaces through the Strategic Funding Increase (STRATFI) program and the DARPA Prospero contract. With this new round of funding, Nooks is accelerating its ability to bridge gaps in infrastructure to enable faster collaboration and drive mission success for their customers.

Dave Eisenberg, Founder and Managing Director of Zigg Capital, explains that “Nooks is capitalizing on a once-in-a-generation opportunity to solve urgent critical infrastructure needs for Defense technology startups, Defense Primes and Government agencies. Zigg is excited to bring our commercial real estate expertise to the company to help it grow in an asset-light fashion. In the years ahead, we will build a portfolio of millions of square feet of modern SCIF infrastructure and re-activate underutilized office buildings across the country.”

Nooks and Zigg Capital aren’t alone in recognizing the impact that CIaaS will have on an increasingly remote and distributed workforce. Both Lockheed Martin Ventures and SAIC Ventures have made strategic investment in Nooks to accelerate their company’s efforts.

“At Lockheed Martin Ventures, our mission is to invest in and partner with companies that can help unlock cutting-edge technologies and innovative solutions to support our customers’ most pressing challenges,” said Chris Moran, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin Ventures. “Nooks’ approach to providing classified environments and secure infrastructure is a great example of the kind of innovative thinking that aligns with our mission, and we’re excited to support their efforts to transform the national security ecosystem.”

“SAIC’s investment in Nooks helps meet our customers’ mission requirements and brings flexible access to classified infrastructure across government, startups and companies like SAIC too,” said Michael Hauser, Managing Partner of SAIC Ventures. “We have entered into this innovative partnership to support Nooks’ vision and serve as a channel to advanced technology solutions, a talented workforce and government-ready secure infrastructure.”

Nooks Unveils Colorado Springs Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service Workspace Facility

Jade French — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:47:26 GMT

On Monday, Nooks unveiled its newest facility in Colorado Springs with a special Showcase Event hosted in their new reception area, highlighting its accredited classified workspaces. The showcase offered an exclusive opportunity to connect with the key community leaders, suppliers, and project contributors who helped make secure, subscription-based collaboration possible for government and industry.

The Nooks Colorado Springs facility addresses both a local and nationwide challenge: limited access to secure environments that support national priorities. Through a subscription-based model, Nooks enables a network of secure, accredited workspaces. The model supports flexible mission needs, from part time usage engagements to dedicated enterprise deployments.

“We were thrilled to host the Nooks Colorado Springs Facility Showcase, providing key government and industry partners with an exclusive look at our state-of-the-art classified workspace facility,” said Jeremy Andrew, Colorado Springs Site Lead. “The event demonstrated how our subscription-based access model enables faster project completion, significant cost savings, and a sharper focus on mission-critical objectives.”

The showcase also celebrated the strength of community collaboration. Nooks expressed their gratitude for the vital support and partnership of the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, Bryan Construction, Alturas Capital Partners, and a trusted group of subcontractors and vendors who have helped bring this project to life.

“We are thankful for the partnership with Nooks and the trust they placed in Bryan Construction to execute the building of this one-of-a-kind facility and their flagship location. We were able to take the Nooks vision and turn secure space on its head and reimagine how we can spark innovation for our country’s national security,” stated Doug Woody, Vice President of Bryan Construction.

Congressman Jeff Crank was in attendance, lending his support to Nooks’ growing role in strengthening the region’s national security ecosystem.

“Colorado Springs is a critical hub for national security and defense innovation. This facility represents our commitment to supporting that mission while building lasting partnerships in the region,” said Sean Blackman, CEO of Nooks. “We’re proud to work alongside local leaders, developers, and vendors who share our vision for secure, scalable infrastructure.”

Local and National Impact

Secure and Compliant: Fully accredited classified spaces built to support diverse requirements.
Economic Growth: The facility will contribute an estimated $33-37 million to the local economy and create 35 high-wage jobs.
National Security Agility: Nooks is enhancing operational continuity and agility for National priorities by providing flexible accredited access, closer to wherever they’re needed most.

Shaping Defense & Aerospace Real Estate : Nooks Mentioned in the New York Times - Nooks

Jade French — Mon, 28 Apr 2025 19:57:52 GMT

A recent New York Times article spotlights how the defense and aerospace industry is transforming commercial real estate – citing Nooks as an innovative and cost-effective solution.

Bridging Classified Needs and Modern Infrastructure

Traditional real estate and office spaces have long struggled to meet secure operational standards due to complex government bureaucracy. Nooks addresses this gap with our Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS), providing ready-to-use, flexible workspaces tailored to national security requirements.

What the Times Highlights

Demand for Agility: As missions expand or shift focus, defense and aerospace organizations need flexible real estate that can quickly adapt. Traditional long-term leases and buildouts often can’t keep up, leaving teams scrambling to find secure spaces.
Stringent Regulations: Managing classified information requires absolute adherence to various requirements. Compliance isn’t just a checklist – it’s a fundamental part of day-to-day operations that can completely derail entire business lines if not handled correctly.
Changing Market Dynamics: With national security priorities evolving, the market for suitable real estate is more competitive than ever. Defense contractors must balance cutting-edge technology demands with rapid access to secure facilities, all while avoiding the lengthy construction timelines.

The Nooks Solution

Security Expertise: We leverage deep experience building and operating fully compliant environments, letting teams focus on their mission success instead of getting bogged down in lengthy approval processes.
Flexible Access: Organizations need agile spaces that can scale up or down in response to new contracts or shifting priorities. Our subscription-based approach ensures you can gain immediate access to secure infrastructure, without the high costs of building from scratch or lengthy construction delays.
Network of Infrastructure: With multiple facilities across the country, Nooks empowers teams to maintain consistent security protocols wherever they operate, minimizing setup time and ensuring seamless expansions into new regions.

Nooks offers a modern approach to classified operations – one that meets the urgent needs detailed in the New York Times. We’re proud to be recognized as part of this evolving landscape, helping government and industry teams accelerate their missions without compromising on compliance or speed.

What the NDAA's Pilot Program for Shared Classified Infrastructure Means for Small Businesses and Academia - Nooks

Jade French — Fri, 27 Dec 2024 14:39:39 GMT

The recently passed 2025 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has introduced a groundbreaking initiative that furthers Nooks’ mission to facilitate how small businesses and institutions of higher learning access classified environments. Known as the “Pilot Program for Access to Shared Classified Commercial Infrastructure” (Sec. 874), this legislation is designed to lower barriers and reduce costs, enabling organizations such as Nooks to contribute to critical national security efforts. Here’s what this means for organizations like yours and how Nooks is uniquely positioned to lead in this space.

Breaking Down the Pilot Program

This new pilot program, required to be launched within 180 days of the NDAA’s enactment, seeks to address longstanding challenges in accessing and maintaining classified infrastructure. The program aims to:

Expand Access: Provide small businesses and universities with easier access to classified facilities, including Sensitive Compartmented Information Facilities (SCIFs).
Reduce Costs and Red Tape: Streamline the accreditation and certification process to alleviate administrative and financial burdens on smaller organizations.
Level the Playing Field: Open more opportunities for these organizations to compete for classified contracts by mitigating access constraints.
Identify and Remove Policy Barriers: Examine current obstacles to shared classified infrastructure and prototype solutions for broader use.

This initiative signals a significant push toward modernizing how classified workspaces are managed and accessed, fostering a more efficient defense ecosystem.

Why This Matters

For decades, classified environments have been cost-prohibitive and administratively complex for small businesses and academia to access. This new pilot program makes classified workspaces more accessible and manageable. Solutions highlighted in the NDAA tap into the innovative potential of organizations previously sidelined due to high barriers of entry, ensuring that the Department of Defense (DoD) can leverage the best technologies and ideas to strengthen national security.

However, it’s important to understand that not just any organization can step in to provide such secure environments. Establishing and managing classified spaces is an incredibly complex undertaking, requiring a level of expertise, infrastructure, and authorization that only a select few companies possess.

How Nooks Fits In

At Nooks, we are at the forefront of this shift, pioneering Classified-Infrastructure-as-a-Service (CIaaS) to provide the solutions outlined in the NDAA. We stand out as the only organization currently equipped to meet these challenges head-on, thanks to our unique position as a trusted partner for both government and industry.

Nooks isn’t just working towards this reality—we’ve already proven our capabilities. As the only company with existing government contracts to provide classified spaces at all levels, we’ve set the standard for shared classified infrastructure capabilities. By combining state-of-the-art facilities with a commitment to security and compliance, we’re ready to continue leading the charge in supporting the goals of the NDAA.

If you’re interested in how Nooks can help your organization navigate classified infrastructure challenges, contact us today to learn more.