The Defense Innovation Unit (DIU) continues to explore ways to reduce the cybersecurity barriers that often prevent innovative commercial companies from entering the Defense Industrial Base (DIB). One of those efforts is the Certificate Shepherd initiative, designed to help participating organizations navigate the complex requirements associated with Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) Level 2 readiness.
We’re proud to announce that Beryllium has been selected to support the DIU Certificate Shepherd initiative, providing participating organizations with access to the Cuick Trac Managed Enclave (CTME) and advisory services designed to simplify the path toward protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
Read the official announcement here.
Helping Innovative Companies Navigate Cybersecurity Requirements
For many organizations developing cutting-edge technologies, cybersecurity compliance can become a significant obstacle to supporting Department of Defense missions. Building secure infrastructure, implementing required security controls, documenting compliance activities, and preparing for assessments often requires specialized expertise and substantial internal resources.
The DIU Certificate Shepherd initiative was established to help address these challenges by connecting participating companies with proven solutions that can reduce implementation complexity while supporting government cybersecurity requirements.
Beryllium is honored to be one of only two companies selected for the initiative and the program’s sole Microsoft-based managed enclave solution.
Why Managed Enclaves Matter
Organizations supporting the Department of Defense are responsible for protecting Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in accordance with contractual cybersecurity requirements. Rather than extending compliance requirements across an entire corporate environment, many organizations are adopting managed enclave strategies that isolate CUI into a dedicated, secure environment.
This approach can help organizations:
- Reduce the overall compliance scope
- Simplify security management
- Limit operational disruption
- Accelerate deployment timelines
- Improve consistency through standardized security controls
As cybersecurity requirements continue to evolve, managed enclaves are becoming an increasingly practical way to protect sensitive information while reducing operational burden.
How Cuick Trac Supports the Initiative
Through the Certificate Shepherd initiative, participating organizations will leverage the Cuick Trac Managed Enclave (CTME), Beryllium’s managed enclave platform designed to help organizations secure CUI while simplifying compliance activities.
The platform includes:
- A managed enclave operating within Azure Government and Microsoft GCC High
- Continuous security monitoring and management
- Pre-configured security tooling
- Structured onboarding and advisory services
- Compliance documentation support
- A defined environment designed to reduce the complexity of protecting CUI
By combining managed infrastructure with compliance expertise, organizations can spend less time building secure environments and more time focusing on their core missions.
Supporting Faster Readiness
One of the primary goals of the Certificate Shepherd initiative is helping organizations reduce the time, cost, and operational effort required to prepare for CMMC Level 2 requirements.
Rather than building compliant infrastructure from scratch, participating companies can leverage an established managed environment that incorporates standardized security controls and operational processes. This approach allows organizations to focus their internal resources on customer-managed responsibilities while benefiting from a purpose-built compliance environment.
For companies entering the defense market, reducing implementation complexity can make a meaningful difference in how quickly they are able to pursue new opportunities.
Looking Ahead
The defense industrial ecosystem depends on innovation, but innovation must be supported by strong cybersecurity practices. Initiatives like DIU’s Certificate Shepherd program reflect a growing recognition that organizations need practical, scalable approaches to protecting sensitive information without unnecessary complexity.
Beryllium is honored to support this effort and looks forward to helping participating organizations establish secure environments that enable them to confidently support Department of Defense missions.
Interested in learning how the Cuick Trac Managed Enclave can help your organization reduce compliance scope, protect CUI, and simplify cybersecurity operations? Contact our team to learn more.
