Patero CEO Crick Waters to Share Expertise on Post-Quantum Cryptography at 2025 KPMG Tech and Innovation Symposium
Patero, a pioneering leader in post-quantum cryptography (PQC), has announced that its Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Crick Waters, will serve as a panelist at the 2025 KPMG Tech and Innovation Symposium. The event, scheduled for July 29–31 in Park City, Utah, brings together top minds from across industries to discuss the technological forces shaping the future of business and innovation. Waters’ participation underscores Patero’s commitment to advancing strategies for securing the digital landscape in the age of quantum computing.
A Focus on Post-Quantum Cryptography
The panel discussion, titled “Post-Quantum Cryptography Strategy and the Future of Security in the Cryptographic Space,” will explore the critical importance of preparing for the quantum era. As quantum computing continues to advance, traditional cryptographic systems face unprecedented risks. Post-quantum cryptography offers a solution by developing algorithms resistant to quantum attacks, ensuring the security of sensitive data in the years to come.
Dr. Aaron Kemp, Director in Enterprise Innovation and U.S. Quantum Lead at KPMG U.S., will moderate the session. Joining Waters on the panel is David Harding, CEO and founder of Entrokey, a company specializing in cryptographic solutions. Together, the panelists will delve into the challenges and opportunities presented by the transition to post-quantum cryptography, offering insights into how organizations can future-proof their security strategies.
A Visionary Leader in Technology and Innovation
Crick Waters brings a wealth of expertise to the panel, with a career spanning multiple industries and groundbreaking innovations. As the founder and co-founder of several companies, Waters has consistently pushed the boundaries of what’s possible in fields such as telecommunications, manufacturing, and artificial intelligence. His contributions have earned him numerous patents, reflecting his ability to create transformative physical and digital products.
Waters’ academic background further underscores his technical acumen. He studied Electrical Engineering at Duke University before pursuing Nuclear Engineering at the Bettis Reactor Engineering School, where he worked in the United States Naval Nuclear Program. Later, he earned a Master of Business Administration from Duke University, equipping him with the strategic vision needed to lead cutting-edge enterprises like Patero.
As a thought leader in post-quantum cryptography, Waters is uniquely positioned to address the complexities of this emerging field. His participation in the panel highlights Patero’s role as a driving force in developing secure, quantum-resistant solutions that protect businesses and governments alike.
Shaping the Future of Business and Technology
The KPMG Tech and Innovation Symposium is an annual, invitation-only event that convenes leaders from Fortune 500 companies, promising startups, and influential boards. Now in its eighth year, the symposium provides a platform for discussing the political, economic, and technological forces driving innovation in today’s rapidly evolving world. The 2025 event will feature esteemed guest speakers who are shaping the enterprise agenda during an era of unparalleled disruption and opportunity.
Attendees of the symposium will have the chance to:
- Engage with Strategic Minds: Connect with some of the brightest thinkers and innovators as they navigate the frontiers of technology and business.
- Explore Emerging Trends: Gain insights into the forces that will define the next five years, including geopolitical shifts, climate perspectives, and transformative technologies such as AI, generative AI, quantum computing, semiconductors, advanced manufacturing, and digital assets.
- Learn from Industry Leaders: Hear exclusive perspectives from renowned visionaries who are redefining industries and setting the pace for global innovation.
- Participate in Breakout Discussions: Dive deeper into critical topics through dynamic sessions led by top innovators, examining the intricate interplay of political, economic, and technological factors reshaping our world.
Preparing for the Quantum Era
The rise of quantum computing presents both immense opportunities and significant challenges. While quantum technologies hold the potential to revolutionize fields such as medicine, logistics, and materials science, they also pose a threat to current cryptographic systems. Traditional encryption methods, which safeguard everything from online transactions to national security communications, could be rendered obsolete by quantum computers capable of breaking them in seconds.
This is where post-quantum cryptography comes into play. By developing quantum-resistant algorithms, Patero and other industry leaders aim to ensure that sensitive information remains secure even as quantum capabilities evolve. The panel discussion will highlight the urgency of adopting these new cryptographic standards and provide actionable strategies for organizations navigating this transition.
A Platform for Collaboration and Insight
The 2025 KPMG Tech and Innovation Symposium offers a unique opportunity for collaboration among leaders, innovators, and decision-makers. By bringing together diverse perspectives, the event fosters dialogue that drives meaningful progress. For attendees, the symposium is not just a chance to learn—it’s a chance to shape the future of technology and business.
Crick Waters’ participation in the panel reflects Patero’s leadership in addressing one of the most pressing challenges of our time: securing the digital infrastructure of tomorrow. As quantum computing moves closer to reality, the work being done today to develop post-quantum cryptography will determine the resilience of our interconnected world.
About Patero
Patero is a leader in quantum secure communications. Patero’s cryptographic discovery and inventory solution quantifies risk and prioritizes mitigation of vulnerabilities against present and future cryptographic attacks. Patero’s crypto-agile post-quantum security solutions hybridize classic encryption with NIST-standardized quantum-resistant encryption algorithms to mitigate cryptographic vulnerabilities and protect data-in-motion from steal-now, decrypt-later, and future direct decryption attacks. Patero is privately held and based in the Quantum Startup Foundry at the University of Maryland, College Park.
