SRA Launches Commercial Firm

Just a month into their joint venture, SRA International Inc. and Safeguard Scientifics Inc. have begun spinning off commercially focused IT companies.

SRA, a privately held government systems integrator in Fairfax, Va., and Safeguard Scientifics of Wayne, Pa., launched Mantas Inc., a data mining company that will serve the financial services market.

The launch is the first as part of an alliance SRA formed April 30 with Safeguard Scientifics, a company specializing in launching and managing technology companies.

Other new companies based on technology SRA has developed for government and commercial customers are in the works, said Barry Landew, president of SRA Ventures LLC, the joint venture SRA formed with Safeguard to identify and spin off new companies.

Mantas' capabilities were developed from work SRA began for the National Association of Securities Dealers in the mid-1990s monitoring stock trading.

Mantas is expected to do about $20 million in its first year and, in addition to NASD, already has customers such as Merrill Lynch and Wells Fargo.