RESTON, VA, Sept. 22 – Empower AI (formerly NCI Information Systems), a leading provider of artificial intelligence and other technologies to U.S. government agencies, today announced that it has launched a new joint venture company and Small Business Administration (SBA) mentor-protégé relationship with Lentech, Inc., a privately owned Small Disadvantaged Business headquartered in New Mexico that supports federal, state and local governments across the United States. The new company is called Astralis Innovations, LLC.

Under the six-year agreement, which was approved by the SBA in June, Empower AI will provide assistance and share best practices with Lentech in areas such as technology, management and technical assistance, engineering, business development, strategic counsel and general administration support. The agreement also outlines specific areas and capabilities in which the two organizations will collaborate, including AI and machine learning, data analytics, cloud migration and security, software development, and agile best practices with AI/ML.

“We are pleased to continue our support of the small business community through the SBA Mentor-Protégé Program,” said Paul A. Dillahay, president and CEO of Empower AI. “Lentech is one of the industry’s finest companies, and the newly formed Astralis Innovations will allow us to collaborate and innovate to solve technology challenges that will make our government clients more efficient and secure.”

Lentech CEO Andrew Gallegos agreed, noting that the new Astralis Innovations team will enable significant expansion of a combined technology portfolio to support government missions worldwide.

“We are excited to work with an innovative company like Empower AI,” Gallegos said. “This agreement enables our two companies to create new technologies and programs that can support government missions like never before. Our space systems engineering, and innovative cloud solutions perfectly complement Empower AI’s next generation AI/ML and software development products and solutions. Together, we can make an even bigger impact, while learning and growing throughout the process.” 

About Empower AI

Empower AI is AI for government. Empower AI gives federal agency leaders the tools to elevate the potential of their workforce with a direct path for meaningful transformation. Headquartered in Reston, VA, Empower AI leverages three decades of mission experience solving complex challenges in Health, Defense, and Civilian missions. Their proven Empower AI Platform provides a practical, sustainable path for clients to achieve transformation that is true to who they are, what they do, and how they work, with the resources they have. The result is a government workforce that is exponentially more creative and productive. For more information visit www.empower.ai.

About Lentech, Inc.

Lentech, Inc. is a minority-owned, small business providing responsive Information Technology (IT) and mission-focused engineering and technical solutions and services to a broad range of Federal civil and defense customers. Our IT solutions provides customers with advanced, reliable, scalable, responsive, and secure application and data center solutions including FedRAMP compliant cloud solutions; and IT operations and cyber security services to multiple customers. Our engineering and technical solutions include systems and discipline engineering, integration and test services, and mission operations support services to customers including NASA and Air Force. For more information, visit www.lentechinc.com.