Kaizen Approach

What Kaizen Approach does

Kaizen Approach, Inc. is a privately held, Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business founded in September 2009 by Al Pickering, a retired Marine Corps officer with 40+ years of Intelligence Community experience, and headquartered at 7021 Columbia Gateway Drive, Suite 400, Columbia, Maryland. The firm operates a portfolio of five professional service lines targeted primarily at U.S. federal customers: Workforce Development (training, certification, leadership programs grounded in Industrial-Organizational Psychology); Information Technology & Cybersecurity (AWS cloud engineering, security architecture, network engineering, system administration, RMF and NIST SP 800-53 compliance, and cross-domain systems support); Intelligence (Computer Network Defense Analysis, Exploitation Analysis, Digital Network Exploitation Analysis, and Target Digital Network Analysis for DoD); SETA (acquisition, financial management, PMO, and systems engineering support); and CMMC Assessment and vCISO (gap assessments, SSP/PoAM development, policy authoring, and fractional security leadership). The underlying technology stack is services-led rather than product-led, with no proprietary software platform, API, or SDK; the company's intellectual property sits in its compliance methodology, cleared personnel (CISSP, CCSP, CCNA, RHCSA; TS/SCI-eligible), and a credentialed set of regulatory certifications including CMMC-AB RPO, SDVOSB, QMCS, ITAR registration, and multiple Maryland and Howard County MBE/DIBE certifications.

The business model is professional services, billed on an hourly or engagement basis with no disclosed retainers, generating revenue through prime and subcontract federal vehicles, as well as commercial engagements for the vCISO and CMMC services targeting DoD contractors in the Defense Industrial Base. Go-to-market is enterprise field sales with a content-driven marketing layer (CISO Perspectives blog, virtual summits, CMMC Marketplace listing), supported by direct business development outreach and strategic teaming relationships with CACI, Deloitte, GDIT, and Jacobs. The company is founder-owned, reports 11-50 employees, has no institutional funding, no parent company, and no disclosed M&A activity, indicating a closely held operating profile with no identified PE/VC backing. Customer concentration is heavily weighted to federal and intelligence community work, with named commercial clients limited to small defense-adjacent firms (BTS Software Solutions, Bridges Consulting, Clarity Business Solutions) receiving CMMC and vCISO support.

Name

Kaizen Approach

Legal name

Kaizen Approach, Inc.

Website

https://kaizenapproach.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kaizen Approach is a Service-Disabled Veteran-Owned Small Business providing CMMC compliance, vCISO advisory, IT, intelligence analysis, SETA consulting, and workforce development services to U.S. federal agencies, the Intelligence Community, and DoD contractors.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Cybersecurity and IT Professional Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design and Related Services (54151), Management Consulting Services (54161)

SIC

Services-Management Consulting Services (8742), Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373)

akta.pro primary industry

Identity & Access Management (IAM) Managed Services (BPAEADAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Identity & Access Management (IAM) (EDAOAIAF)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity consulting services
• CMMC compliance preparation
• Virtual CISO advisory
• Federal IT professional services
• Workforce development training

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbia

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Professional Services - Cybersecurity Consulting: Revenue generated through cybersecurity consulting engagements including CMMC preparation, vCISO services, security architecture design, and compliance advisory. Services billed on hourly basis with no retainer for vCISO.
2. Government Contract Services: Prime and subcontract revenue from federal government customers including Intelligence Community and DoD, providing IT, cybersecurity, intelligence, SETA, and workforce development services.
3. Learning & Development Services: Customized training solutions, certification programs, curriculum development, leadership development, and workforce assessment services for government and commercial customers.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Kaizen Approach is a professional services firm that delivers cybersecurity, IT, intelligence analysis, SETA, and workforce development solutions to U.S. federal agencies (DoD, Intelligence Community) and defense industrial base contractors. Its flagship offerings include CMMC Assessment & Preparation services (as a Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization) and a vendor-neutral vCISO program billed hourly without retainer, supported by AWS cloud engineering, security architecture design, and NIST/RMF compliance implementation.

Product overview

Kaizen Approach is a service-based company providing cybersecurity, workforce development, intelligence analysis, and technical consulting services primarily to government and commercial customers. The company operates five interconnected service lines: Workforce Development (training and certification programs), IT & Cybersecurity (technical infrastructure and security services), Intelligence (defense intelligence analysis), SETA (systems engineering consulting), and CMMC Assessment/vCISO (cybersecurity compliance and advisory services). The CMMC Assessment service leverages the company's own DoD contractor experience to help other contractors achieve compliance, while the vCISO service provides flexible security leadership. Services are delivered by certified professionals including CISSP, CCSP, and PMP holders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Workforce Development Comprehensive learning and development solutions including training needs assessments, curriculum design, certification services, leadership development, and evaluation services for government and commercial customers, delivered using Industrial-Organizational Psychology principles.
• IT & Cybersecurity Information technology and cybersecurity services including cloud engineering with AWS, security architecture and design, Linux and Windows system administration, network engineering, help desk support, compliance (RMF, NIST SP 800-53), and cross-domain systems support for government and commercial customers.
• Intelligence Intelligence analysis services for the Department of Defense including Computer Network Defense Analysis (CNDA), Exploitation Analysis, Digital Network Exploitation Analysis (DNEA), and Target Digital Network Analysis (TDNA).
• SETA (Systems Engineering and Technical Assistance) Technical consulting services spanning acquisition support, financial management support, PMO support, and systems engineering support for government agencies following DoD/IC processes and principles, across aerospace, defense, IT, and telecommunications domains.
• CMMC Assessment & Preparation Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification assessment and preparation services as a Cyber AB Registered Provider Organization (RPO), including gap assessments, SSP and PoAM preparation, policies and procedures development, solution evaluation, and CMMC control operationalization for DoD contractors.
• vCISO (Virtual Chief Information Security Officer) Virtual CISO program providing security expertise and guidance for companies that lack the resources or budget for a full-time CISO, including security architecture, policy development, compliance assessment, vendor management, and cybersecurity training development, on a pay-per-hour model without retainer.

Quantifiable outcome

• vCISO services at fraction of $200,000+ cost of full-time CISO
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• CACIcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeaming partner for government contracting pursuits, combining capabilities for large federal government projects.
• DeloittecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic teaming partner for federal government consulting and cybersecurity engagements.
• GDIT (General Dynamics Information Technology)coreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorTeaming partner for DoD and federal civilian agency IT and cybersecurity contracts.
• JacobscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorStrategic partner for federal government engineering and technical services contracts.
• Maryland Manufacturing Extension Partnership (Maryland MEP)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to assist Maryland manufacturers with CMMC compliance and cybersecurity assistance.
• National Center for Veterans Advancement ProgramsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerVeterans organization partnership supporting veteran employment and SkillBridge program participation.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• CyberSheath Services International: One of the largest CMMC-focused managed cybersecurity providers serving the Defense Industrial Base; competes head-to-head with Kaizen Approach in CMMC gap assessments, vCISO services, and managed security for DoD contractors.
• Summit 7: CMMC-AB Registered Provider Organization offering CMMC/NIST 800-171 compliance, managed IT, and security services to defense contractors—directly comparable to Kaizen's CMMC and vCISO offerings.
• C3 Integrated Solutions: CMMC consulting and IT services provider for DoD contractors and federal agencies with RPO credentials, closely overlapping Kaizen's CMMC assessment, RMF, and managed security offerings.
• Ignyte Assurance Platform: CMMC compliance platform and RPO serving defense contractors; combines compliance automation tooling with advisory services, competing with Kaizen on both consulting depth and platform-driven assessments.
• System High Corporation: Cleared cybersecurity, intelligence, and SETA services provider to DoD and Intelligence Community customers—directly comparable to Kaizen's IC prime contract work, SETA, and cyber missions.
• BAI Information Security: RPO and cybersecurity services firm specializing in NIST/RMF/CMMC compliance for federal and defense clients, with comparable service mix and customer base to Kaizen Approach.
• RedSpin (a Clearwater company): Established CMMC-AB C3PAO and cybersecurity advisory firm serving DoD contractors; competes with Kaizen in CMMC readiness and authorized assessments.
• Kieri Solutions: Small SDVOSB CMMC/RMF/cybersecurity consulting firm for DoD contractors—closely comparable size, set-aside status, and service offering to Kaizen Approach.

Broad incumbents

• By Light Professional IT Services: Larger federal IT and cybersecurity services prime serving DoD and IC customers with cleared talent and similar SETA/cyber/IT mission support—broader scale than Kaizen but overlapping capability set.
• Coalfire Federal: Major cybersecurity advisory and assessment firm (including FedRAMP and CMMC) serving federal agencies and contractors; competes on CMMC advisory engagements from a much larger, multi-service base.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/KaizenApproach
• Facebookfacebook.com/Kaizen-Approach-121116141303601
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kaizen-approach-inc-

Compliance17 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kaizen Approach