Next Step Innovation

What Next Step Innovation does

Next Step Innovation (NSI) is a privately held, Mississippi-headquartered enterprise technology consulting firm founded in 2007 that delivers cybersecurity, enterprise technology, federal programs, and managed services to government agencies and commercial clients across the U.S. Southeast and South-Central regions. Its federal practice, anchored by a Department of Defense relationship since 2011 and a Department of Energy engagement, provides risk and vulnerability assessments, Security Control Assessment-Validations (SCA-V), RMF implementation support, eMASS package preparation, and STIG compliance, supported by a team of CISSP/OSCP/CEH-certified engineers that has executed nearly 1,000 validations and 150+ penetration tests. The company has begun productizing parts of this expertise: Asset Guard (launched 2024) is an on-premises STIG compliance management platform with ACAS scan integration and eMASS import/export, while the NSI Digital Solutions umbrella bundles vCISO, Compliance+ (GRC platform for SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, NIST 800-171), and Data Intelligence (data warehousing and analytics consulting).

Name

Next Step Innovation

Legal name

Next Step Innovation

Website

https://nextstepinnovation.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2007

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Next Step Innovation is a Mississippi-based enterprise technology consulting firm delivering cybersecurity, federal programs, managed services, and digital compliance solutions (vCISO, Compliance+, Asset Guard, Data Intelligence) to DoD, federal civilian, state agencies, and commercial clients across eight U.S. states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

IT Consulting and Cybersecurity Services

NAICS

Computer Systems Design Services (541512), Other Computer Related Services (541519)

SIC

Services-Computer Integrated Systems Design (7373), Services-Computer Programming Services (7371)

akta.pro primary industry

Enterprise Architecture & Technology Roadmapping (BPAEAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

AI Governance, Risk & Compliance (GRC) Platforms (HDAAAMAA)

Keywords

• Cybersecurity consulting
• Managed IT services
• Federal government contracting
• Compliance management
• Enterprise network solutions

Headquarters

HQ city

Clinton

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Managed Services: Ongoing IT support and management services providing rapid response, strategic partnership, and cybersecurity expertise. Includes 24/7 support, network management, security operations, and hardware procurement.
2. Cybersecurity Services: Assessments, penetration testing, defensive operations, solutions development, and training services for proactive protection of government and commercial organizations.
3. Federal Programs: Risk and vulnerability assessments, Security Control Assessment-Validation (SCA-V), RMF implementation support, eMASS package preparation, and system configuration services for DoD environments.
4. NSI Digital Solutions: Digital solutions including vCISO, Compliance+, and Data Intelligence packages providing security leadership, compliance management, and data consulting services.
5. Technology Products Resale: Resale and implementation of technology products from partner ecosystem including HPE Aruba, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, VMware, and other enterprise technology vendors.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Next Step Innovation (NSI) is an enterprise technology consulting firm providing cybersecurity services, managed IT services, federal program support, and enterprise technology solutions. The company develops proprietary software products including Asset Guard for DoD STIG compliance, Compliance+ GRC platform, vCISO services, and Data Intelligence solutions. They serve as a technology reseller for major vendors including HPE Aruba (Platinum Partner), Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, and Fortinet.

Product overview

Next Step Innovation offers a comprehensive portfolio of technology services organized across four core areas: Cybersecurity Services, Enterprise Technology, Federal Programs, and Managed Services. Under the NSI Digital Solutions umbrella, the company provides three integrated sub-products: vCISO (strategic security leadership), Compliance+ (GRC platform plus expert services), and Data Intelligence (data warehouse design, analytics, and governance). Asset Guard is a standalone DoD-focused product for STIG compliance management. The offerings range from advisory and consulting services to managed IT support and specialized government compliance solutions, with technology partnerships across HPE Aruba, Microsoft, Palo Alto Networks, Fortinet, and other major vendors.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• NSI Digital Solutions: Comprehensive security and regulatory compliance solutions including vCISO, Compliance+, and Data Intelligence services.
• Asset Guard
• Data Intelligence
• Compliance+
• vCISO

Products and services

• Cybersecurity Services Comprehensive cybersecurity services including security assessments, penetration testing, defensive operations with 24x7 SOC, incident response, training and awareness, and compliance support for government and commercial organizations.
• Enterprise Technology Enterprise technology consulting covering technology acquisition, cloud and virtualization, networking, and VOIP solutions for government and commercial organizations.
• Asset Guard A powerful on-premises solution designed to streamline STIG compliance management for DoD environments, offering centralized asset tracking, ACAS scan integration, compliance monitoring, and eMASS data portability.
• Managed Services Comprehensive managed IT support including local and cloud solutions, Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace management, Managed Security Suite, dark web monitoring, data backup and recovery, network management, 24x7 SOC, and hardware procurement.
• vCISO (Virtual Chief Information Security Officer) Strategic security leadership delivered remotely, providing security risk assessment, security finding support, incident response planning, security education, penetration testing, and strategic planning services with industry-leading certifications including CISSP, OSCP, and CompTIA Security+.
• Compliance+ Governance, Risk, and Compliance (GRC) platform combined with expert services providing compliance strategy, framework selection, policy development, security assessments, tool implementation, and ongoing monitoring for SOC 2, HIPAA, ISO 27001, and NIST 800-171 compliance.
• Data Intelligence Expert consulting combined with data warehouse design, advanced analytics, data migration, and ongoing data governance support including data strategy development, modern data warehouse design, data migration and integration, advanced analytics and reporting, data quality and governance, and augmented data with external sources.
• Federal Programs Specialized DoD services including RMF assessments, Security Control Assessment-Validation (SCA-V), Army network assessments, A&A process support, eMASS package preparation, and system configuration services for government compliance.

Quantifiable outcome

• Net Promoter Score nearly double the global service provider benchmark
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed Yes

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability5 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• HPE ArubaflagshipTechnology or Integration · 1 January 2017NSI has proudly partnered with HPE Aruba as a Platinum Partner for over seven years, helping organizations design and secure their networks through cutting-edge technology. This is NSI's flagship technology partnership providing network security and infrastructure solutions.
• MicrosoftcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing enterprise software and cloud solutions. NSI offers Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace management services.
• Palo Alto NetworkscoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for cybersecurity and network security solutions.
• FortinetcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner providing cybersecurity solutions including firewall and network security.
• VMwarecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for virtualization and cloud infrastructure solutions.
• VeeamcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for data backup and recovery solutions.
• DellcoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for hardware procurement including servers, storage, and workstations.
• LenovocoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for hardware solutions including laptops, desktops, and servers.
• Pure StoragecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for all-flash storage solutions.
• AWS (Amazon Web Services)coreTechnology or IntegrationCloud infrastructure partner for cloud solutions and services.
• HP/Hewlett Packard EnterprisecoreTechnology or IntegrationTechnology partner for enterprise hardware including printers, workstations, and servers.

Scale indicators12 records

Recent moves5 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• SteelCloud: SteelCloud's ConfigOS is a direct competitor to NSI's Asset Guard in the DoD STIG compliance automation market, serving similar federal customers with adjacent compliance tooling.
• CALIBRE Systems: CALIBRE is a mid-sized federal IT services and management consulting firm supporting DoD and civilian agencies, comparable to NSI in size, federal focus, and capability mix.
• Applied Insight: Applied Insight provides federal IT, cloud, and cybersecurity services to DoD and intelligence community customers, closely mirroring NSI's federal services portfolio.
• Octo Consulting (now Booz Allen Hamilton): Octo was a mid-tier federal IT and digital services firm focused on DoD and civilian agencies before its Booz Allen acquisition — directly comparable in mission, customer base, and capability profile.
• Dark Wolf Solutions: Dark Wolf Solutions is a small, veteran-owned federal IT and software engineering firm serving DoD and intelligence customers — directly comparable in size, federal focus, and engineering-driven culture.
• CyberCore Technologies: CyberCore Technologies provides cybersecurity and IT services to federal agencies including DoD, directly comparable in size and federal services portfolio.
• Mystikal Solutions: Mystikal Solutions is a small, WOSB-certified federal IT and cybersecurity services firm supporting DoD and civilian customers — highly comparable in size, certification profile, and federal services offering.
• Dataprise: Dataprise is a mid-sized managed IT services and cybersecurity provider serving SMB and mid-market clients, comparable to NSI's commercial managed services and vCISO offerings.

Broad incumbents

• Booz Allen Hamilton: Booz Allen is a top-tier federal consulting incumbent with deep DoD cybersecurity, RMF, and digital capabilities — overlapping NSI's federal cybersecurity services at much larger scale.
• ManTech International: ManTech is a large federal IT and cybersecurity services provider serving DoD and intelligence community, broadly comparable to NSI's federal cybersecurity mission but at substantially larger scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/nextstepnsi
• YouTubeyoutube.com/@NextStepInnovationTeam
• Facebookfacebook.com/nextstepinnovation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/next-step-innovation

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 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 Next Step Innovation