The Tangram Story

Today the world runs on software, and the modern battlefield is no different, offering new opportunities as well as pitfalls. The 2022 DoD Software Modernization Strategy offers a powerful vision statement: “Deliver Resilient Software Capability at the Speed of Relevance.”* Tangram Flex (Tangram) builds products that enable faster, safer development of complex software-defined systems. Leveraging decades of experience, we provide products, tech-enabled solutions, and services that allow our customers in and beyond the DoD to bridge the gap between concept and implementation.

“One of the greatest challenges the DOD and other U.S. federal agencies face is that they were built from the ground up as industrial-age, hardware-centric organizations. Making the transition to digital age, software-centric, more risk-tolerant organizations is exceedingly difficult. But it is also the only path to future success.”

– Software-Defined Warfare Report, Center for Strategic and International Studies 

Tangram spun out of the world-class research and development company Galois in 2018. While Galois is a leader in R&D efforts focused on trustworthiness, Tangram became its own entity as a leader in product solutions that support Rapid Integration with Confidence for defense customers who require solutions that support their digital modernization priorities.

So why the name Tangram Flex? Tangram borrowed its name from the ancient tangram puzzles which contain seven pieces to form a square. The pieces (or components) themselves can be rearranged for the formation of new shapes and structures, and as many who work in software know, being flexible to evolving standards, requirements, and security needs is essential.  Tangram adapts this tangram puzzle approach by applying component-based engineering which allows flexibility in integration with assurance.

In 2019 Galois and Tangram were awarded a Phase 2 Small Business Innovative Research (SBIR) effort, which served as the springboard for the development of our software platform, Tangram Pro™. This product is focused on some of our Customer’s biggest challenges in software design and development:

• Component and Modular System Architecture Design (MOSA)
• Interface and adapter development to support rapid integration between systems or components
• Advanced software assurance capabilities to validate code correctness, and
• Outputs owned by the user with easy access to avoid vendor lock

Tangram has had consistent growth in customer outcomes, revenue, headcount, and advanced capabilities in Tangram Pro™. Our Phase 3 SBIR was a notable milestone, awarded in 2020 for software integration and assurance for the U.S. Air Force. Our continued growth is a testament to the dedication of our employees, the company’s culture and strategic direction, strong collaboration with our ecosystem of partners and customers, and the contributions Tangram makes to our customers’ missions.

As Tangram enters its 5^th year, our values and purpose remain unchanged - to bring innovation to every mission by simplifying and securing software integration. We are expanding our capabilities and product offerings through new toolkits that allow more flexibility in supporting the needs of systems and software engineers. Tangram will continue to add world-class talent to its team to support a growing customer base and evolving mission sets. The future is bright and exciting - stay tuned to see how we continue to lead in rapid, trusted software integration of critical systems!

Tangram Flex is headquartered in Dayton, Ohio, the home of Wilbur and Orville Wright and a hub of defense innovation. Get in touch: hello@tangramflex.com  

*https://dodcio.defense.gov/Portals/0/Documents/Library/SoftwareModStrat.pdf