CISO Tribune

Vendor comparison · 2 companies

Patero vs SandboxAQ

Patero sells cybersecurity technology to protect critical infrastructure, data and networks. SandboxAQ is a science-first technology company that connects AI and Quantum techniques across pharma, energy, defense, and other markets. CISO Tribune files both under Post-quantum cryptography. This page sets the two records side by side: what each sells, where it is based, who owns and funds it, the customers it names and its recent news, each fact numbered to its source.

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  • Patero
  • SandboxAQ
Patero vs SandboxAQ: Products, Customers and Funding Compared
PateroPatero sells cybersecurity technology to protect critical infrastructure, data and networks.patero.ioSandboxAQSandboxAQ is a science-first technology company that connects AI and Quantum techniques across pharma, energy, defense, and other markets.sandboxaq.com
What it sells
  • CryptoQoR[4]CryptoQoR provides post-quantum security transitions with standards-aligned algorithms and crypto-agility orchestration for mission-critical infrastructure.
  • Cryptographic Inventory[1][3][5]Cryptographic Inventory uses an automated discovery engine that maps every key and protocol across a hybrid environment.
  • AQtive Guard[1][5]AQtive Guard gives security teams insight into cryptographic assets and NHIs, then automates remediation.
  • Sandwich[7]Sandwich is an open source, unified API for cryptographic libraries, built for developers.
  • Large Quantitative Models[4][5][11]SandboxAQ offers three ways to access and deploy its LQMs.
  • AQCat Adsorption Spin[8]AQCat Adsorption Spin predicts spin-polarized adsorption energies and converged geometries on catalytic surfaces.
  • AQPotency[10]AQPotency is a Large Quantitative Model for potency prediction and virtual screening.
  • AQBioSim[5]AQBioSim enables biopharma teams to model interactions, predict outcomes, and optimize drug candidates in silico.
  • CardiAQ[11]CardiAQ combines advanced magnetic sensing, AI-powered Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), and electromagnetic interference rejection.
Categories
Headquarters
College Park, USA[2]Palo Alto, United States[3]
Founded
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Ownership and funding
Privately held[2]Privately held[2][5][6]
Named customers
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
Recent news
Not stated on its pagesNot stated on its pages
G2 and Gartner Peer Insights
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
  • G2: Not stated on its pages
  • Gartner Peer Insights: Not stated on its pages
Who it fits
From its own pages, Patero sells mainly to organizations that need to protect critical infrastructure, data and networks, with a specialization in the OT world. Other named use cases are protecting cross-border transactions and sensitive customer data, and securing national defense communications and classified citizen records. Cryptographic Inventory maps keys and protocols across hybrid environments and distributed enterprise environments.From its own pages, SandboxAQ sells to organizations across pharma, energy, defense, and other markets. AQtive Guard is aimed at security teams working with cryptographic assets and NHIs. Sandwich is aimed at developers, as an open source API for cryptographic libraries. AQBioSim is aimed at biopharma teams that model interactions and optimize drug candidates. SandboxAQ provides pay-as-you-go access options for individuals and enterprises.
Last verified
October 28, 2026November 2, 2026

Where they overlap

  • Post-quantum cryptography is the primary category of both Patero and SandboxAQ.
  • Both are privately held.

Where they differ, field by field

  • SandboxAQ is also filed under Machine identity and PKI and Encryption, tokenization and key management.
  • Patero lists CryptoQoR and Cryptographic Inventory. SandboxAQ lists AQtive Guard, Sandwich, Large Quantitative Models, AQCat Adsorption Spin, AQPotency and 2 more.
  • Patero is headquartered in College Park, USA. SandboxAQ is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States.

How they differ

CISO Tribune files both Patero and SandboxAQ under Post-quantum cryptography as the primary category, and both companies are privately held. Patero is headquartered in College Park, USA, and SandboxAQ is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States. SandboxAQ was spun out of Alphabet in 2022.

Patero sells CryptoQoR, which provides post-quantum security transitions with standards-aligned algorithms and crypto-agility orchestration for mission-critical infrastructure. Patero also sells Cryptographic Inventory, which uses an automated discovery engine to map every key and protocol across a hybrid environment. Patero says it specializes in the OT world. CryptoQoR use cases include securing national defense communications and classified citizen records.

SandboxAQ sells AQtive Guard, which gives security teams insight into cryptographic assets and NHIs, then automates remediation. SandboxAQ also sells Sandwich, an open source, unified API for cryptographic libraries built for developers. SandboxAQ names NOVONIX as a collaborator on predicting lithium-ion battery end-of-life, and it names Mount Sinai and Mayo Clinic as AQMed partners.

What it sells: Patero

What CryptoQoR does[4]
CryptoQoR delivers quantum-safe encryption and crypto agility. CryptoQoR includes policy-based key lifecycle management. CryptoQoR includes hybrid implementation strategies that integrate with existing Enterprise PKI investments. CryptoQoR uses born-in-the-cloud security orchestration.
What Cryptographic Inventory does[1][3][5]
Cryptographic Inventory is powered by nQrypt. Cryptographic Inventory provides oversight of key health and lifecycle status. Cryptographic Inventory generates executive and technical reports.

What it sells: SandboxAQ

What AQtive Guard does[1][5]
AQtive Guard gives security teams insight into cryptographic assets and NHIs, then automates remediation. AQtive Guard discovers and monitors cryptographic assets and NHIs across hybrid environments. AQtive Guard automates lifecycle management including credential rotation and certificate renewal.
What Sandwich does[7]
Sandwich is an open source, unified API for cryptographic libraries, built for developers. Sandwich supports the languages C++, Rust, Python, and Go and the cryptographic libraries OpenSSL, BoringSSL, and libOQS, to enable post-quantum as well as classical cryptography. Sandwich composes the chosen protocol and implementation into a Sandwich object, such as a secure tunnel. Sandwich gives developers the ability to change configurations without having to re-compile their code.
What Large Quantitative Models does[4][5][11]
SandboxAQ offers three ways to access and deploy its LQMs. One way connects SandboxAQ's LQMs to an existing chat LLM or cloud environment via the Model Context Protocol (MCP). Customers can deploy SandboxAQ LQMs within their own operational environment and fine-tune models on their proprietary data. SandboxAQ provides pay-as-you-go access options for individuals and enterprises.
What AQCat Adsorption Spin does[8]
AQCat Adsorption Spin predicts spin-polarized adsorption energies and converged geometries on catalytic surfaces. AQCat Adsorption Spin is available via LLM integration and can be accessed via any MCP client.
What CardiAQ does[11]
CardiAQ combines advanced magnetic sensing, AI-powered Large Quantitative Models (LQMs), and electromagnetic interference rejection. CardiAQ is an investigational device.

Questions about Patero and SandboxAQ

What do Patero and SandboxAQ sell?
Patero sells CryptoQoR and Cryptographic Inventory. SandboxAQ sells AQtive Guard, Sandwich, Large Quantitative Models, AQCat Adsorption Spin, AQPotency and 2 more.
Are Patero and SandboxAQ in the same category?
Yes. Post-quantum cryptography is the primary category of both on CISO Tribune.
Where are Patero and SandboxAQ headquartered?
Patero is headquartered in College Park, USA. SandboxAQ is headquartered in Palo Alto, United States.
Who owns Patero and SandboxAQ?
Patero is privately held. SandboxAQ is privately held.
Who are Patero and SandboxAQ sold to?
From its own pages, Patero sells mainly to organizations that need to protect critical infrastructure, data and networks, with a specialization in the OT world. From its own pages, SandboxAQ sells to organizations across pharma, energy, defense, and other markets.

About Patero

Patero sells cybersecurity technology to protect critical infrastructure, data and networks. Patero offers cryptographic inventory tools and post-quantum solutions to protect digital assets. Patero specializes in the OT world. Patero has designed a Find It & Fix It methodology that is meant to give a turnkey PQC solution.[1][3]

Patero describes Harvest-Now, Decrypt-Later strategies as a case where encrypted data intercepted today can be deciphered by future quantum processors. Many governments and standards authorities are requiring quantum resistant solutions to be in place by 2030. Data stores are being stolen today to be decrypted later. Patero states that an organization without a current cryptographic inventory has no real intelligence on its digital attack surface or vectors.[3][4]

Cryptographic Inventory is powered by nQrypt. Cryptographic Inventory uses an automated discovery engine that maps every key and protocol across a hybrid environment. Cryptographic Inventory maps cryptographic assets across distributed enterprise environments. Cryptographic Inventory provides oversight of key health and lifecycle status. Cryptographic Inventory generates executive and technical reports.[5]

Cryptographic Inventory includes continuous discovery and automated mapping of every cryptographic asset across enterprise infrastructure. Cryptographic Inventory includes analysis of vulnerabilities, algorithm strength and compliance readiness against quantum threats.[5]

CryptoQoR provides post-quantum security transitions with standards-aligned algorithms and crypto-agility orchestration for mission-critical infrastructure. CryptoQoR delivers quantum-safe encryption and crypto agility. CryptoQoR includes policy-based key lifecycle management. CryptoQoR includes hybrid implementation strategies that integrate with existing Enterprise PKI investments. CryptoQoR includes an implementation of NIST PQC algorithms. CryptoQoR uses born-in-the-cloud security orchestration. CryptoQoR can orchestrate cryptographic updates without disrupting applications.[4]

CryptoQoR use cases include protecting cross-border transactions and sensitive customer data from future quantum decryption threats. CryptoQoR use cases include securing national defense communications and classified citizen records against harvest-now-decrypt-later risks. CryptoQoR use cases include defending industrial control systems and power grids from quantum-scale cyber attacks on legacy encryption.[1][3][4][5]

Patero on the record

Sources

Patero full record

  1. [1]patero.ioPatero · patero.io · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Patero and Orilla Secure the Industrial Edge with Quantum Safe AI InfrastructureBusiness Wire · businesswire.com · published May 13, 2026 · Tier A
  3. [3]Home | PQCPatero · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Fix It | PQCPatero · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Find It | PQCPatero · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

SandboxAQ full record

  1. [1]Aqtive guardSandboxAQ · sandboxaq.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  2. [2]Sandboxaq closes 450m series e round with expanded investor baseSandboxAQ · sandboxaq.com · published April 4, 2025 · Tier A
  3. [3]What is sandboxaqSandboxAQ · sandboxaq.com · undated page, accessed September 27, 2026 · Tier A
  4. [4]Transforming the World with AI and Advanced Computing | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  5. [5]Large Quantitative Models | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  6. [6]Pricing | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  7. [7]Sandwich - Agile Cryptography for Developers | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  8. [8]Material Discovery | Turn complex materials discovery into faster decisions | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  9. [9]AQNav | Positional intelligence in GPS-denied environments | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed October 28, 2026 · Tier A
  10. [10]LQM Models | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  11. [11]AQMed | CardiAQ Magnetocardiography for Cardiac DiagnosticsSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A
  12. [12]AI Drug Discovery Platform | Computational Chemistry LQMs | SandboxAQSandboxAQ · undated page, accessed November 10, 2026 · Tier A

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