ZANESVILLE, Ohio — Dr. Paul Lilly, the Founder and CEO of Taj Quantum, has worked in the field of information technology for decades. In January, the startup began with a goal of providing secure blockchain technology, but after the Ukraine conflict, their focus shifted. 

“What most people know us right now is our communications server that's providing over 100,000 people in that region with secure communications that aren't being hacked or listened in on by the Russians,” said Lilly. 

Lilly said Taj Quantum is using blockchain technology in smart agriculture to identify diseased crops, even incorporating the senses of K-9 dogs. 

“For years, companies have been trying to create a better sniffer, than a dog's nose, and they just haven't been able to because you can't reproduce the brain that is in,” said Lilly. 

Lilly said he will continue to travel between Florida and Zanesville.

He and his staff of seven will continue to provide support to Ukraine residents, medics and volunteers for however long it takes. 

 “Really a leap of faith because we had all this money that we set aside. We worked hard for years to build this company, and we said but we have to save people. We have to help people,” Lilly said.

He's excited about the company's secure chat app that remains in development and hopes to roll it out sometime in the near future. 

“Feels real good to know that the money that we were going to be putting in for one thing, ended up going directly to a mission to saving lives and helping people. We're helping them individually but they're helping you know, however many hundreds of thousands that they're impacting every day. And that, that's where the value is,” said Lilly. 

Lilly said what makes Taj Quantum's technology stand out is a much longer decryption key which could take a hacker several hundred years to figure out. 

The company also has several U.S. military and government contracts, according to company officials.