

AI Cybersecurity Startup Pitch
Apply to Pitch CISOs OR Just Attend & 👀 Watch.
The Panel Will Also Be Sharing Their Top Challenges & We're Having Breakout Rooms
TOP REASONS TO ATTEND
🤝 Breakout Rooms --> There will be facilitated breakout rooms with the CISOs, so you get a chance to meet them and ask questions.
🤩 Chance to Pitch --> About 5 startups will get a chance to pitch their solutions to the panelists.
💪 Identify Pain Points --> The panelist will be sharing their top pain points, so you can see if they're ready to purchase a tool like yours.
WHEN WILL I KNOW IF I'M PITCHING?
3 startups are picked ahead of the event by pre-vote judges (cybersecurity executives & VCs), and 2 will be chosen live by the panel for a total of 5. This is a low-stakes, fun environment.
ROUGH AGENDA
5-min --> buyers share top 3 priorities they're solving
24-min --> buyers review selected startup pitches live
1-min --> buyers select the most likely tool they'd consider buying (aka the winner 🏆)
25 --> Breakout rooms - where you get to meet a CISO and ask questions
WHAT IS A BUYER PITCH COMPETITION?
A chance for founders to pitch their tools to CISOs/Cyber
CISO Panel
The judges will be announced as we get closer to the event, but here are judges from our past events:
Microsoft's Deputy CISO, Damon Becknel - https://www.linkedin.com/in/damonbecknel/
ADP's VP, Global Head - Product Security, AI Security, Architecture & Third Party Risk, Nitin Bhargava - https://www.linkedin.com/in/nitin-bhargava-7502a32/
NHL's Senior Vice President, Information Technology & Security, Dave Munroe - https://www.linkedin.com/in/davidmunroe/
The Dana Foundation's CISO, Jim Rutt - https://www.linkedin.com/in/jrutt17/
Axon's (NASDAQ: AXON) CISO, Ben Hagen - https://www.linkedin.com/in/benhagen/
Five9's CISO, Igor Varnava - https://www.linkedin.com/in/igorvarnava/
Cockroach Labs's ($5B valuation) Head of Security, Compliance, & Technology, Mike Geehan - https://www.linkedin.com/in/mike-g-0088131/
Tonic.ai's ($45M raised) CISO, Robert Lowry - https://www.linkedin.com/in/lowryrobert/
About your hosts:
Okta Ventures invests and supports companies creating cutting-edge technologies enabled by identity, security, and privacy. Feel free to also connect with the Head of Okta Ventures, Austin Arensberg, and Investor, David Lopez-Henriquez:
The Founder Initiative is a podcast & event community that helps founders hit product-market fit, drive durable growth, and get funded faster.
By RSVPing for this event, you consent to allow all event sponsors, hosts, and/or partners to use your information.