June 15, 2022

Last Updated on January 18, 2024

The information security marketplace is highly technology driven, with new “must have” solutions emerging with regularity. But what is the “next big thing” that top investors are betting on right now?

To discuss cybersecurity from the viewpoint of a venture capital investor, Alberto Yépez, currently Co-Founder and Managing Director at Forgepoint Capital, joined a recent episode of The Virtual CISO Podcast. John Verry, Pivot Point Security CISO and Managing Partner, hosts the show.

Software trumps appliances

Independent of what the technology does, Alberto and his investment team favor a software-based approach over appliances.

“We tend to be more software investors,” says Alberto. “Appliances are okay. But the pandemic taught us a lot about appliances and how it was hard to even deploy them in remote locations and everything else. So, we’re more software-only, ideally cloud-native/cloud-ready, with a SaaS model. That’s pretty much the focus that we have.”

Key emerging areas

Alberto shares that Forgepoint Capital has 37 companies in its portfolio currently. These include:

  • Cysiv, which Alberto refers to as “the new, modern SOC/SIM” based on machine learning
  • A fast-growing managed detection/response platform provider called Huntress
  • 1Kosmos, a distributed identity cloud service leveraging blockchain principles
  • CYBERO, which uses machine learning to assess clients’ security postures and vulnerabilities that can be a “pre assessment” for cyber liability insurance
  • SolCyber, a rethink of the traditional MSSP model that delivers cybersecurity through a simple, fast and cost-effective per-user subscription
  • Area 1, the industry’s first cloud native, pay-for-performance email security solution (now part of Cloudflare)

Alberto’s prior successes include the sale of AlienVault to AT&T.

Overall, Forgepoint supports emerging market leaders that are disrupting longstanding cybersecurity practices and explicitly targeting the high percentage of SMBs that need great security, but also need to keep security simple and cost-effective.

As John shares, “Selfishly and for our client base, I’d like to know about the products that you have out there. One of the things I love about doing this podcast is I’m lucky enough to talk to a lot of early-stage companies; companies that are in their funding rounds. … Knowing what they’re doing, and how they’re doing it, it’s advantageous for me personally and it’s advantageous to our client base and to our listeners.”

What’s next?

To hear this podcast episode with cybersecurity venture capitalist Alberto Yépez, click here.

Wondering how SaaS security impacts investment deals? Check out this blog post: SaaS Security – How Your Security Impacts Your Investment Deals