How Startups Can Jumpstart Security Innovation

In the not-too-recent past, the Golden Rule among security practitioners was always: Don’t talk about security. Today, our collective silence is giving way to a new paradigm. Cyber security is a Main Street media issue, and, as a result, security innovation has become a strategic imperative for business.

That’s good news and bad news for information security teams. The good news is your C-suite finally understands why security innovation matters. The bad news: They will expect more of it from you.

Where do you begin? One of the best sources for cyber security innovation is in the burgeoning universe of security startups. These pioneering companies are frequently overlooked because CISOs consider them to be too risky or don’t have the opportunity to hear what they have to offer. In fact, there are many organizations that are focused on stimulating infosec innovation and bridging the gap between early-stage companies and leading security buyers.

The Security Innovation Network, for example, this week will showcase some of the most innovative companies in the security industry from Silicon Valley, the Mid-Atlantic, New York, and the United Kingdom in its SINET16 Showcase, in Washington, D.C.

If you are in the financial services sector, the FinTech Innovation Lab supports early- and growth-stage companies that have developed cutting-edge technology products targeted at financial services customers. While not all FinTech-sponsored companies are security-related, FinTech is a great starting point, especially if you are located in New York.

And finally, accelerators like Mach37 are focused on investing in the next generation of security startups. Mach37 needs to know your most pressing security problems and will invest in new companies to solve them. Mach37 holds weekly events in the spring and fall that are open to all security stakeholders and Demo Days in early December and early June.

If you have never worked with a startup, you may have concerns about the risks associated with their relative immaturity. However, it's probably safer you think. Here’s why:

The important thing is to recognize that you need to start innovating, and the best place to look for innovation is in startup companies. This will not only enhance your own brand among your peers within your company and the security industry overall, but it will improve your company’s competitive position globally.