Cyber Startup Expo 2026
Heading to San Francisco for #RSA2026? The Cyber Startup Expo is just a few blocks from the Moscone Center, and offers a full day at the forefront of early-stage cyber innovation during the RSA Conference. High-potential cybersecurity startups, cyber executives, and investors come together in a bright, modern venue.
Hosted by Dreamit Ventures, Blu Ventures, DataTribe, and the university host, Carnegie Mellon University CyLab Security & Privacy Institute.
⏰ Agenda Highlights:
8:00 AM–4:00 PM: Cyber Startup Expo (all day)
Live startup demos and conversations
Continuous flow of cyber executives and investors
Dedicated space for meetings and follow-ups
💡 Expert Panels:
11:00 AM - Demystifying Channel Sales for Startups
Explore how early-stage startups can build and scale effective partner ecosystems, moving beyond direct sales to leverage the power of the channel. Experts will share actionable strategies for selecting the right partners, aligning incentives, and avoiding common pitfalls in indirect go-to-market models.
Moderator
Marcos Torres — Venture Partner, Blu Ventures; former CFO, Huntress Labs
Panelists:
Tuan Nguyen, VP Channel & Alliance, Huntress Labs
Eric Kohl, Vice President, Global Vendor Engagement, Security & Networking, Ingram Micro
12:30 PM - How CISO's Want to Work With Early-Stage Startups
Practical, candid insights on how security leaders evaluate and engage startups — from initial pilots through long-term enterprise partnerships.
CISO Panel:
• David Cass — KeyRock, GSR, Federal Reserve, CISOs Connect
• Jim Routh — MassMutual, CVSHealth, Aetna, KPMG
• Jim Rutt — Dana Foundation
• Pathik Patel — Salesforce, Informatica
3:00 PM - Going Autonomous in a Machine-speed Cyber Battle
As the cyber cat-and-mouse game accelerates to machine speed, defenders can no longer rely on human-only response or static defenses. This panel explores how security teams are going autonomous, combining AI-driven defense with continuous, autonomous red teaming to find and fix weaknesses before attackers do.
Moderator
• John Funge — Venture Partner, DataTribe
Panelists
• Chris Thompson — Co-founder & CEO, Remote Threat
• Eno Thereska — Co-founder & CEO, Trent AI
• Vyas Sekar — Professor, Carnegie Mellon CyLab | Co-founder & Chief Technologist, Rockfish Data
4:00 PM – Expo Concludes
🍻 Happy Hour Social:
5:00 PM – 7:00 PM: Reception/Happy Hour
Join us for networking, drinks, and light fare as we wind down the day
🚀 Participating Startups
Linked websites and 1:1 scheduling
⭐ Partners
FMXA
FMXA is an award-winning strategy and brand agency for companies shaping the future of technology. We help startups and scale-ups differentiate and build trust through go-to-market strategy, positioning, and brand.
Trident Search
From executive search to embedded recruitment, strategic investment and industry-wide collaboration, Trident fuels the growth of the world’s most pioneering cyber security companies.
Potomac Law Group
Potomac Law Group offers highly experienced talent at affordable rates because of its unique talent recruitment model. PLG’s startup practice has built a wealth of experience and connections in the cybersecurity industry, having founded the DMV-based AlphaTech Group, an industry networking and educational group focused on providing growth acceleration opportunities at no cost to founders in the cybersecurity, big data, data analytics, artificial intelligence, and digital health fields.