In the never-ending vortex of Silicon Valley's hype cycle, it's easy to get lost in the sea of superficial success stories and forget that true innovation often requires patience, persistence, and a willingness to disrupt the status quo – not just a fancy logo or a tweet from a billionaire CEO. Inside of the froth however, there are investors and venture capitalists that think carefully about who they are investing in, why it is a durable venture and how to create the best impact for everyone.
In this episode of Secure Talk, host Justin Beals welcomes Rey Kirton from Forge Point Capital to discuss venture capital's unique role in the cybersecurity industry. Rey shares his journey from consulting to venture capital, outlining the importance of building meaningful long-term relationships with companies he invests in. He explains how Forge Point Capital develops investment theses and highlights the value of solution-based, data-driven AI applications. The conversation delves into the significance of listening to customer feedback, industry patterns, and emerging themes like edge computing and AI in cybersecurity. The episode is a must-listen for founders and investors navigating the current market landscape, offering insights into building successful business partnerships and understanding evolving technology trends.
00:00 Welcome to SecureTalk
00:36 Introducing Our Guest: Ray Kirton
01:30 Rey Kirton's Career Journey
02:25 Venture Capital Insights
05:14 The Role of ForgePoint Capital
06:55 Investment Strategies and Challenges
17:01 AI in Cybersecurity
21:45 Leveraging Proprietary Data for AI and Data Science
23:19 The Rise and Fall of Blockchain and Crypto Hype
28:10 Understanding Venture Capital Dynamics
34:31 Future Trends in Technology and Investment
37:56 Advice for Aspiring Founders
39:09 The Importance of Customer Feedback
42:47 Building Strong Investor Relationships
What is Secure Talk Podcast?
Secure Talk reviews the latest threats, tips, and trends on security, innovation, and compliance.
Host Justin Beals interviews leading privacy, security and technology executives to discuss best practices related to IT security, data protection and compliance. Based in Seattle, he previously served as the CTO of NextStep and Koru, which won the 2018 Most Impactful Startup award from Wharton People Analytics. He is the creator of the patented Training, Tracking & Placement System and the author of “Aligning curriculum and evidencing learning effectiveness using semantic mapping of learning assets,” published in the International Journal of Emerging Technologies in Learning (iJet). Justin earned a BA from Fort Lewis College.