From Teen Hacker to Iron Dome Researcher: How This Founder Fought AI Phishing and Raised $28M
Shay Shwartz has a unique background in cybersecurity. As a teenager, he made money by hacking but quickly realized his skills could be used for good rather than evil. After being caught at age 16, he went on to spend about a decade in top-tier cybersecurity roles, including work connected to the Iron Dome project.
He then joined Axis, which was later acquired by HPE, where he continued his career in cybersecurity. It wasn’t long before Shwartz decided it was time for him to launch his own startup. His aim? To fight against a new and formidable threat: AI-powered phishing attacks.
Shwartz’s startup, Ocean, is an email security platform designed specifically to combat these sophisticated threats. Launched in stealth mode just two years ago with $28 million in funding led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, the company has already secured notable clients like Kayak, Kingston Technology, and Headspace.
Shwartz argues that traditional cybersecurity tools are no match for AI-powered phishing attacks. He explains: “AI just made the entire process automatic, so the scale is much, much bigger now.” With the help of a small language model tailored to quickly analyze emails, Ocean can thoroughly understand the context of every incoming message and detect potential fraud or impersonation attempts.
As Shwartz sees it, this approach makes the inbox a safer place for users. He likens it to having “a guard in every door,” ensuring that communications remain secure and trustworthy.
Key Takeaways
- Ocean’s AI-based email security platform is already reviewing billions of emails each month for its clients.
- The startup has established a foothold in the cybersecurity space, securing notable partnerships with major companies like Kayak and Kingston Technology.
- Shwartz’s background as both a hacker and a cyber defense expert uniquely positions him to identify and address new threats like AI-powered phishing attacks.
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