November 2, 2016
With Media Partner TechCrunch, Conference Event to Highlight Emerging Companies in the Information Security Industry as well as Educate Attendees with New Innovation and Entrepreneur Track
BEDFORD, MA – November 2, 2016 – RSA Conference, the world’s leading information security conferences and expositions, today announces that the 12th annual Innovation Sandbox Contest is now accepting submissions to name the “RSAC Most Innovative Startup 2017.” Past winners include successful companies such as Sourcefire, Imperva, Waratek, and most recently Phantom.
As a leader in the infosec space, RSA Conference continually commits to fostering and promoting innovation in the industry. Therefore, in 2017, in addition to the flagship contest, Innovation and Entrepreneur Seminars aimed at entrepreneurs and interested attendees will offer sessions to learn more about validating a good idea, finding funding and launching a company. Additionally, RSA Conference will host 35 information security startups with less than $5 million in revenue in the Early Stage Expo area.
To help identify how best to introduce these new offerings, RSA Conference engaged the Program Committee, which includes leading Venture Capitalists Theresia Gouw (Aspect Ventures), Arik Kleinstein (Glilot Capital Partners) and Ted Schlein (Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers).
“The increasing sophistication of security threats, including the technologies, techniques and bad actors, means our protection mechanisms and approach must keep pace,” said Ted Schlein, General Partner at Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers. “RSA Conference’s Innovation Sandbox Contest is an excellent forum to discover the ideas and innovation needed to compete and win in this rapidly evolving and dynamic landscape.”
RSA Conference will be working with leading technology news outlet, TechCrunch, again this year in its continued effort to push the information security industry forward by shining a light on groundbreaking security companies. Participants will pitch their security solutions in front of a live audience that has in the past included venture capital professionals, industry experts, senior level business practitioners and thought leaders. Five industry veterans will judge the competition and select a winner.
The contest will kick off on February 13, 2017 at 1:00 p.m. PST and the winner will be announced at 4:00 p.m. PST. Companies are invited to submit an entry online no later than 8 p.m. PST on Thursday, December 8, 2016. Terms and conditions for the RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox Contest can be found here.
A summary of the criteria to compete in the event include:
- The product has been in the market for less than one year (launched after January 2016).
- The product has the potential to make a significant impact on information security (as determined by the panel of judges).
- The product can be demonstrated live and on-site during RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest.
- The company is privately held, with less than $5M in revenue in 2016.
- The company has a management team that has proven successful in the delivery of products to market.
After the submission period ends on Thursday, December 8, 2016 at 8 p.m. PST:
- Entries will be reviewed and ranked by a panel of judges that will include venture capital professionals, CISOs and other industry experts in early January 2017.
- The top 10 ranked companies will be notified in January 10, 2017, and invited to demo their products and present their business plan to the judging panel and attendees on Monday, February 13, 2017 at the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest.
- The top 10 finalists will also be recognized on the RSA Conference website with company and product profiles and will be promoted in other RSA Conference public relations efforts.
More information regarding RSA Conference 2017, taking place at the Moscone Center in San Francisco from February 13-17, can be found at: www.rsaconference.com.
About RSA Conference
RSA Conference is the premier series of global events where the world talks security and leadership gathers, advances and emerges. Whether attending in the U.S., the EMEA region, or the Asia-Pacific region, RSA Conference events are where the security industry converges to discuss current and future concerns and get access to the people, content and ideas that help enable individuals and companies to win, grow and do their best. It is the ultimate marketplace for the latest technologies and hands-on educational opportunities that help industry professionals discover how to make their companies more secure while showcasing the most enterprising, influential and thought-provoking thinkers and leaders in security today. For information on events, online programming and the most up-to-date news pertaining to the information security industry visit www.rsaconference.com.
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For more information:
Jessica Melton
SHIFT Communications
512-792-2544
