Serial entrepreneur and investor Oliver Friedrichs can trace his origins to the earliest days of tech when the internet was still in its infancy. As a hacker turned cybersecurity startup founder, Oliver hasn’t just witnessed the evolution of the cybersecurity landscape, he’s helped shape it.
“I’ve been in the cybersecurity space since the late 90s. I was a hacker,” Oliver says. “There was this thriving hacker culture that wasn’t revolving around criminal activities like you would see today, like fraud and credit card theft and other types of crimes, but more about exploration.”
While Oliver didn’t have nefarious intentions, he was accessing systems illegally and ultimately came face to face with law enforcement. They gave him two options, use his forces for good and help secure the systems he was hacking, or get arrested.
“That’s how I got into cybersecurity. And it really provided me with a massive opportunity,” Oliver says. “Over the last 25 years, I’ve had the chance to start five companies in the cybersecurity space.”
Four of those companies have since been acquired by industry giants like McAfee and Symantec. His current endeavor Pangea is a pioneer in the Security Platform as a Service space.
In a global keynote for Founders Network on August 30, Oliver will share the lessons he’s learned as a five-time founder.
His global keynote will cover:
Opening Remarks @ 9:30am PT
Join us for opening remarks with Dina Fattom, Member Success Manager at Founders Network, to get the latest updates from the Network and opportunities for getting involved.
Keynote Speaker @ 9:40am PT
Oliver Friedrichs is Founder & CEO at Pangea; He was previously VP Security Products @ Splunk; Founder and CEO @ Phantom Cyber (acquired by Splunk); Founder and CEO @ Immunet (acquired by Cisco); Co-founder @ SecurityFocus (acquired by Symantec) and Secure Networks (acquired by McAfee).
Stage-Based Roundtables @ 10:30am PT
Are you a full-time tech founder? Be our guest! We’re making our events available to tech founders everywhere. Enjoy a complimentary ticket to come learn from fellow tech founders, partners and investors. Already used your complimentary guest pass? Request an invite to see if you qualify for membership.
About Founders Network:
Founded in 2011, Founders Network offers lifelong peer mentorship to over 600 tech startup founders globally. Our platform, programs and high-touch service facilitate authentic experience sharing, warm introductions and long-term professional relationships. Additional benefits include over $500k in startup discounts and promotion to 2,000 newsletter readers. Members are located in San Francisco, New York City, Los Angeles, Vancouver, Toronto, London and other tech hubs. Each month our Membership Committee admits a new cohort of full-time tech founders who are nominated by an existing member. Learn more about us here
Confidentiality Policy
All information shared within Founders Network is strictly confidential. We are built on a foundation of trust, and the community takes confidentiality seriously. Investors, members, and staff all share experiences and opinions off the record. In this roundtable forum, we continue to model our fnValues of Reciprocity, Humility, Authenticity and Inclusivity. Read more about our Privacy Policy here.
"If you don't have a cohort group in something like Founders Network that you can develop long-term relationships with and discuss the same topics that come up with people that you already know, you're probably missing out on something very important."David Plonsky
"The number one advantage is the law of compound interest. The longer you stay in a very high-quality network the strong and more authentic relationships you build."Chaitanya Vaidya
"We know each other's business and we know each other's struggles. Having a personal relationship with other founders that is completely confidential and completely authentic gives you a lot of great advice."Doug Lessing
"FN manages my network for me by connecting me with other founders in my specific industry sector. I've been able to explore business development opportunities, partnerships, etc."Becky Splitt
"We just saw the first Mexican unicorn come to life this same week which is a fantastic idea. Being part of the Founders Network makes a lot of sense. We see that the Mexico City chapter is growing substantially."Max Linares
"There's a lot of great stuff going on even now in San Francisco. I've found Founders Network has been a great resource for me and for all of the founders I know during these tough times."Jarie Bolander
"It allowed me to meet people who had done this before that had the experience. I was able to explain an issue very briefly and they were able to give me a very detailed response on how they addressed it."Terence Finn
"I've used the platform to discover advice, connections, resources, discounts, on important services, connections to investors, and practice on how to pitch. The kind of conversations you can't get anywhere else on youtube or google searches."Alexandra Greenhill
"I see Founders Network as one of those necessary resources in the Chicagoland area."Jason Jacobsohn
"The Black Founders initiative allows me to shape this program where we can inspire, engage, and support Black Founders."Khiry Kemp