The world is a dangerous and scary place. For all the threats you can see, there are superheroes like Superman. For most of what you can’t see, what you can’t even think about, there are supercompanies like CyberX. A power outage in Brazil. A water pump broken in Illinois. A gas-line explosion. They could be bad maintenance, or they could be cyber threats.
Omer Schneider, CEO of CyberX, has focused almost all of his adult life on defending against cyber security threats on one of the biggest stages imaginable. As a Major in the Israeli army, cyber security division, Omer has seen plenty more than he can actually talk about. CyberX takes what he and co-founder Nir Giller learned in the IDF and applies it to both the private and public sectors. “Quite frankly, most of the solutions for cyber security currently on the market don’t address the most advanced threats. Antivirus software isn’t sufficient and doesn’t integrate easily. Firewalls only deploy well on regular networks and cause latency issues. We handle everything they can’t.”
There are no two people you’d rather have handling your cyber security issues than Omer and Nir. Omer literally wrote the syllabus for how students learn cyber security in the IDF. When asked about Nir, the CTO, Omer calls him the master of all trades. “He can literally do anything. Technical or non-technical. Code? Graphics and design? Grilled shrimp? Done.” With 15 years of field experience between them, they have the knowledge and experience to fundamentally change the industry. Having the skills to do something is different than actually doing it, of course. As Omer and Nir have transitioned from army life to CyberX, they have encountered all of the little challenges that harden and shape entrepreneurs. The hardest part? “Putting it all together. I’m not just trying to build an amazing product, but I’m also trying to build an amazing company. Omer keeps motivated by knowing that he’s making a difference. “I’m literally defending the foundations of society,” he says. “Water, electricity, and gas. Our tech keeps it safe, so our tech keeps society safe. It’s a little like saving the world.”
Along with the great work he’s doing while at UpWest Labs, Omer keeps balanced by keeping in constant touch with his family an ocean away. “I talk with my wife and son every day on Skype. Being away from them is probably the hardest part. Well so is building the company. It’s challenging.” He adds quickly, “But we love it all.” His cofounder Nir will celebrate the birth of his first child in December. In talking with Omer, it is easy to see how much his family means to him, and how it keeps him motivated. “They help give me a stability, and stability is important. You need stability to achieve goals. I run marathons and triathlons to prove to myself what I’m capable of, and that no matter what challenges I face, I can work hard and succeed. Once you understand what you can achieve through hard work, you come to realize that you can really make a difference.” And that’s also something that UpWest Labs gives him. “Gil , Shuly and Liron are the best role models. They’re always there for us and we’ve learned so much from them in a very short amount of time”. Already during the UpWest program CyberX secured pilots with partners and utilities bringing their technology to critical networks in the US and abroad.
Omer, Nir, and CyberX still have a long way to go in their quest to make the world more secure, but they have solid foundations. Amazing training, a strong knowledge of existing and potential future threats, a great product and strong support from family in Israel and at UpWest Labs have all primed CyberX for success. Watch your back, Superman.
Originally published at upwestlabs.com on November 21, 2013.
