How a Vancouver founder went from semi-retirement to constructing certainly one of Canada’s most trusted cybersecurity allies for small companies
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Within the ever-evolving world of cybersecurity, there are giants who construct for the few after which there are visionaries like Michael Argast, who construct for the various.
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As a part of the CCN Cyber Champions sequence the place we highlight Canada’s boldest cybersecurity founders and their firms, we’re thrilled to convey you the story of Kobalt.io, a Vancouver-based firm tackling one of the vital under-served and high-risk sectors in cybersecurity: small and mid-sized companies (SMBs).
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Kobalt.io isn’t only a firm, it’s a mission. And on the coronary heart of it’s a founder who didn’t got down to construct one other startup however couldn’t resist the decision to resolve an issue that nobody else appeared prepared to sort out.
From semi-retirement to a startup on hearth
When Argast co-founded Kobalt.io in 2018, it wasn’t the fruits of a lifelong dream to be a tech entrepreneur. In actual fact, Argast had already “semi-retired” after a powerful profession at safety giants like Sophos and was dabbling in a way of life enterprise known as Sky North.
Then got here a name from longtime good friend and fellow tech chief Steve Munford, who inspired Argast to fulfill with two seasoned buyers: Boris Wertz of Model One Ventures and Pankaj Agarwal, each deeply entrenched in Canada’s startup ecosystem. Their pitch was easy: SMBs had been being crushed by the rising cyber risk panorama, and nobody was constructing the form of scalable, accessible and inexpensive safety help they desperately wanted.
“I didn’t need to run an organization once more,” Argast laughs. “However I couldn’t cease eager about how damaged safety was for small companies.”
High Tales
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Why Kobalt.io? A reputation with function
The identify Kobalt wasn’t an accident. Impressed by the “blue staff” idea in cybersecurity (the defenders), the colour cobalt blue and the thought of energy by means of consistency, the model represents all the things the corporate stands for.
“Kobalt is about readability, reliability and safety,” Argast explains. “We’re right here to be the safety staff that small companies can depend on.”
The “.io” within the identify is a refined nod to the corporate’s tech-forward DNA, however the coronary heart of the corporate is deeply human. From day one, Kobalt.io has been constructed with empathy for small enterprise homeowners, folks juggling development, operations and survival, typically with no single devoted safety useful resource.
A brutal first 12 months – and a breakthrough
Startup tales typically glamorize the grind, however Kobalt’s first 12 months was something however shiny.
The staff began by making an attempt to construct a customized safety monitoring stack utilizing open-source instruments like Elastic however shortly discovered themselves burning an excessive amount of capital and time.
Enter a pivotal determination: partnering with Splunk. The choice got here with trade-offs, together with an enormous shift in staff construction and enterprise mannequin. But it surely was additionally the turning level that allowed Kobalt to scale their companies with out drowning in improvement cycles.
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By the tip of that first 12 months, that they had 15 paying clients and a glimmer of the traction that may outline their trajectory.
A large market hiding in plain sight
Right now, Kobalt.io serves over 750 small and mid-sized companies throughout North America and past. The corporate presents digital CISO companies, safety program improvement, compliance readiness and 24/7 monitoring, all tailor-made to the realities of budget- and time-constrained SMBs.
The issue they’re fixing is huge. Over 40 per cent of cyberattacks goal small companies, however most of those organizations don’t have the sources, expertise or consciousness to defend themselves. They’re caught in a harmful center floor: too small to draw full-time safety groups, however too massive to fly underneath the radar of risk actors.
Argast places it bluntly: “It’s not a expertise downside. It’s a folks, course of and useful resource downside. And we’re constructing a repeatable, dependable solution to remedy that.”
Mission-driven, people-focused
One factor that stands out about Kobalt.io is its tradition of care. Whether or not it’s onboarding a 10-person startup or serving to a quickly rising fintech meet compliance calls for, Kobalt’s strategy is grounded in empathy and training.
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“The toughest half for many SMBs is getting began,” Argast says. “We assist them take that first step, then the following and the following. It’s not about changing into good in a single day, it’s about constant progress.”
Kobalt’s mannequin can be deeply scalable. By standardizing core components of a safety program and providing them as a managed service, the corporate can help a whole lot and finally 1000’s of purchasers with out compromising high quality or personalization.
Main with Canadian values, competing on a worldwide stage
As a Canadian founder, Argast is keen about pushing Canada’s cybersecurity sector ahead. However he’s additionally life like in regards to the nation’s challenges. “In Canada, we’re cautious. We’re typically gradual to undertake new tech, and that features cloud and cybersecurity,” he notes. “However nice safety permits innovation. It helps firms develop, win bigger offers and develop quicker.”
Kobalt.io resides proof of that. With its roots in Vancouver and purchasers throughout a number of industries from well being tech to e-commerce to monetary companies, the corporate is demonstrating how a Canadian-born enterprise can thrive in one of many world’s best markets.
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Recommendation for the following technology of cyber champions
Argast isn’t simply constructing an organization; he’s mentoring the following wave of cybersecurity professionals. His largest piece of recommendation? Community relentlessly and go deep.
“Most cybersecurity jobs aren’t posted. It’s essential to be a part of the neighborhood, attend occasions, volunteer, get your identify on the market,” he urges. “And don’t attempt to be a generalist. Decide an space like risk detection, compliance or penetration testing and go geek-level deep. That’s the way you’ll stand out.”
Wanting forward: scaling with impression
Kobalt.io has little interest in chasing unicorn standing for the sake of headlines. As a substitute, the corporate is laser-focused on scaling impression. With the SMB market exploding and cybersecurity threat persevering with to rise, the chance to assist 1000’s, even tens of 1000’s, of firms safe their futures may be very actual.
“We need to be the default safety staff for SMBs throughout the continent,” Argast says. “Not simply in tech, however in manufacturing, healthcare, finance, retail – in all places.”
Why Kobalt.io is a real cyber champion
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At CCN, we imagine in celebrating the builders who’re making an actual distinction. Kobalt.io is doing precisely that delivering enterprise-grade cybersecurity to the companies that want it most however can least afford to go with out. In a world obsessive about flashy tech and billion-dollar valuations, Kobalt.io reminds us that true impression comes from fixing arduous, missed issues with integrity, creativity and relentless care.
Join with Kobalt.io: https://kobalt.io
Comply with Michael Argast on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/michaelargast
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