This week we’re taking you backstage at TechCrunch Disrupt. Becca Szkutak had the chance to talk with Dan Lorenc, the CEO and co-founder of cybersecurity startup Chainguard following their conversation on stage (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAz-jK3ByE&t=1s) with prominent investors, The Chainsmokers. They discuss how the EDM duo’s venture fund MANTIS went from being viewed skeptically by traditional VCs to becoming a highly sought-after investment partner in the B2B space, how Lorenc scaled the company in a difficult time for cybersecurity, and what value celebrity investors can add to a startup.
Check out the full onstage conversation here. (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tsAz-jK3ByE&t=1s)
00:00 – Introduction
02:27 – Chainguard: Company Overview and Open Source Security
05:27 – Google Background and Solar Winds Impact
08:02 – Building Chain Guard: Product Evolution
11:44 – Early Fundraising and Timing
12:53 – The Legendary Alex Pall Cold Emails
15:01 – MANTIS Investment Impact
16:11 – Company Growth and Future Plans
16:51 – Learning from Early Mistakes
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