Innovation at RSA Conference 2021: Startups Eye the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Prize


Posted on by Kacy Zurkus

There are only a few industries that expand and shift almost daily. Cybersecurity is one like no other, with daily news stories touting breaches, cyberattacks and new malware. In response, the industry is experiencing a surge of innovative and creative approaches to solve the evolving problems.

RSA Conference has a focus on innovation at this annual event, and also year-round. Did you know that it’s the 16th year that we have hosted the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest? RSAC Innovation Sandbox is an opportunity for participants to get their names in front of the most influential global buying community across the cybersecurity eco-system. This year’s Virtual Experience will shine a light on the hottest emerging stars of the cybersecurity industry.

Since its inception, the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest has resulted in more than 50 acquisitions and over $5 billion in investments. All companies that make it onto the main stage gain increased awareness of their solution, but as Dean Sysman, Co-Founder and CEO of Axonius and 2019 RSAC Innovation Sandbox winner, clearly put it, “Winning the RSAC Innovation Sandbox showed the security world that asset management is a problem worth solving and directly resulted in new Axonius customers.”

Also, attendees of RSA Conference 2021 will be able to visit the RSAC Early Stage Expo (ESE), part of the Digital Expo, which affords nascent companies’ exposure to our global audience.

In addition to the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest and RSAC ESE, Conference is expanding the innovation program to include a year-round RSAC 365 Innovation Showcase. This program will take a tour around the globe to identify and highlight early-stage startups. RSAC 365 Innovation Showcase launched in January this year, with our inaugural session partnering with London-based accelerator CyLon. These virtual innovation showcases open with a brief panel discussion featuring experts discussing a pressing industry topic or problem, then the panelists turn to hear a five-minute pitch from two cybersecurity startups and drill down to ask questions about their business model, distribution or how their solution is different from what’s currently available in the market.

More Room in the Sandbox

The RSAC Sandbox is an opportunity for the community to try out challenges, and we are planning to recreate much of what we do in a live setting in our Virtual Experience. Expect a casual environment that provides hands-on experience in small group settings. Attendees can see some “hacking” techniques through live demos in a variety of villages, including Aerospace, AppSec, Biohacking, ICS, IoT Supply Chain, Red Team and more.

RSA Conference recognizes that our busy attendees might not have a full day to dedicate to Capture the Flag but still want a challenge. To meet that need, the RSAC Sandbox will offer smaller modular challenges from each of the Villages and a chance to play SANS NetWars. This is a great opportunity for Infosec professionals to test out their skills, look at problems in a new way, learn a new approach and talk to others who share the passion for the field. RSAC Sandbox experts will also participate in Lightning Talks and Birds of a Feather, engaging with attendees in small group conversations.

Don’t miss any of these exciting opportunities. Check out the RSA Conference 2021 full agenda to secure one of our limited-number All Access Passes and Content Passes available at our special launch rate, and save up to $300 by registering here today.


Contributors
Kacy Zurkus

Senior Content Manager, RSA Conference

Innovation & Startups RSAC Insights

Internet of Things supply chain hackers & threats

Blogs posted to the RSAConference.com website are intended for educational purposes only and do not replace independent professional judgment. Statements of fact and opinions expressed are those of the blog author individually and, unless expressly stated to the contrary, are not the opinion or position of RSA Conference™, or any other co-sponsors. RSA Conference does not endorse or approve, and assumes no responsibility for, the content, accuracy or completeness of the information presented in this blog.


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