For over 20 years the RSAC™ Innovation Sandbox (ISB) contest has stood as a beacon for the industry of what, and who, the next big thing will be. The submission process allows entrepreneurs to share their story of how a moment of inspiration can turn into a solution that promises to make our world safer. A panel of highly esteemed, independent judges review the submissions and select just 10 Finalists to present on stage and in the end, one overall winner. In a conversation with 2025 ISB Finalist, Smallstep Founder & CEO Michael Malone, we discussed the value of the ISB contest to the participants at every stage of the process.
Mike Malone, CEO & Founder, Smallstep, RSAC 2025 Conference Innovation Sandbox top 10 finalists
What made you decide to apply for RSAC Innovation Sandbox?
We applied in 2023 at the suggestion of an investor, and we weren't selected. In 2025, with a new platform, stronger product–market fit, and a more compelling story, we felt prepared to submit again.
Was there a particular part of your company story or solution that you feel made you stand out to the judges?
For better or worse, our jokes about "not being AI" landed with the audience and the judges. While it made us stand out, it also highlighted a gap in our story that other finalists already had figured out. We're on it now, and identity for Agentic AI is a main focus going into 2026.
What was the most challenging part of the application?
The three minute pitch! It was hard for us to get everything we wanted to say down to three minutes. We enjoyed the challenge though and have benefitted from the exercise of homing in our story to the key points. In the end I think we finished with seven seconds to spare.
What are some ways your Company benefited by participating?
The investment from Crosspoint was a watershed moment for our organization. We are a lean operation and earning this finalist placement enabled us to grow our team faster. We also hadn't had a company representative onstage at an industry wide event in several years, so the entire experience was a big step to helping evangelize our mission and product and build brand awareness.
Would you recommend other entrepreneurs to submit to RSAC Innovation Sandbox? And why?
Absolutely! We learned a ton and met a lot of great folks in the industry. The great ideas and connections in that room made the entire experience worth it!
Interested in applying? You can find all the details on our website.