When a cyberattack strikes, chaos often follows. Systems shut down, communications collapse, and leadership scrambles to understand what’s happening. Yet, amid the turmoil, one fact is clear: prevention alone is no longer enough.

That’s the insight that led Arvind Parthasarathi, veteran entrepreneur and founder of CYGNVS, to create a platform designed not just to prevent cyber incidents, but to help organizations respond to them with clarity, speed, and resilience.

From Academia to Startup Vision

After selling his previous startup, Parthasarathi turned his attention to giving back. Working pro bono, he joined Project Crossroads, a research initiative spanning nine global universities, including MIT, Stanford, Oxford, and Tokyo. Their mission: to establish a “standard of care” for boards and executives around cybersecurity oversight.

What he discovered was striking. “Organizations were pouring money into prevention,” he recalled, “but when incidents actually happened, the response was total chaos.”

That realization became the seed for CYGNVS (pronounced Sig-nus). Founded in January 2020 in a borrowed conference room, the company’s name draws from Cygnus, Latin for “swan.” Cyber incidents, often likened to Black Swan events, demand a new kind of preparedness—and CYGNVS was built to provide it.

The Out-of-Band Advantage

At the heart of CYGNVS is the idea of an “out-of-band” platform—a secure, independent command center organizations can rely on when traditional systems are compromised.

Attackers increasingly target corporate communications first—email, conferencing tools, even identity systems—precisely because that’s where crisis coordination happens. If the attackers are already listening in, a company’s defenses can crumble before they’re even activated.

Parthasarathi compares CYGNVS to a hurricane bunker: a place where legal teams, executives, and responders can gather safely, run playbooks, and protect privilege and confidentiality. Crucially, the system is company-owned—not tied to individual accounts vulnerable to insider threats or employee turnover.

Rethinking Crisis Response

Traditional incident response plans often sit buried in dusty binders or forgotten folders. In practice, they’re rarely updated, much less followed in a real emergency. CYGNVS transforms those outdated manuals into interactive, mobile-first workflows.

Rather than confronting leaders with an 80-page document during a breach, the platform drip-feeds tasks step by step—adaptive, guided, and designed for how people actually behave under stress. “Human beings in crisis don’t think the same way,” Parthasarathi explained. “So we shift the paradigm: two steps now, two steps later, until the organization executes as one.”

The result is muscle memory. Just as submariners drill daily for emergencies, CYGNVS clients run tabletop exercises frequently—not annually, but monthly, even weekly—building resilience into their organizational DNA.

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Why adaptive identity, dynamic trust, and cultural alignment are shaping the next era of enterprise cybersecurity.

By Karl Woolfenden

A New Era of Identity

Cybersecurity has always been an arms race—attackers innovate, defenders scramble to catch up. But for Jim Alkove, co-founder and CEO of Oleria, the most critical battlefield is no longer the perimeter or even the cloud. It’s identity.

“The challenge we’re seeing is that traditional identity solutions haven’t kept up with the pace of change inside organizations,” Alkove explains. “Roles evolve, responsibilities shift, and yet too often, access controls remain rigid and outdated. That creates both friction for employees and risk for the enterprise.”

Identity management, once seen as a compliance function, has now become the nerve center of organizational security. In Alkove’s view, the future of digital trust depends on making identity systems adaptive, intelligent, and above all, aligned with how businesses actually operate.

From Checkbox to Competitive Advantage

For decades, identity was treated as a regulatory requirement—ensuring auditors could confirm that only the right people had access to sensitive systems. But as enterprises undergo digital transformation, identity has moved from the server room to the boardroom.

“Companies that treat identity as strategic—not just a back-office function—are the ones that are going to move faster, innovate faster, and protect their data more effectively,” Alkove says. “We see identity as the connective tissue across the enterprise.”

That philosophy underpins Oleria’s Identity Maturity Guide, a framework that helps organizations benchmark their current posture and chart a course toward adaptive trust models that evolve as roles, teams, and responsibilities shift.

Quote: Jim Alkove

“We see identity as the connective tissue across the enterprise.” — Jim Alkove, CEO, Oleria

Building for Speed Without Sacrificing Trust

In today’s enterprise, access is rarely static. A developer might join a project team one week, pivot to a new initiative the next, and transfer departments a month later. Traditional access models—granting and revoking permissions manually—create bottlenecks. Worse, they leave dangerous gaps when employees retain privileges they no longer need.

“You can’t have a model where people wait weeks for access while projects stall, or worse, where they keep access long after they’ve switched roles,” Alkove warns. “We want to ensure identity management moves at the same speed as the business.”

Oleria’s mission is to create dynamic identity systems that update in real time, ensuring employees have the right access, for the right duration, under the right circumstances. That agility, Alkove argues, is the only way enterprises can innovate without compromising security.

Quote: Jim Alkove

“We want to ensure identity management moves at the same speed as the business.”

By Karl Woolfenden | BCN.news

Cloud adoption has transformed modern enterprises, but it has also introduced unprecedented complexity. As organizations scale across multiple providers and hundreds of services, the promise of agility often collides with the realities of misconfigurations, compliance demands, and overstretched DevOps teams.

For Ian Amit, Founder and CEO of Gomboc, the gap between finding problems and actually fixing them is where the industry has been falling short.

“We never had a find problem,” Amit emphasized during our BCN.news interview. “Finding is easy. Fixing and remediating is the problem.”

With more than 25 years in cybersecurity—spanning roles at Rapid7, Amazon, and ZeroFox—Amit has witnessed the same cycle play out: tools excel at surfacing alerts, but engineers are left drowning in tickets. Gomboc, founded to break this cycle, applies a deterministic AI model that transforms misconfigurations directly into actionable code-level fixes.

From Complaints to Solutions

Amit admits that Gomboc started as his “way of complaining” about the state of cloud security. “I was raised on the premise that you are not allowed to complain unless you can do something about it,” he explained. “So, Gomboc became my way of doing something.”

What makes the problem so acute? Consider the landscape: most enterprises now operate across at least two or three cloud providers, each offering hundreds of continuously evolving services. Infrastructure as Code (IaC) frameworks help teams manage this sprawl, but they also create a widening knowledge gap.

“Cloud providers continuously update and release new services,” Amit said. “That growing knowledge gap is exactly where AI should be applied—as a force multiplier that helps humans ingest and process massive amounts of data more effectively.”

Deterministic vs. Generative AI

Much of the industry conversation around AI focuses on generative models. But Amit cautions against this “shiny new hammer” approach.

“Generative AI is probabilistic, not accurate. In engineering, we can’t afford hallucinations,” he explained. “You might produce 10 times the code faster, but you’ll also produce 10 times the bugs.”

Instead, Gomboc leans on deterministic AI. Unlike generative models, deterministic AI ensures repeatability, precision, and trustworthiness. “Without those three elements, you’ll lose the trust of engineers,” Amit said.

The distinction is critical: where generative AI might flood teams with draft fixes, deterministic AI provides verified, contextualized solutions that engineers can confidently deploy.

The DevOps Pressure Cooker

DevOps professionals often find themselves caught between competing metrics: speed and reliability. A flawless deployment can be undone overnight by a policy change from a cloud provider, forcing teams into reactive manual patching.

“That human at the other end of all those tickets is bogged down, and it slows everything down,” I observed during our conversation. Amit agreed:

“Finding issues is easy. But when you’re opening more tickets and creating more alerts, you’re just adding work. The engineer still has to stop what they’re doing and fix it. We focused Gomboc on the most annoying, repetitive parts of that process—figuring out the actual fix.”

Instead of producing another queue of alerts, Gomboc delivers fixes directly into developer workflows. The platform’s dashboard, which Amit describes as a “reverse dashboard,” doesn’t just measure risk—it shows hours saved.

As organizations prepare for the challenges of the coming year, cybersecurity continues to dominate boardroom agendas. At the forefront of this discussion is identity hygiene—a discipline that ensures enterprises understand, monitor, and protect every human and non-human access point across their systems.

Rita Gurevich – CEO/Founder – SPHERE

In the latest edition of Race to the Start Line, I spoke with Rita Gurevich, CEO and founder of SPHERE, a company transforming how enterprises approach identity security. With a background forged in the complex aftermath of the Lehman Brothers bankruptcy, Gurevich has built SPHERE into a recognized leader in identity governance and automation.

From Crisis to Innovation

Gurevich’s career began at Lehman Brothers during its 2008 collapse. Tasked with mapping and redistributing technology assets across multiple buyers, she quickly identified a universal problem: organizations lacked a reliable inventory of systems, identities, and entitlements.

“Without visibility, you can’t protect anything.” – Rita Gurevich

This realization became the foundation of SPHERE. What began as a consulting practice evolved into a software company delivering scalable solutions for identity hygiene.

Defining Identity Hygiene

Identity hygiene refers to the ongoing process of maintaining clean, accurate, and secure identity data across an organization’s environment. It goes beyond traditional access controls by continuously auditing users, machine identities, entitlements, and system integrations.

The need is urgent. For every employee, Gurevich noted, there are 85 additional identity-related entry points—including service accounts, machine-to-machine connections, and third-party integrations.

“For every employee, there are 85 additional identity-related entry points.”

SPHERE’s platform automates both discovery and remediation. It not only identifies dormant or risky accounts but also ties them to responsible business units and executes corrective actions.

“We’re the only platform that doesn’t stop at telling you where the risks are—we clean them up.”

Overcoming Organizational Roadblocks

Implementing identity controls often faces resistance. Employees are accustomed to established login routines, and additional layers of security can create friction. However, heightened awareness has shifted attitudes.

“Cybersecurity is no longer abstract. Boards, regulators, customers, and even insurers are demanding stronger identity safeguards.”

Sector-Wide Implications

While financial services remain a core client base, identity hygiene is increasingly critical across healthcare, utilities, and manufacturing.

“In hospitals, compromised credentials can prevent doctors from accessing patient records, delaying procedures and putting lives at risk,” Gurevich noted. “In energy and utilities, attackers target infrastructure with the potential to disrupt national operations. The threat landscape extends far beyond banking.”

Automation, AI, and the Next Frontier

Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping identity management. Non-human “agents” are executing business tasks, inheriting entitlements, and creating new vulnerabilities. Gurevich views this as both a challenge and an opportunity.

“The future of cybersecurity is inseparable from AI security.”

SPHERE’s roadmap reflects this shift, with capabilities designed to manage both human and non-human identities in hybrid and cloud-native environments.

The new season of Business Class News’s Race to the Start Line podcast launched with a conversation that was both deeply personal and profoundly forward-looking. Host Karl Woolfenden sat down with two leaders from Caris Life Sciences—Dr. David Spetzler, President and Chief Scientific Officer, and Dr. James Hamrick, Chairman of the Caris Precision Oncology Alliance —for a discussion on how Caris is transforming the future of cancer care.

Woolfenden framed the conversation with personal reflections, sharing how recent losses in his own circle to cancer heightened his awareness of the need for innovation in oncology. “It tightened my awareness,” he said, “of how important it is to spotlight the companies and individuals driving meaningful progress.”

Tackling the Complexity of Cancer

Caris Life Sciences is a leader in molecular profiling and precision medicine, advancing how oncologists understand and treat cancer. Dr. Spetzler emphasized just how complicated this mission is:

“Yeah, so I think what the patents demonstrate is that we’re really on the cutting edge of trying to understand cancer. And the complexity of cancer is really quite staggering, because there are no two diseases that are the same.”

He explained that Caris has built one of the world’s largest datasets in cancer biology.

“One of the things that we’ve been able to do is amass an enormous data set. We’re approaching having profiled a million patients, and one of the great advantages that gives us is we can start to understand—from previous patients—new patients’ status, and direct them towards the better drugs that are going to help them live longer.”

From Science to the Patient Bedside

Where Spetzler focused on the science, Dr. James Hamrick provided a clinical lens on the company’s work. He reflected on his journey as both a practicing oncologist and now a leader at Caris.

“The founder of Caris, and Dr. Spetzler who has been there since 2009, was always that connection point between the science and the patient. And that’s where I focus—making sure what we’re doing actually makes a difference in the clinic.”

Hamrick highlighted the importance of ensuring that breakthroughs aren’t confined to research institutions but are accessible to patients everywhere:

“Too often, patients in community hospitals don’t benefit from the latest advancements available at large academic medical centers. At Caris, we’re working to close that gap.”

Humanizing the Science

The conversation underscored the human stakes of the work. Both leaders emphasized that the mission isn’t just about data or discovery—it’s about outcomes.

Dr. Spetzler summed it up: “Science is only as valuable as the difference it makes in the real world. That’s what drives us every day.”

Scaling Innovation for the Future

For Caris, growth means more than company expansion—it means scaling the reach of its technology so that physicians everywhere have the tools to personalize cancer care. This, Woolfenden pointed out, is a different kind of “race to the start line”: one where the finish line is measured in lives saved and futures extended.

As the first episode in the series, the dialogue with Caris Life Sciences set a high standard for Race to the Start Line. It showcased how innovation, when combined with purpose, can shape industries—and in this case, save lives.

Be Different: Escape the Competition, Create Value, and Change the Game by Marty Strong is a business and leadership guide that challenges conventional thinking and encourages individuals and organizations to embrace innovation and creativity. The book draws on the author’s extensive experience as a retired Navy SEAL, business leader, and entrepreneur.

Key Themes and Insights:

1. Differentiation as a Strategy
   Marty Strong emphasizes the importance of standing out in a competitive landscape. He encourages leaders to focus on creating unique value rather than following industry norms or engaging in cutthroat competition.
2. Creative Problem-Solving
   The book advocates for adopting a mindset that seeks solutions outside the conventional playbook. By questioning assumptions and taking calculated risks, individuals and organizations can find new opportunities for growth.
3. Resilience and Adaptability
   Drawing from his military background, Strong highlights the importance of resilience in overcoming challenges. He connects this to the business world, where adaptability to changing circumstances is crucial for long-term success.
4. Empowering Leadership
   Strong underscores the value of empowering teams to think differently, innovate, and take ownership of their roles. Effective leadership involves fostering an environment where creativity thrives.
5. Customer-Centric Innovation
   The author stresses understanding and anticipating customer needs as a foundation for creating products and services that truly stand out. Businesses that prioritize customer satisfaction can build lasting loyalty.

Practical Tools and Techniques:

The book provides actionable strategies for adopting a "be different" mindset, including ways to shift company culture, develop unique value propositions, and inspire teams to embrace innovation.

Audience:

Be Different is ideal for entrepreneurs, business leaders, and anyone looking to escape mediocrity and redefine success on their terms. It combines practical advice with inspirational anecdotes, making it both insightful and motivating.

If you're looking to rethink your approach to leadership and business growth, this book offers a roadmap to create value and redefine the game.

Get the book

Karl spoke to Thomas Noh, the Founder of Sociable AI and they have an indepth conversation about his journey to founding the company and his vision of how his technology is enhancing social media engagements for brands and companies.

Sociable.AI: Revolutionizing Digital Communication and Engagement

In an age where digital interactions dominate, the quest for more meaningful and impactful connections has never been more pressing. Enter Sociable.AI, a groundbreaking platform that is reshaping the landscape of communication through artificial intelligence. By integrating advanced technology with human-centric design, Sociable.AI aims to transform how businesses and individuals interact online, bridging the gap between personalization and scalability.

What is Sociable.AI?

Sociable.AI is a cutting-edge artificial intelligence platform designed to enhance digital engagement. It combines natural language processing (NLP), machine learning, and sentiment analysis to craft tailored interactions that resonate with users. Whether it’s a business looking to strengthen customer relationships or individuals seeking more intuitive digital connections, Sociable.AI provides tools to make online communication as effective as in-person exchanges.

Key Features of Sociable.AI

1. Hyper-Personalized Communication
   Sociable.AI uses real-time data analysis to understand user preferences, tone, and context, enabling hyper-personalized responses. This feature is particularly beneficial for businesses looking to elevate customer service or marketers seeking to improve conversion rates.
2. Scalable Human-Like Interaction
   Unlike traditional AI tools that may feel robotic, Sociable.AI creates interactions that mimic genuine human communication. It can handle large volumes of inquiries or conversations while maintaining an authentic and empathetic tone.
3. Advanced Sentiment Analysis
   Understanding emotion is a cornerstone of meaningful communication. Sociable.AI's sentiment analysis identifies user emotions, allowing responses to be empathetic and contextually relevant.
4. Versatile Applications
   Sociable.AI is adaptable across industries, from customer service and e-commerce to education and social platforms. Its versatility makes it a game-changer for any organization aiming to enhance digital interactions.

How Sociable.AI is Changing the Game

1. Enhanced Customer Experiences
   Businesses leveraging Sociable.AI can deliver 24/7 support without compromising quality, ensuring customers feel valued and understood.
2. Streamlined Team Efficiency
   By automating repetitive communication tasks, Sociable.AI allows teams to focus on strategic initiatives, reducing burnout and enhancing productivity.
3. Inclusive Communication
   Sociable.AI's adaptability ensures that digital interactions cater to diverse audiences, making platforms more accessible and inclusive.
4. Data-Driven Insights
   The platform provides detailed analytics, offering actionable insights into user behavior and preferences to refine communication strategies.

More Information Sociable AI

Last year (2023) a conversation about creativity and innovation around art started about a great artist.

The Picasso Celebration 1973-2023: 50th anniversary of the death of Pablo Picasso. This celebration triggered the desire to bring the amazing art of Picasso over to the United States to stimulate interaction with businesses and education and encourage creativity.

Karl talks to Andy Martinez, the President of the TECC (Texas European Chamber of Commerce) and their plans to bring over to Texas some wonderful pieces of art by Picasso.

LEARN MORE: The Business of the Art - Creativity and Innovation Inspiration - BCN News

Pablo Picasso from Malaga (10/25/1881 - 04/08/1973), as loved in Spain as in France, and internationally.

Pablo Picasso was a multiple creator, he equally dominated the classical painting of his early years, as well as engraving, lithographic printing and other pictorial techniques. He painted from ceramics to an allegorical mural to peace, such as his 'Guernica'. And he was not alien to sculptural creation. His work is that of a complete creator. His inspiration always found him working on a new work. He placed the cubist avant-garde ahead of his contemporary fellow artists. He was a tireless worker. He played all the styles and had time to dance, go to the bullfights and surround himself in very Spanish parties with his best friends. He was also a skillful negotiator of his art.