Welcome to another episode of Category Visionaries — the show that explores GTM stories from tech's most innovative B2B founders. In today's episode, we're speaking with Sebastian Stranieri, CEO & Founder of VU Security, a fraud prevention and identity protection platform that has raised $24 Million in funding.

Here are the most interesting points from our conversation:

• The Future of Digital Identity: Sebastian explained how the digital identity of individuals is scattered across the internet, making it nearly impossible to erase personal data. His vision is to give users control over their identities, allowing them to manage, revoke, or approve access to their information.
• The Intersection of Cybersecurity and User Experience: Balancing security with user experience is no longer a trade-off. Sebastian emphasized that today’s technology should provide both, enabling companies to deliver secure yet frictionless services to their users through AI and behavior-based models.
• SaaS Business Model Evolution: VU Security shifted to a SaaS-based, transactional business model, offering clients flexibility with consumption-based pricing. This approach allows them to cater to the specific needs of their clients, from financial institutions to government entities.
• Global Expansion Through Strategic Partnerships: Over 60% of VU’s revenue comes from partnerships with large firms. These collaborations have allowed VU to expand into 23 countries without direct investment in each market, leveraging partners for localization and implementation.
• Building Trust in the Early Days: Winning the trust of VU's first major client was challenging. Sebastian shared the story of how one bank executive bet his career on VU’s technology, a move that underscored the importance of trust in the cybersecurity space.
• Leveraging Awards for Credibility: Early on, VU Security relied on prestigious industry awards to signal credibility in the marketplace. One major recognition from MIT’s Technology Review helped validate the company as an innovator in the cybersecurity field.