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Strategic Communications Advisory For Visionary Founders
Conversation
Highlights
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 Sivan Tehila, CEO and founder of Onyxia, a cybersecurity performance management platform that has raised $5 million in funding.
- Sivan’s decade-long career as a cybersecurity officer in the Israeli Defense Forces, where she learned resilience, creative problem-solving, and the importance of enabling business while ensuring security.
- The challenges CISOs face in managing an overwhelming array of security solutions, relying on manual processes and Excel sheets to track KPIs and align with SLAs.
- How Onyxia’s platform integrates with a company’s existing security stack to provide reliable data, actionable insights, and end-to-end project management, helping security leaders optimize ROI and communicate with stakeholders.
- The emergence of cybersecurity performance management as a new category, and Onyxia’s focus on solving customer problems rather than aligning with analyst-defined categories.
- The impact of recent SEC regulations on driving demand for Onyxia’s solution, as companies seek to disclose security incidents, programs, and strategies in a timely and transparent manner.
- Sivan’s lessons learned in fundraising, including the value of building genuine relationships with investors who bring more than just capital to the table.
Actionable
Takeaways
Leverage Regulatory Tailwinds to Drive Adoption:
Sivan highlights how recent SEC regulations requiring companies to disclose security incidents, programs, and strategies have increased demand for Onyxia's solution. By staying attuned to the regulatory landscape and proactively positioning your product as a compliance enabler, you can ride the wave of urgency and budget allocation that often follows new mandates. Founders should monitor relevant regulations and adapt their messaging accordingly.
Prioritize Investor Fit Over Brand Name in Fundraising:
In her first fundraising experience, Sivan learned the value of building genuine relationships with investors who bring more than just capital to the table. Rather than chasing big-name firms, she focused on finding investors who believed in her vision, provided valuable expertise, and made meaningful introductions. Founders should prioritize investor fit and long-term value alignment over short-term signaling.
Differentiate Through Crisp Problem Definition in Crowded Markets:
To stand out in the noisy cybersecurity market, Sivan emphasizes the importance of crisply defining the specific problem you're solving and articulating why your approach is unique. By avoiding generic buzzwords and focusing on tangible customer pain points, you can cut through the clutter and capture investor attention. Founders should strive for clarity and precision in their problem statements.
Design for Executive Ease of Use with Mobile-First Experiences:
Onyxia differentiates itself by offering a mobile app that enables CISOs to quickly access key insights and manage their security efforts on the go. By designing for the unique needs and workflows of executive users, the company creates a stickier and more valuable experience. Founders should consider how mobile-first design can empower their target personas and drive adoption.
Focus on Solving Customer Problems, Not Conforming to Analyst Frameworks:
While acknowledging the influence of analyst firms like Gartner in shaping market categories, Sivan cautions against building products solely to align with their frameworks. Instead, she advises founders to stay laser-focused on solving real customer problems and trust that the category definitions will evolve to reflect the value they deliver. Don't let analyst taxonomies dictate your roadmap at the expense of customer needs.
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