About CyberForge Accelerator
Founded in 2022 by former Y Combinator and Techstars partners specializing in cybersecurity. The only accelerator exclusively dedicated to early-stage cybersecurity companies.
Our Mission
Build the next generation of cybersecurity companies by combining world-class accelerator operations with deep cybersecurity domain expertise. We believe that the next great security companies will emerge from founders who combine technical depth with the ability to navigate complex enterprise sales cycles — and that the right accelerator environment can dramatically compress the time from prototype to product-market fit.
Founding Team
Marcus Webb
Managing Partner
Former Y Combinator partner where he led the cybersecurity vertical for 4 years. Invested in 30+ security startups across seed and Series A. Previously VP Engineering at Symantec. Stanford MBA.
Sarah Jin
Partner
Former Techstars Managing Director running the NYC program. 8 years of accelerator operations experience across 12 cohorts. Built the CyberForge mentor matching system and curriculum. MIT EECS.
David Coleman
Partner
Former a16z cybersecurity scout. 10 years of cybersecurity venture investing experience. Deep network across cybersecurity founders, enterprise CISOs, and institutional investors. Georgetown Law + CISSP.
Mentor Network (40+)
Our mentors include former Fortune 500 CISOs, cybersecurity investors, and technical leaders who provide hands-on guidance throughout the 16-week program.
Rachel Torres
Former CISO, Goldman Sachs
Michael Osei
Former CISO, Johnson & Johnson
Lisa Chang
Partner, Bessemer Venture Partners
Robert Patel
Former VP Security, Amazon Web Services
Karen Nakamura
Former CTO, Palo Alto Networks
James Morrison
Managing Director, CyberStarts
Showing 6 of 40+ active mentors.
Selection Process
0.67% acceptance rate — 8 companies selected from 1,200+ applicants per cohort. Our selection committee evaluates:
- Founding team depth — technical expertise, domain knowledge, prior exits or operating experience
- Technical differentiation — novel approach, defensible IP, architectural innovation
- Market timing — regulatory tailwinds, buyer readiness, category maturity
- Initial customer traction — design partners, letters of intent, pilot revenue
By the Numbers
3
Cohorts completed
24
Companies accelerated
$340M+
Total alumni fundraising
89%
Portfolio survival rate
40+
Active mentors
0.67%
Acceptance rate