Why We Invested in Hack The Box

The internet has eaten the world, now we need to protect it, and our respective political systems, infrastructure and enterprises. Hack the Box understood something profound but simple, with the proliferation of the digitisation of enterprise and government, addressing the skills shortage in Cyber was not only a huge business opportunity, it is a matter of survival for the advanced democratic nations of the world.

Worldwide, there is a deficit of 3.5 million cybersecurity workers - these are well-paid jobs, with the average worker in the US earning ~$120,000 per year - and yet, the space has historically struggled to attract talent. Whether the technical barriers have proven too much of a hurdle, or the mere fact that advanced instruction is completely lacking in most institutions of higher education is responsible, filling this gap has proven consistently challenging.

Haris and his team realised the transformative potential of gamification, developing a massive multiplayer online platform to train hackers through competitive challenges. The platform at first sought adherents in amateurs and pro-sumers and now, counting 1.7 million members, is the World’s largest hacking community, counting both large enterprises and governments of developed economies among its clients.

HTB is a perfect example of the extraordinary value of the European technology ecosystem. Originating from Greece, an economy historically unknown for tech success stories, the team was forced to internationalise from day one and that approach has paid dividends. Haris and his team have our full support as they continue to transform the world of cybersecurity through engaging educational experiences.

A selection of Team Hack The Box