Plano-based cybersecurity software company Critical Start was created in response to a number of cyberattacks on businesses and government organizations at the beginning of the decade and to address what founder and CEO Rob Davis saw was lacking in the marketplace.
Now, nearly seven years after its launch, Critical Start is focused on staying ahead of trends in the cybersecurity ecosystem, while rapidly expanding its size and reach.
“What was interesting is a lot of people said, ‘hey you need to buy all this stuff and it’ll work,’” Davis said. “Some of the right tools can help you, but at the end of the day, it’s about discipline.”
Critical Start was founded in 2012. After speaking with companies about their needs and their issues with other managed security service providers, it built and launched its own managed detection and response software. However, as the needs of customers have changed and grown, so too has Critical Start.
Davis said that while the techniques used in cyberattacks has not changed as much as some may think. What has changed, he said, is the ease in which they can be carried out and the increasing frequency of attacks, due to the fact that software and technology that could potentially leave companies vulnerable is being integrated more and more. In addition, he said that the rise of cryptocurrency has made cyberattacks more profitable for bad actors.
This has driven companies from nearly all markets to invest in cybersecurity, which can be costly and time consuming. In response to this need, Critical Start designed its services to be as transparent and personalized. The company designed its offerings to work around mobile devices, in order to be able to respond to threats and alerts more quickly.
“Trying to defend… it’s gotten more complex because you've got more to defend against, if you look at all the things you got to protect against,” Davis said. “Think about it like a battle. The more stuff you're defending, the more thinly spread your resources are.”
The strategy has been paying off for Critical Start, as Davis said demand has exploded recently and the company boasts a 99% customer retention rate. Earlier this year, it raised $40 million in a Series A and was valued at $150 million. With that help, In less than a year and a half, the company has more than doubled its number of employees. And it plans to double in size again in the next 16 months.
[embed]https://youtu.be/hRiKipTCxW4[/embed]
Besides its Plano headquarters, Critical Start also operates field service centers in Los Angeles and New York City. However, Davis said that DFW has been a valuable place to grow the company, due to the region’s talent pool, real estate prices and access to large, enterprise businesses – which is the kind of customer Critical Start is looking to attract.
Building on its recent success, Critical start has plans to continue to grow. It is in the process of expanding nationally and has customers that will take the company worldwide. In addition, it plans on moving into larger offices in the near future.
“The culture of the company is 'do what’s right for the customer,' and everyone says that, but we kind of live and die by that,” Davis said. “Be vigilant, be diligent, and if you see something, report it. The key thing is... it helps to test your security to know where you are.”
