From launch to scale: what BHMEA delivers for cybersecurity startups

Choosing where to show up as a cybersecurity startup is critical. Trade shows are expensive and time-consuming, and they’re noisy – as a founder, it’s hard to capture the attention of the right people, so you can make your investment in an event worthwhile. 

That’s exactly why founders keep coming back to Black Hat MEA. Because here, they get validation, access, and real momentum. 

From attendee to exhibitor

Ahmed Sharif (Co-founder of Fortivera) knows the difference. He’s been attending Black Hat for years, but 2025 marked a shift.

“I’ve been an active participant of Black Hat for the last five years… it’s the first time exhibiting with my startup company.”

This time, Sharif wasn’t there to observe. Fortivera was soft-launching a new product – an AI-powered mobile application security tool designed to scan vulnerabilities and align with regional compliance requirements.

For startups, that kind of launch needs pressure-testing. Black Hat MEA provides it in real time.

Visibility with the right audience

Alexandre Salameh (Business Developer at Oxyhack) summed up the value of the event simply: “the connections”. 

Black Hat MEA offers “big visibility”, he added – and crucially, visibility “with our target audience”.

Oxyhack operates across penetration testing, training, and capture-the-flag competitions, spanning technical teams and senior leadership. For Salameh, Black Hat MEA brings that full spectrum into one space, making conversations more meaningful and more efficient.

Conversations that go beyond the pitch

For founders, those conversations can have a more significant impact than polished demos.

Vinodh Kumar Balaraman (Founder and CEO of CyberCheck360) came with a clear view of why the event matters. “Black Hat is the biggest event bringing all the security practitioners,” he said, from analysts and engineers through to CISOs. “I could never miss it.”

CyberCheck360’s product brings “the email security gateway and user awareness together into the mailbox”, helping users make better decisions before they click.

At Black Hat MEA, that idea was tested. As a startup, Balaraman saw people stopping by, asking questions, and trying to understand the product. At the same time, he noticed investors and potential partners offering “useful feedback we can take away with us”.

For early-stage companies, that kind of feedback loop is difficult to manufacture elsewhere.

Testing assumptions in the real world

The event also forces startups to confront regional realities head-on.

Ammar Alsiyabi (Co-Founder and CEO of NeoSec AI) framed the problem his company is tackling bluntly. In the GCC, he said, “88% of all ransomware attacks happen… because of leaked credentials”.

The issue isn’t always technical complexity. “It’s not patch management, it’s not a vulnerability, it’s not a misconfigured firewall,” Alsiyabi said. “If your password is leaked… your security doesn't work anymore.”

For startups like NeoSec AI, Black Hat MEA becomes a live environment to test whether that focus resonates with buyers facing those exact threats.

One event, many markets

For others, the value lies in scale.

Yisrael Gross (Chief Business Officer at Ammune.AI) described 2025 as a step forward. After attending the year before through a partner, the company decided it was time to stand on its own.

“This is the first year we’re presenting in a booth,” Gross said, calling Black Hat MEA “a very friendly startup-oriented exhibition”.

The decision was tied directly to growth. While Ammune.AI already has an office in Dubai, Gross explained that the company wants to expand beyond the UAE. “The biggest event is Black Hat MEA,” he said, because it brings “customers from all around the region”.

At the event, he met people from countries where Ammune.AI has no offices, no representatives, and no existing footprint – the kind of reach that would otherwise require significant time and cost.

Why founders keep coming back

Founders bring their businesses at different stages (launching, validating, scaling), and many return year after year. 

The reasons are consistent. Black Hat MEA gives startups a place to be seen by the right people, to have real conversations, and to test whether their ideas hold up outside pitch decks.

For cybersecurity startups trying to grow in a crowded (and sceptical) market, that combination is critical.