In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Kim van Lavieren, co-founder and CTO of Dawnguard, a cybersecurity startup that raised millions in funding before registering a company or launching a product. Kim’s story is anything but ordinary, from leading Marines on no-sleep missions to building offensive hacking tools for the Dutch military, to managing massive security teams at Amazon in the U.S., his path combines discipline, vision, and deep technical mastery.

Together with co-founder Madi Abdurazak, Kim is now on a mission to completely rethink how cybersecurity should be done, by starting not with alerts or vulnerabilities, but with architecture, policy, and real business risk. Dawnguard is building a platform that automates secure-by-design architecture using AI, aiming to replace an entire category of cloud security tools before most companies even realize there’s a better way.

00:00:00 – Intro

Kim van Lavieren: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kim-v-0645931b4/

Learn more about Dawnguard: https://dawnguard.ai/

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Niek Waarbroek (Founder & CTO) and Tycho Klessens (CEO) of Florbs, a Dutch startup transforming file security inside Google Workspace. What started as a simple set of admin scripts has evolved into a powerful SaaS platform, used by global enterprises to automate onboarding, offboarding, and prevent accidental (or malicious) data leaks.

Niek shares how his frustrations with error-prone onboarding flows inspired him to build smarter tools, and how a lack of visibility into shared files became a real security threat for many organizations. After bootstrapping Florbs for three years, he crossed paths with Tycho, then a VC investor, who not only became the commercial co-founder, but helped raise €1 million to scale the team.

Together, they discuss the power of building with product-led growth, how they’re scaling without wasting capital, and why real file security goes beyond Google’s default settings. They also explain why early-stage cybersecurity startups need more than funding, including focus, clarity, and the right partner chemistry.

In this episode, we cover:

Whether you're a CISO, founder, or operator working in Google Workspace or building a startup yourself, this episode shows how automation and visibility can finally close one of the biggest blind spots in modern file security.

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Connect with the guests:

Niek Waarbroek: https://www.linkedin.com/in/niekwaarbroek/

Tycho Klessens:https://www.linkedin.com/in/tycho-klessens-a215abb7/

Learn more about Florbs: https://florbs.io

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Seemant Sehgal, founder and CEO of Breachlock, one of the fastest-growing offensive security companies in the world. Seemant’s journey took him from a small town in Northern India to leading global cybersecurity teams at ING Bank, before founding a startup that’s now active in over 20 countries.

At Breachlock, Seemant is rethinking how offensive security is done. His platform combines automation, AI, and human-led red teaming to deliver scalable Pen Testing as a Service (PTaaS) that addresses the growing inefficiencies of traditional penetration testing.

Seemant has built a globally distributed company operating in over 20 countries, while staying close to the ground truth of cyber operations and keeping his team deeply connected to the challenges that security teams face every day.

In this episode, we cover:

Whether you're scaling a security startup, running a blue team, or navigating board-level cyber strategy, this episode delivers hard-earned insights from someone who's seen the full lifecycle, technical, strategic, and entrepreneurial.

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Mischa van Geelen, one of the Netherlands’ most remarkable cybersecurity professionals. At just 13 years old, Mischa discovered a critical vulnerability at a major Dutch bank. By 15, he was the youngest full-time pen tester at a global consultancy. Now in his twenties, he’s already co-founded one of the top incident response firms in the country, served as TISO at leading payment institutions like iDEAL and European Payment Institute (EPI) and is gearing up to launch his next venture.

Mischa’s story is anything but ordinary. A self-taught hacker turned security strategist, he shares candid insights into the realities of incident response, the pitfalls of “watermelon compliance,” and why cybersecurity must be treated as a business enabler, not a sunk cost. Whether it’s rebuilding a college’s IT infrastructure after a massive ransomware attack or scaling a startup from scratch, Mischa combines technical brilliance with rare clarity on communication, compliance, and leadership.

In this episode, we cover:

Whether you're a CISO, student, founder, or future threat analyst, this episode is packed with valuable lessons and honest reflections from someone who's lived cybersecurity from every angle and isn't done yet.

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Marco Riccardi, threat intelligence expert, startup founder, and the mind behind QuoIntelligence. From getting his first computer at age 7 to running cyber operations at Deutsche Bank and the European Central Bank, Marco’s journey is anything but linear. He’s built a deep-tech company protecting European infrastructure, all while fusing AI, geopolitics, and intelligence analysis into a single mission: safeguarding Europe’s digital future.

Marco is the founder and CEO of QuoIntelligence, a fast-growing European scale-up tackling the growing need for context-aware threat intelligence. His roots lie in coding and hacking, but his vision is firmly set on building an intelligence powerhouse grounded in critical thinking, geopolitics, and predictive security. In this episode, he breaks down the gaps in the vendor market, why Europe needs its own intelligence solutions, and what it takes to scale a security company without losing its soul.

We cover:

Whether you’re a cyber leader, an aspiring threat analyst, or simply curious about how intelligence intersects with business, this episode offers a raw, honest, and insightful look into one of Europe’s most original cybersecurity minds.

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we speak with Mahdi Abdulrazak, a cybersecurity leader, serial investor, and one of the most remarkable self-made minds in the field. He just left his CISO position SHV Energy, where he led a team of over 100 professionals, but his journey started much earlier as a refugee, a teenage hacker, and a relentless entrepreneur.

Mahdi’s story spans continents, industries, and disciplines. Fluent in over 8 languages and driven by curiosity, he's not only built pioneering technology platforms but also invested in some of the most promising cybersecurity startups in Europe, including Hadrian and Workwise, and now his own venture Dawnguard. From building his first tech company in the early 2000s to mentoring the next generation of founders, Mahdi brings a rare blend of street smartness, deep technical insight, and philosophical clarity.

After years witnessing how reactive cybersecurity slows innovation, Mahdi is building Dawnguard to make security-by-design the new default, shifting security left from day zero with the power of AI and automation.

In this episode, we explore:

Mahdi speaks with striking honesty about risk, purpose, and what it means to truly contribute. Whether you’re a young professional, a seasoned CISO, or an aspiring founder, this conversation will challenge and inspire you.

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Fleur van Leusden, one of the most visible and respected voices in the Dutch cybersecurity landscape. Fleur is the current Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at a major Dutch government institution, but her work spans far beyond that.

With a background in criminology and a career that began in law enforcement, Fleur has become a strategic advisor to the Dutch education system, a frequent keynote speaker, and the host of one of the most popular cybersecurity podcasts in the Netherlands: CISO Praat. Her journey from internet detective at the Dutch National Police to forensic analyst, consultant, and now solo CISO, reflects the evolution of the cybersecurity field itself.

In this episode, we dive into:

Fleur shares honest, witty, and insightful reflections on the pressure CISOs face, how to let go of perfectionism, and why community support is crucial in this ever-changing field.

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In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with Dimitri van Zantvliet, one of the most respected CISOs in the Netherlands and the current Chief Information Security Officer at the Dutch Railway (NS). Dimitri’s career spans from electromechanical engineering on offshore rigs to becoming a national authority on cybersecurity, advising startups, governments, and international councils.

He’s the co-founder of the Dutch CISO community, an angel investor, a public speaker, and Dutch ambassador for the Global Council for Responsible AI. Dimitri also serves on advisory boards such as TNO and the University of Amsterdam’s Leadership Academy, shaping the future of digital security on multiple levels.

In this episode, we dive into:

Dimitri shares powerful insights on threat intelligence, incident response, ethical AI, and the evolving role of CISOs in a world shaped by hybrid threats and rapid technological change.

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Title: The Infrastructure Behind Smarter SOCs with VirtualMetric Founders | Cyber Security District Podcast

Episode Description:

In this episode of Cyber Security District, we sit down with the founders of VirtualMetric, one of Europe’s most promising scale-ups in the cybersecurity space. Meet Yusuf Öztürk, CTO and original brain behind the platform, and Jimmy Wind, CEO and commercial strategist who joined the company to accelerate growth and take it global.

VirtualMetric started as a performance monitoring tool but made a smart pivot into cybersecurity, solving one of the biggest pain points for Security Operations Centers (SOCs): the skyrocketing cost and inefficiency of SIEM platforms like Microsoft Sentinel.

In this episode, we dive into:

Yusuf and Jimmy share practical insights on filtering and enriching telemetry data, how to reduce your SIEM bill by 70–80%, and why smart pre-processing is a must-have for every CISO.

Key Takeaways:

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Welcome to another exciting episode of Cybersecurity District. Today, we're diving into a hot topic—cryptocurrency and cybersecurity—with none other than Jean-Paul de Jong, a partner at BlockFo and a seasoned expert in cyber investigations and blockchain security.

With over 30 years of experience, Jean-Paul has worked with multinational enterprises, law enforcement, and intelligence organizations such as the British government and Europol. In 2018, he transitioned into the world of blockchain, where he now plays a key role in fighting cryptocurrency-related crimes.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The mission of BlockFo in combating crypto crimes

Jean-Paul also shares his journey from traditional IT roles to becoming a leader in blockchain, offering invaluable insights for both experienced professionals and newcomers to the field.

Key takeaways include the importance of hardware wallets, multi-factor authentication, and the growing demand for cybersecurity expertise in the blockchain industry.

Timestamps:

Don't miss this engaging and insightful conversation. Tune in to learn from one of the leading minds in cybersecurity. 

Connect with us: 

Laurens Jagt on LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurensjagt/

Jean-Paul De Jong LinkedIn:  https://www.linkedin.com/in/jeanpauldejong/

Visit our website: https://www.cybersecuritydistrict.com/

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