Most cybersecurity companies build for enterprises. Some build for governments. Very few build for telcos — and even fewer manage to transform telco networks into massive cybersecurity distribution engines.

Whalebone did exactly that.

Founded in Brno almost a decade ago, Whalebone spent years growing steadily — 100% YoY, every year, for nine years straight — before hitting a global inflection point. Today, the company is on track to reach a milestone that only a handful of cybersecurity players have ever touched:

👉 Protecting one billion people through network-level security.

In this episode of Scaling Cyber, Richard Malovic shares how a mix of “productive naivety,” relentless ambition, and obsessive customer listening turned Whalebone into one of Europe’s most globally scaled cybersecurity vendors.

🎧 Listen to the full conversation on Scaling Cyber: YouTube | Spotify | Apple Podcasts

The Origin Story: When Not Knowing the Rules Becomes an Advantage

Richard is the first to admit something unusual:

He entered cybersecurity without a cybersecurity background.His co-founder, Robert, brought the technical expertise, but Richard came from an entirely different world — steam and gas turbines at Siemens, selling machinery across continents.

That outsider mindset became a superpower.

Where many cyber founders look at industry norms as constraints, Richard simply didn’t know those constraints existed — and therefore ignored them.

“I didn’t know the traditional schemes. I didn’t ask too much around.That naivety was the key.”

Instead of following industry playbooks, Whalebone followed its customers.

The Telco Pivot That Changed Everything

Whalebone started by offering threat intelligence. They could have stayed there — consulting, selling data, or building a firewall or endpoint product.

But conversations changed the trajectory.

Small ISPs told them:👉 “Take your threat intelligence and filter my DNS traffic.”Large telcos like Telefónica and América Móvil told them:👉 “Your technology could power security for every SIM card and every household.”

That feedback sparked the model Whalebone is famous for today:

DNS-level protection delivered through telcos — not as cost, but as a revenue-generating service.

This shift also transformed their business model from licenses into consumption-based economics, perfectly aligned with how telcos operate.

Few cybersecurity companies have ever achieved this level of integration and adoption in telco infrastructure.

Scaling to 1 Billion: The Vision Becoming a Mission

Whalebone’s core idea is simple but audacious:

Protect everyone connected to a network — without installing anything.

Because the protection sits at the DNS and network layer, Whalebone can shield:

* Consumers

* Small businesses

* Enterprises

* Government users

* Entire populations

Richard reveals that within months, Whalebone’s customer telcos will collectively serve 1 billion people — meaning the infrastructure will be in place to protect them all.

Not all will be activated on day one. Penetration happens progressively.But the vision has officially transitioned into an execution mission.

Why Growing Up in Czechia Helped — But Not How You Think

Czechia is known for cybersecurity successes — AVG, Avast, ESET (where Ignacio built a major part of his career). But Richard doesn’t attribute Whalebone’s growth to that legacy.

He attributes it to ambition and confidence.

Technical founders in Europe often self-limit, he says, but US and Israeli founders don’t — and neither did Whalebone.

“Positive examples are the most important.Europe needs ambition and confidence more than anything else.”

Being from Czechia helped in one meaningful way:Brno has a long tradition of international trade, and Richard simply treated cybersecurity the way he treated turbines — no borders, no hesitation, no fear.

“We’re Not Selling Cybersecurity — We’re Selling Business”

One of Whalebone’s biggest differentiators is their high-touch engagement with telcos.

Telcos asked thousands of questions. Whalebone answered — then answered better by building a robust customer success engine dedicated to helping telcos expand user adoption.

This is rare in cybersecurity. Many vendors stop at product delivery.

Whalebone goes further:✔ Helps telcos increase penetration✔ Provides commercialization playbooks✔ Aligns around new revenue streams✔ Builds long-term partnerships instead of transactions

Product excellence + service excellence = the winning formula.

DNS4EU: A European Project with Business DNA

The EU’s DNS4EU initiative is one of the most ambitious public cybersecurity efforts in recent years.

But Whalebone didn’t join because of public funding.

They joined because — uniquely — economic viability was a requirement.The program was structured as a Public-Private Partnership where profitability mattered as much as protection.

For Richard, this turned a public project into a business challenge worth tackling.

Going Global Early — And What Happens at 150 Employees

Whalebone has people across Latin America, India, Lithuania, Spain, Latvia, and more.

Richard makes it sound deceptively simple:

“It’s not that difficult. People are just in another place.”

But the real challenge wasn’t global reach — it was the transition from 80 to 150 people.

Communication complexity increases.Alignment becomes harder.More people doesn’t always mean more output.

Richard describes it as walking through a snowy valley with normal boots — you know you’ll reach the other side, but it takes effort.

This phase is where many European cyber companies stall.Whalebone is pushing through.

What’s Next: New Protection Layers & a Global Distribution Engine

Whalebone will continue to add layers of protection that don’t depend on installing software — identity protection, network-centric security, and more.

But the bigger opportunity?

Leaning into what Richard calls their “go-to-market omnipresence.”

In other words:

👉 A global sales machine capable of absorbing and scaling additional cybersecurity technologies.

This echoes the Palo Alto Networks model — leveraging GTM strength as a multiplier for product expansion.

Few European companies have ever attempted it.Whalebone wants to be one of them.

The Founder Mindset: Focus on the Next Match

When asked about future milestones, Richard shares a story:

A few weeks ago, he celebrated a personal milestone — reducing his direct reports down to five. For a founder who once had 15–20 people reporting to him, it was a sign of a maturing organization.

But for what comes next?

“I’m focused on the next match.One match after another — and hopefully at the end of the season, there will be success.”

This grounded approach is what keeps Whalebone moving fast without losing direction.

About the Episode

This conversation is part of Season 1 of Scaling Cyber — the show where founders and leaders from outside the US and Israel share how they’re building global cybersecurity companies.

Host: Ignacio Sbampato — cybersecurity executive, former Chief Business Officer at ESET, and founder of BridgerWise.Guest: Richard Malovic, CEO & Co-Founder of Whalebone.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit scalingcyber.substack.com