Guest: Mariana Padilla, Founder & CEO of Hackerverse.ai

Summary: Mariana shares how Hackerverse is turning cybersecurity sales into hands-on, testable experiences for buyers. From "World Hacker Games" to instant, AI-generated product demos, Mariana explains how she and her team are slashing POC timelines, building trust through transparency, and creating a community-led growth engine in an industry known for skepticism. She also talks about her unique journey, advice for startup founders, and the looming risks of agentic AI warfare.

Key Takeaways

• Storytelling is critical in technical sales: “Words are our code.”
• Buyers can test software in digital replicas of their own systems—no sales call needed.
• Red team “World Hacker Games” offer real-time validation of cybersecurity products.
• Using generative and agentic AI, Hackerverse can launch vendor POCs in hours.
• Community-building through Discord, immersive branding, and real relationships is core to Hackerverse’s success.

Frameworks & Models

• Digital POC Framework: Self-service product trials in simulated environments.
• Community-Led Growth: Build rabid fans through radical transparency and engaging experiences.
• Beginner’s Mindset: Embrace naivety as a strength when entering technical industries.

Resources

• Hackerverse.ai
• Mariana’s LinkedIn
• Techstars Chicago AI
• OWASP Foundation
• Lydia – Deepfake Detection
• Book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki

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