Dream Founders Shalev Hulio and Sebastian Kurz on How Dream Became the World’s Fastest-Growing Cyber Startup Within 18 Months, Building the First AI Native Cybersecurity Company, and Whether it’s Possible to Ethically Use Offensive Cyber
Description
On this episode of Invested, Michael hosts two of the co-founders of Dream, Shalev Hulio and Sebastian Kurz.
Sebastian Kurz is a former Austrian politician who served as Chancellor of Austria from 2017 to 2019, and again from 2020 to 2021. A member of the Austrian People's Party (ÖVP), he began his political career in the party's youth wing, rising to prominence as State Secretary for Integration (2011–2013) and Foreign Minister (2013–2017). Kurz led the ÖVP to victory in the 2017 election, becoming one of the world's youngest heads of government at age 31. Since leaving politics, Kurz has worked as a global strategist and entrepreneur.
Shalev Hulio is a serial entrepreneur and cybersecurity expert. He co-founded NSO Group in 2010, serving as CEO until August 2022, where he oversaw the development of Pegasus, a controversial spyware used by governments to track criminal and terrorist activity. Prior to NSO, Hulio co-founded several tech ventures, including CommuniTake and Kaymera Technologies.
Together with Gil Dolev, Sebastian and Shalev founded Dream Security in January 2023, which specializes in AI-powered cyber defense.
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KEY TOPICS
00:00:00 The Unexpected Birth Story of Dream
00:05:50 From Politics to Tech Entrepreneurship
00:11:48 Cybersecurity: From Offense to Defense
00:14:35 Why AI Matters in Cybersecurity
00:17:32 Cyber Attacks and National Security
00:20:55 NSO & Building Trust in High-Stakes Environments
00:23:54 The Future of Cybersecurity and Ethics
00:26:53 Investing in Times of Crisis
00:29:34 Cybersecurity and Geopolitical Tensions
00:32:59 Dream’s Vision and Market Strategy
00:35:42 Cybersecurity: Challenges and Opportunities
00:44:48 The Importance of Leadership
00:56:29 The Birth of Dream
01:02:01 Cybersecurity as a National Threat
01:06:23 The Changing Landscape of Defense Spending
01:10:32 The Growth of Dream
01:12:01 Navigating Ethical Boundaries in Cybersecurity
RESOURCES
Follow Sebastian on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/sebastian-kurz/
Follow Shalev on LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/in/shalevholy/
Follow Sebastian on X - https://x.com/sebastiankurz
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CREDITS
Executive Producer: Erica Marom
Producer: Yoni Mayer, Myron Shneider
Video and Editing: Ron Baranov
Music and Creative Direction: Uri Ar
Content and Editorial: Kira Goldring
Design: Rony Karadi