Doors Open & Registration

Opening Keynote - Navigating Cybersecurity & Data Leadership in 2025

Join Jon Newbolt, Senior Microsoft Technology Center Technical Architect for his opening Keynote on "Navigating Cybersecurity & Data Leadership in 2025"

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Startup World Cup - Data / Cyber Pitch Competition

Track A - 2025 Top Cybersecurity Trends: How to Prepare and Protect Your Organization

Cyber threats are evolving at an unprecedented pace, staying ahead of the curve is crucial for safeguarding your organization. This keynote will leave attendees with insights and tools to protect their company, data, and team and cover topics including: 1. Emerging Threat Landscape and a comprehensive understanding of the latest threats, like APTs, ransomware, and supply chain attacks. 2. Innovative Defenses ranging from AI-driven threat detection to zero-trust architectures. 3. Stay informed of new regulatory compliance laws and standards and what steps you need to take to remain compliant. 4. Learn best practices for incident response and recovery and effectively managing and mitigating the impact of a cyber-attack. 5. Explore strategies for fostering a security-conscious company culture and training your team to be the first line of defense. 6. Get a glimpse into the future of cybersecurity.

Track B - AI in Action: Smarter Operations, Boosted Productivity, Stronger Security

AI is moving fast—and the businesses that understand it are pulling ahead. This session breaks down how real companies are using AI to boost productivity, reduce costs, and drive real ROI. We’ll spotlight the tools delivering results and explore how AI is being used not only to improve operations, but to power modern cybersecurity defenses. If you’re thinking about what AI means for your business, this is the conversation you can’t afford to miss.

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Track A - Your Data Super-power: Data Storytelling

In this session, you will learn about and practice the basics of entering into the world of data storytellers, by making data engaging and fun, making data relatable, and making data actionable.

Track B - Navigating AI Security: Protecting Your Organization in the Era of Generative AI

Designed for security professionals and technology leaders, this session requires no deep technical knowledge but assumes familiarity with basic security concepts and enterprise AI use cases. We'll use recent incidents as case studies to demonstrate how to develop security policies that balance innovation with risk management.

Lunch

Track A: Security in Open-Source Software: Exploring Tools and the Software Development Life Cycle

This session, led by Brandon Lynch, Security Engineer at Object Computing, will explore the crucial role of open-source security tools in safeguarding technological infrastructures against evolving threats. Discover how to effectively evaluate and integrate these tools to meet your enterprise's specific security requirements and unlock the benefits of community-driven solutions, including enhanced protection and collective expertise.

Track B: What's the Cod3? Paving the Way for Black Students in Tech

How do we build a cybersecurity workforce as diverse as the threats it defends against? Secure Our Future tackles this urgent question by focusing on the power of inclusion, advocacy, and early-career mentorship to reshape the future of cybersecurity. Drawing from my journey as a cybersecurity leader, I’ll share how to break barriers through community outreach, empower underrepresented professionals with mentorship and training, and build strong, diverse hiring pipelines. This session explores practical solutions like leveraging community partnerships, early-career talent programs, and tailored mentorship to uplift Black professionals and other underrepresented groups in tech. Attendees will leave inspired with actionable tools to drive diversity in their teams, their organizations, and across the industry. Join us as we build a future where cybersecurity leadership is as diverse as the challenges it defends against.

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Track A: Hidden Dangers Of AI In Developer Workflows: Navigating Security Risks with Human Insight

Join this talk to see some real examples of AI getting it wrong, but stay for a discussion on how you can leverage already existing tools to make the best use of the most valuable resource in the company…your team's time.

Track B: Securing the Digital Assistant: Security Considerations for Deploying Copilot

In an age where digital assistance is becoming increasingly integrated into our daily workflows, the security of such systems is paramount. This presentation will address the critical security considerations that organizations must evaluate when adopting Copilot for Microsoft 365. We will discuss the potential risks, the importance of data privacy, and the safeguards that need to be in place to protect sensitive information. Attendees will learn about the security architecture of Copilot, compliance with industry standards, and best practices for maintaining a secure AI environment. By understanding these security essentials, organizations can confidently leverage Copilot for Microsoft 365 to enhance their productivity while ensuring their data remains protected.

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Track A: Don't Get Hacked Off: Cyber Hygiene for a Smooth SDLC

Too often, cybersecurity is bolted on as an afterthought in the software development lifecycle. This talk breaks that pattern. Learn essential cyber hygiene practices for building security into your SDLC from the ground up. We'll cover: - Shifting Security Left: Why proactive threat modeling and security considerations in early development stages are key to robust software. - Automation: Your Ally in Layered Defense: How to leverage automation to streamline vulnerability scanning, security testing, and remediation workflows. - Beyond Checklists: Crafting Strong Acceptance Criteria & Definitions of Done: Embedding security requirements into every phase to ensure your releases meet defined security standards.

Track B: Proven Entrepreneurial Approaches to AI

In this session, we will explore practical strategies for successfully integrating AI into business operations using proven entrepreneurial methods. The discussion will focus on four key concepts: 1) Data Readiness – AI projects are only as strong as the data that fuels them. We will examine how entrepreneurs can assess, clean, and structure their data to ensure models generate meaningful insights while avoiding common pitfalls related to bias and poor data quality. 2) Delivering Business Outcomes – AI investments must drive measurable value. This session will highlight approaches for aligning AI initiatives with business goals, defining key performance indicators (KPIs), and ensuring AI solutions contribute to revenue growth, cost reduction, or operational efficiencies. 3) Self-Funding AI Initiatives – Instead of relying solely on external funding, successful entrepreneurs often use incremental revenue from early AI deployments to fund further development. We will discuss strategies for identifying quick-win use cases that generate immediate returns, helping AI projects sustain themselves financially. 4) Project Off-Ramps – Not every AI initiative will succeed, and recognizing when to pivot or halt a project is crucial. We will cover techniques for setting clear evaluation milestones, identifying early warning signs, and establishing structured exit strategies to minimize sunk costs and redirect resources effectively. By combining these principles, entrepreneurs can deploy AI solutions that are not only innovative but also financially viable and results-driven.

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The Future of Cybersecurity Careers: Exploring Hiring Trends, Skill Demand & Talent Opportunities on the Horizon

The demand for cybersecurity professionals is at an all-time high, but the landscape of hiring, skill development, and career pathways is constantly evolving. Join us for this dynamic panel discussion, moderated by Tony Bryan, Executive Director of CyberUp, as we explore the latest trends shaping cybersecurity careers. Experts from workforce development, cybersecurity education, and industry will share insights on the most sought-after skills, hiring challenges, and strategies for closing the talent gap.

CyberCon Networking Reception