There’s the Black Hat you see—the crowded expo hall, the buzzwords, the giveaways.
And then there’s the one you feel—the startup optimism, the late-night pitch contests, the moments where someone says something real over a frozen drink in an ice bar.

In our first episode of Humanizing Cyber, we take you with us into that second version of the conference.

We start in Startup City, where hungry founders pitch from modest booths with big ambition. We pass by booths that feel like national parks and body shops, where creativity isn’t just part of the marketing—it’s baked into the business model. We end up at a party where the community comes alive. And somewhere in between, we judge a game show.

This isn’t about recapping who said what on stage. It’s about what it felt like to be there—among people building, pitching, and trying to stand out in an industry where everyone is smart and everything sounds the same.

If you’ve ever walked a show floor and wondered how you’re supposed to compete—or if you’ve just wanted a fresh perspective on the human side of cybersecurity, this is for you.

Subscribe to Humanizing Cyber wherever you hear your podcasts for future episodes where we’ll keep going behind the scenes—at conferences, inside creative campaigns, and in conversation with the marketers, founders, and storytellers shaping cybersecurity culture.

Because the tech might be complex, but the connection is human.
And we’re just getting started.