BlackCloak is a company that provides digital privacy and personal cybersecurity protection for executives and high-profile individuals (research report 2025). Pulse 2.0 interviewed BlackCloak founder and CEO Dr. Chris Pierson to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Dr. Chris Pierson’s Background
Could you tell me more about your background? Dr. Pierson said:
“Before founding and leading BlackCloak, a digital executive protection firm, I served in various roles and sectors. Early in my career I was outside counsel for a law firm where I established our cybersecurity practice area. Later on I continued the cybersecurity & privacy fight serving as the Chief Privacy Officer for the Royal Bank of Scotland’s US operating bank as its first Chief Privacy Officer. And finally as a Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) for two different FinTechs. I was also privileged to serve as a Special Government Employee for the Department of Homeland Security’s Privacy Committee and Cybersecurity Subcommittee, was a Distinguished Fellow of the Ponemon Institute, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s Arizona InfraGard.”
“All of these roles have allowed me to take on matters of digital privacy, cybercrime, cybersecurity, national security, and other types of fraud and money laundering. I’ve always been working with close partners to try to stem the flow of data, money, and intellectual property from our largest companies and agencies.”
“In addition to leading BlackCloak, I’m a frequent keynote speaker on digital executive protection at industry events, a regular guest cybersecurity analyst and media personality.”
Formation Of The Company
How did the idea for the company come together? Dr. Pierson shared:
“I have held cybersecurity leadership roles for over 25 years, where I was responsible for protecting my organization’s most critical assets—computers, emails, servers, and networks, etc. As corporate defense systems became more advanced at protecting their digital crown jewels over the years, it became increasingly clear to me that attackers were shifting their focus to the path of least resistance. Rather than trying to break into the corporate stronghold or proverbial stone castle, they were targeting key executives, inventors, and board members in their personal lives. And it made sense—why would a cybercriminal attempt to breach a company fortified with $10–100 million in cybersecurity when they could easily exploit an executive with $20 worth of protection and vulnerable family members with little to no security?”
“I also recognized the emerging gap forming between enterprise security teams and the need to protect high-profile individuals and their families from financial fraud, cybercrime, hacking, reputational damage, privacy exposures, and identity theft. There were no tools or services available to solve this increasing problem. Their privacy, personal devices, and home networks were exposed.”
“That’s when I had a eureka moment and founded BlackCloak in 2018. I raised capital, built a team, and developed a product and technology to protect corporate executives, board members, and the C-suite in their personal lives—including their families. This gave rise to digital executive protection, which is now a global business mandate.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Dr. Pierson explained:
“BlackCloak offers a Concierge Cybersecurity & Privacy Platform for high-profile individuals and corporate executives in their personal lives. We help safeguard their identities, families, reputations and finances from cyber risk while maintaining their privacy.”
“Our proprietary cybersecurity technology, expert knowledge, and white-glove concierge support are tailored to secure the personal devices, home networks, and digital footprints of each client. As a result, we can greatly reduce their attack surface and defend against the most sophisticated and insidious cyber threats.”
“BlackCloak’s core service offerings complement our easy-to-use application and platform, which delivers digital executive protection across both mobile and desktop devices. Clients benefit from real-time threat detection and instant monitoring, with clear visualizations that show their cybersecurity and privacy status at any given moment. We also provide a 24/7 dedicated concierge, giving users on-demand access to cybersecurity experts in just a few clicks. In addition, our dedicated portal offers ongoing training, best practices, and the latest cybersecurity insights to empower clients and keep them informed.”
Funding
When asking Dr. Pierson about the company’s funding details, he revealed:
“BlackCloak has raised over $33 million in funding to date, with investors including DataTribe, TDF Ventures, TechOperators, Baird Capital, Blue Heron Capital, and The Legal Tech Fund.”
“As a privately held company, we do not disclose revenue figures.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Dr. Pierson affirmed:
“BlackCloak stands apart from its competitors by delivering holistic Digital Executive Protection that combines cybersecurity and physical security for high-profile individuals, executives, and their families. While many cybersecurity providers focus solely on enterprise systems, BlackCloak fills the critical gap between corporate security and personal risk.”
“Through proprietary technology, deep cybersecurity expertise, and concierge-level service, we protect our clients’ and their families’ personal devices, home networks, privacy, and identities. Clients benefit from real-time monitoring, threat detection, and 24/7 expert support—all delivered through a private, easy-to-use platform. No other provider offers the same level of personalization, discretion, and white-glove service tailored specifically for high-net-worth individuals and C-suite executives outside the corporate perimeter.”
“BlackCloak doesn’t just supplement enterprise security—it extends it into the personal sphere, where attackers increasingly focus and traditional security teams have no visibility or control.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Dr. Pierson assessed:
“The digital executive protection market is ripe for massive growth with attacks on high-profile individuals increasing from 43% in 2023 to 51% in 2025, according to the Ponemon Institute. According to Horizon Grand View Research, the global digital risk protection platform market size was estimated at $61,242.0 million in 2023 and is projected to reach $166,844.1 million by 2030, growing at a CAGR of 15.4% from 2024 to 2030.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since launching? Dr. Pierson noted:
“BlackCloak’s technology has evolved from early point solutions covering certain aspects of privacy and cybersecurity into a holistic platform that includes deception-based detection,privacy controls, mobile threat defense, and a foundational Digital Executive Protection framework.”
“Key milestones over the years include our proprietary Deception Technology, which emulates a real-world home network to detect and alert our Security Operations Center (SOC) when attackers probe personal devices or networks—long before a compromise occurs.”
“In 2022, we introduced several mobile security features, such as a QR-code scanner that prevents malicious redirections, malicious calendar invite detection to block hidden threats, and a built-in VPN to ensure trusted connectivity.”
“Earlier this year, we launched an identity verification solution designed to protect users from impersonation and scam campaigns, including deepfake-powered attacks targeting high-profile executives and individuals.”
“Additionally, this year we rolled out Data Suppression and Privacy Controls, providing continuous data removal by scouring hundreds of data broker sites to delete sensitive client information. The platform also added Google Street View blurring to reduce physical exposure by obscuring clients’ home imagery.”
