RAD Security is a company that offers a comprehensive AI-driven platform, empowering organizations to secure their AI workloads and cloud infrastructure with real-time, behavior-driven defense. Pulse 2.0 interviewed RAD Security co-founder and CTO Jimmy Mesta to gain a deeper understanding of the company.
Jimmy Mesta’s Background
What is Jimmy Mesta’s background? Mesta said:
“I am a veteran security engineering leader focused on building cloud-native security solutions. I have held various leadership positions with enterprises navigating the growth of cloud services and containerization. At the web app firewall innovator Signal Sciences (acquired by Fastly, Inc.), I led offensive and defensive teams across the Security and Engineering organizations while helping build modern, developer-friendly security solutions.”
“Before that, I was an independent consultant focused on building large-scale cloud security programs, delivering technical security training, producing research and securing some of the largest containerized environments in the world. I earned my BS from Penn State University with one of the first degrees in Security & Risk Analysis from its College of Information Sciences and Technology.”
“For over 10+ years, I have been closely involved with OWASP, a nonprofit foundation that works to improve the security of software–I am the leader of the OWASP Kubernetes Top Ten Project. I have presented at global security conferences including KubeCon, LocoMocoSec, RSAC, NDC, CactusCon, and AppSec USA.”
Favorite Memory
What has been your favorite memory working for the company so far? Mesta reflected:
“Any time that we get together in person these days is a good memory for me. Two memories in 2024 that stood out in particular were being chosen as a finalist for the RSA Innovation Sandbox as well as the Blackhat Startup Spotlight top ten. I personally presented at Blackhat and it was a rush to win the crowd favorite award.”
Core Products
What are the company’s core products and features? Mesta explained:
“RAD Security offers a cutting-edge AI-driven cloud security platform that uses self-learning, AI agents. These agents autonomously adjust detection logic in real time to deliver faster, more effective threat identification and response across cloud workloads, identities, infrastructure, and supply chains. Our platform includes AI agents that enhance key security functions, including vulnerability management, detection and response, and threat modeling. These agents work together to tackle key security challenges, helping organizations secure their cloud environments by continuously adapting to new data and minimizing false positives.”
“Security teams are getting bogged down by the increasing number and complexity of vulnerabilities, which leads to mistakes and burnout. AI-driven tools are about to change that by automating tasks like triage, validation, and patching. By analyzing huge amounts of data, these tools can predict which vulnerabilities are most likely to be exploited, helping teams focus on the most urgent threats.”
Biggest Challenges
What are the biggest challenges in your sector now? Mesta acknowledged:
“One of the biggest challenges in cloud security today is the overwhelming number of vulnerabilities (CVEs), false positives, and resource limitations that security teams face. RAD Security has addressed this challenge by developing an AI-powered cyber defense platform that automates security processes, reducing alert fatigue and providing more accurate, real-time threat detection. By leveraging self-learning agents, we are able to efficiently prioritize and triage security events, helping teams focus on more strategic tasks while the platform takes care of the day-to-day security operations. It’s more important than ever to secure cloud-based environments as threats increase and AI amplifies bad actors’ ability to devise novel attack strategies.”
Evolution Of The Company’s Technology
How has the company’s technology evolved since its launch? How do you see cybersecurity evolving this year and beyond? Mesta noted:
“Since launching, RAD Security has continuously innovated its cloud security platform, transitioning from basic detection capabilities to the development of self-learning, AI agents. These agents autonomously adjust detection logic in real time and work together to address emerging threats, providing proactive protection against a rapidly evolving threat landscape. RAD’s platform now includes purpose-built agents for vulnerability management, threat detection, and cloud security posture, which automatically adapt to new data, offering more efficient and scalable protection than traditional cloud security technologies.”
“Cybersecurity will dramatically evolve this year and beyond, driven by AI and cloud adoption. With cybercrime projected to hit $10.5 trillion, organizations must adopt AI-powered defenses to keep pace with sophisticated threats. Automation will handle routine tasks like vulnerability management, while AI will speed up threat detection. As traditional perimeter defenses fade, cloud-native tools like Cloud Detection and Response (CDR) will be crucial. Passwords will give way to biometric and AI-driven identity verification, with Zero Trust models becoming standard. AI will also help bridge the cybersecurity talent gap, making strong security more accessible. As AI itself becomes a target, securing AI systems will be a top priority. Early adopters of these innovations will stay ahead of both attackers and competitors.”
Significant Milestones
What have been some of the company’s most significant milestones? Mesta cited:
“A significant milestone for RAD Security was the successful completion of a $14 million Series A funding round, led by Cheyenne Ventures, which will accelerate our go-to-market strategy and expand our reach across new industries. Additionally, RAD made history by being the only company selected to compete in both the RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox and the Blackhat Startup Spotlight Competition in 2024, where we received the audience choice award.”
Customer Success Stories
When asking Mesta about customer success stories, he highlighted:
“I recently had a great conversation with one of our financial services customers, and they shared how RAD Security helped them save over $300,000 a year in cloud spending. They found three key areas where RAD made a real impact. First, by identifying security risks, like un-patchable vulnerabilities in their Kubernetes environment, we helped them eliminate unnecessary support fees and upgrade to a more secure version.
“Second, RAD Security consolidated several security tools into one easy-to-manage dashboard, cutting down on licensing and infrastructure costs, while also making it easier for their team to stay on top of security. And finally, we helped them identify dormant, underutilized clusters they had forgotten about, which they could retire or consolidate, freeing up valuable cloud resources.”
“All of this not only improved their security but also allowed them to make more efficient use of their resources, saving both time and money. It’s a great example of how security can be a powerful business enabler.”
Total Addressable Market
What total addressable market (TAM) size is the company pursuing? Mesta assessed:
“The cloud security sector is projected to reach billions of dollars as organizations prioritize more advanced, proactive security solutions. Our AI-powered cyber defense platform positions us well to capture a significant share of this growing market, as businesses increasingly seek effective solutions to secure their cloud environments and AI systems.”
Differentiation From The Competition
What differentiates the company from its competition? Mesta affirmed:
“What sets RAD Security apart is our world-first AI-driven cyber defense platform, which uses self-learning AI agents that autonomously detect and respond to cloud threats in real time. Unlike traditional, signature-based security solutions, RAD’s platform continuously adapts to new threats, delivering faster, more effective detection with fewer false positives. Our agents communicate and collaborate as a team, addressing complex challenges in cloud security, from vulnerability management to threat detection. This adaptive, proactive approach gives RAD a competitive edge over traditional cloud security technologies and industry leaders like AWS GuardDuty and Crowdstrike.”
Future Company Goals
What are some of the company’s future goals? Mesta concluded:
“At RAD Security, our goal is to keep pushing the boundaries of what security can do for businesses. We want to show how security isn’t just about protection. It’s a powerful business enabler. That means helping our customers uncover hidden costs tied to technical debt or inefficiencies and turning those into savings. We’re also focused on expanding our platform’s ability to consolidate tools, making security simpler, more cost-effective, and easier to manage.”
“Another key priority is helping organizations optimize their cloud resources by identifying dormant or unnecessary infrastructure and freeing up those resources for better use. And, of course, as technology evolves, we’re committed to staying ahead of emerging threats and ensuring our customers are always one step ahead. It’s about delivering security that’s smarter, more efficient, and ultimately drives growth.”
