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332. Interview with Matt Holland, CEO and co-founder of Field Effect: A $32 Million A-Round, Walking Away from a PhD – How This Founder is Securing Success in Cybersecurity by Serving an Underserved Market

By December 11, 2023No Comments
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In this enthralling installment of Raw and Real Entrepreneurship, Susan Sly, the host, engages in a compelling conversation with Matt Holland, the CEO and co-founder of Field Effect, exploring his extraordinary path in the realm of cybersecurity. Having made the choice to abandon the pursuit of his PhD, Holland provides distinct perspectives on the shift from academia to entrepreneurship. The discussion delves extensively into the intricacies of starting a company from scratch, shedding light on the obstacles and victories inherent in the process of bootstrapping a business.

Topics covered in the interview

Fundraising in a challenging VC climate
Company growth
Cybersecurity for small businesses

Matt Holland’s Bio

Matt Holland is a prominent figure in the cyber security industry, known for his extensive experience as an ex-cyber spy and successful entrepreneur. Currently, he is the founder and CEO of Field Effect, a cyber security company that provides powerful and complete protection for businesses of all sizes from cyber attacks. Founded in 2016, the company was bootstrapped by Matt and only recently brought on investors to the tune of $30 million. Prior to Field Effect, Matt co-founded and bootstrapped an intelligence tradecraft company called Linchpin Labs, which grew to become the commercial world leader at what it did. It was sold in 2018 as part of a bundled $200 million deal alongside partner company Azimuth. Matt’s expertise in cyber security comes from decades of experience working with the world’s best offensive and defensive cybersecurity professionals as part of the Five Eyes intelligence community, providing him with valuable insights into the industry. Overall, Matt Holland is a well-respected cyber security expert (renowned in the underground intelligence world) and esteemed entrepreneur who has made significant contributions to the industry, and is poised to continue to change the industry for the better with his work at Field Effect.

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About Susan Sly

Susan Sly is an AI keynote speaker and AI ethicist, recognized as one of the Top 7 Female AI Thought Leaders in the World. A graduate of MIT Sloan and the MIT School of Engineering, she has led large scale AI deployments in retail and presents to enterprise teams at companies including NVIDIA, HPE, Intel, and Lenovo. She serves as AI Expert in Residence for the National Sporting Goods Association.

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About Susan Sly

Susan Sly is an AI keynote speaker and AI ethicist, recognized as one of the Top 7 Female AI Thought Leaders in the World. A graduate of MIT Sloan and the MIT School of Engineering, she has led large scale AI deployments in retail and presents to enterprise teams at companies including NVIDIA, HPE, Intel, and Lenovo. She serves as AI Expert in Residence for the National Sporting Goods Association.

Book Susan to SpeakGet the Top Ten Prompts
Susan Sly

Susan Sly

Susan Sly is a female AI keynote speaker, two time AI founder and AI ethicist. Named a Top 7 Female AI Thought Leader for 2026, she has keynoted at Davos, CES and Ai4 and has delivered keynotes for Intel, NVIDIA, Hewlett Packard Enterprise and Lenovo. She is the founder and CEO of The Pause Technologies, former Co-CEO and Co-Founder of a leading computer vision company, and a graduate of MIT Sloan and the MIT School of Engineering in Executive Education. She has been featured on CNN, CNBC and Fox and serves as AI Expert-in-Residence for the National Sporting Goods Association.