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#82 Silicon Valley Secrets: From 3x Exit Founder of Baffle io Ameesh Divatia

Data Security in the Cloud: A Conversation with Ameesh Divatia, Founder of Baffle, on Building a Data Protection Unicorn with Startup Project founder Nataraj Sindam.

Introduction:

Data security is paramount in today’s digital world, especially as businesses move to the cloud. But how do you protect sensitive data while enabling innovation with technologies like generative AI? In this blog post, we delve into a conversation with Mish, Founder of Baffle, a company tackling this challenge head-on. We glean insights from his entrepreneurial journey and explore the future of data security.

The Journey of a Silicon Valley Veteran

Mish is a seasoned entrepreneur with a long history in the tech industry. He started his career in the networking silicon space and has since founded four successful startups, three of which were acquired. His ventures have spanned diverse areas, from optical networking and storage networking to silicon photonics and data protection. Mish’s experience gives him unique insights into building and scaling companies in the dynamic world of technology.

The Birth of Baffle: Solving a Critical Data Security Problem

Baffle was born out of Mish’s understanding that traditional security solutions, focused on protecting the perimeter, are no longer sufficient in a cloud-first world. The rise of generative AI, which requires data sharing, exacerbates this challenge. Mish saw an opportunity to create a new category of data protection, datacentric security, where data is protected at the record level with encryption, making it invisible even if a hack occurs.

Mish emphasizes the importance of proactive security that makes it difficult and unprofitable for hackers to steal data. This approach shifts the focus from reacting to breaches to preventing them in the first place.

Watch full conversation between Ameesh & Nataraj below. For more insights on building startup, sign up here for future updates.

Baffle’s Go-to-Market Strategy: Direct First, Channels Later

Mish advocates for a direct go-to-market strategy for early-stage startups. By engaging directly with customers, companies can gain valuable insights into their needs and develop solutions that address specific pain points. Baffle found its initial success by targeting PostgreSQL databases, which lacked native encryption capabilities.

As Baffle grew, its strategy evolved to leverage cloud providers as a channel. By partnering with them, Baffle can reach a broader customer base and offer a solution that benefits both the provider and the end user. This approach demonstrates the importance of adapting your strategy as your company matures.

Don’t miss the insightful conversation, available below!

The Future of Data Security: Data-Centricity, Remediation, and Gen AI

Mish believes the future of data security lies in datacentricity, a paradigm shift where data itself is the focal point of security. This approach involves implementing encryption and other data protection measures at the record level to ensure data confidentiality.

He also highlights the importance of remediation, a key trend in the industry. While discovery and classification are crucial steps in security, they only highlight the problem. Remediation is about actively addressing security vulnerabilities and ensuring data remains safe.

Gen AI is another transformative force in the security landscape. Baffle is already integrating Gen AI in various ways, from aiding its developers to enhancing customer success and even revolutionizing data discovery. Mish sees Gen AI as a potent tool for improving productivity and tackling complex security challenges.

Key Takeaways

  • Data security is evolving from perimeter-based to datacentric, focusing on protecting data at the record level.
  • Proactive security measures that make data theft difficult and unprofitable are essential.
  • Gen AI is transforming the security industry, from development processes to customer success and data discovery.
  • Ease of use and adoption are paramount for successful new technologies.

Connect with us:

Host: Nataraj – Investor at Incisive VC, Angel Investor, and Product Manager.

Guest : Ameesh Divatia – Founder and CEO of Baffle.