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By Simon Quicke, Microscope Editor
Published: 27 Mar 2024 12:00
Security startup Goldilock has decided the time is right to adopt a channel-only approach to grow its business.
The UK firm, which has developed a physical network isolation service, is hoping an indirect approach will give it access to more customers and a chance to gain greater market penetration.
The company has developed a patented appliance that can isolate and ringfence systems in a matter of seconds preventing a breach from spreading. The startup has been part of the National Cyber Security Centre’s joint NCSC For Startups programme with Plexal, and received support from the Ministry of Defence’s Defence and Security Accelerator.
Goldilock CEO and founder Tony Hasek said its offering appealed to a wide customer base, including key verticals such as healthcare and defence, and the moment was right to go all-in with the channel.
“With a channel-first approach, we are able to scale our business effectively to cater to this need and ensure comprehensive protection reaches every corner of the global market,” he said.
The firm has backed the shift in strategy with a dedicated hire, with Steven Brodie joining as its new head of sales and channel.
He has a CV that stretches back over 25 years, and includes channel experience with a number of household names, including Cisco, HPE, Dell and Juniper.
Brodie’s first task will be to establish channel relationships and start building a partner network.
“I'm thrilled to be joining Goldilock at this pivotal time,” he said. “We’ve been working with some distributors and resellers for some time now, and we’re actively recruiting more partners to join our growing network. The channel is the most effective way for Goldilock to deliver its solutions to a wider audience. I look forward to building a strong network of partners and working together to protect infrastructure, and potentially save lives.”
Goldilock is not alone in identifying the channel as the route to market in the security sector. Canalys indicated last year that the bulk of security sales were going through the partners, stating at its event in October 2023 that 70% of all IT spending went through the channel.
The prospect of a user suffering a breach remains high, and many customers are at risk of falling into a state of overconfidence regarding their defences.
Research from Cisco has found that very low numbers of customers are at a “mature” level of readiness to fend off threats.
That statistic matters because 70% of respondents quizzed by the vendor revealed they expected an attack would disrupt their business in the next 12 to 24 months, and nearly all are planning to increase security budgets in the year ahead.
“We cannot underestimate the threat posed by our own overconfidence,” said Jeetu Patel, executive vice-president and general manager of security and collaboration at Cisco. “Today’s organisations need to prioritise investments in integrated platforms and lean into AI [artificial intelligence] to operate at machine scale, and finally tip the scales in the favour of defenders.”
