Senior Engineer

Exclusive: CrowdStrike's CTO is leaving to launch an AI-cyber fund. CrowdStrike global CTO Elia Zaitsev is leaving the cybersecurity giant to launch Cognition, a new venture firm targeting a $170 million fund. Why it matters: AI is creating new attack surfaces, and Cognition is betting the shift will produce a category-defining cybersecurity platform it can find and fund early. State of play: Zaitsev is leaving CrowdStrike after 13 years to launch Cognition alongside Gur Talpaz and Tayler Sipperly. * Talpaz and Sipperly worked in corporate development at CrowdStrike before launching their own early-stage fund, Brightmind. * There, they helped architect what they said was the largest Series A exit in cyber history: SGNL, which they entered at $105 million and exited at $740 million. * They see Zaitsev as their new fund's "superpower," Sipperly said, adding that "being able to offer" his expertise to founders is "deeply unique in the market." Between the lines: Cognition's thesis is that agentic AI is a platform-reset moment for cyber. * The three former CrowdStrikers behind the fund are specifically hunting for the rare technical team capable of building the next broad security platform. * Cognition plans to lead or co-lead seed and Series A rounds, and expects to make three or four concentrated investments a year. * Its model calls for average checks of $6 million at seed and $15 million at Series A. What they're saying: "We have this new attack surface that's being brought on by AI and agents," Zaitsev told Axios. * Zaitsev and his cofounders are looking for teams that can "keep up with the constantly changing adversarial threat landscape." * "AI security didn't exist five years ago... But as the adoption of AI dramatically ramps up in the enterprise, it requires a new set of tools," Talpaz told Axios. The bottom line: Cognition is betting AI will make cybersecurity harder to address and much more valuable.

Renaissance Technologies, the hedge fund founded by the late Jim Simons, has opened a new $572 million position in CrowdStrike Holdings in its Q2 2026 filing. The Austin, Texas-based cybersecurity company has seen its stock surge 82.52% year-to-date and 99.95% over the past 52 weeks. CrowdStrike reported strong Q1 2026 results on 4 June, with revenue reaching $1.39 billion, up 25.6% year-over-year and beating analyst estimates of $1.36 billion. Adjusted earnings per share came in at $1.10, ahead of the $1.07 estimate. The company's subscription gross margin improved to 78% from 77%, whilst non-GAAP operating income climbed to $325.7 million from $201.1 million. CrowdStrike also turned GAAP net income positive at $27.8 million, compared with a $104.3 million loss in the prior year period.

Cullinan Holdings enhances cybersecurity and operational efficiency with CrowdStrike. With millions of travelers depending on its services, Cullinan Holdings has transformed its cybersecurity strategy by adopting CrowdStrike's Falcon platform, ensuring the security of customer interactions in an evolving threat landscape. Key facts. * Cullinan reduced security alerts by 65%, enhancing operational efficiency and response time. * Adoption of CrowdStrike revealed undetected risks, validating the need for security modernization. * A lean IT team now focuses on strategic initiatives, shifting from reactive to proactive security. * Interoperability of security tools increases visibility, crucial for managing diverse operational needs. * Compliance with the Protection of Personal Information Act strengthens customer trust and market positioning. Summary. Cullinan Holdings, a leading tourism group in South Africa, faced challenges in securing customer information and ensuring platform availability amidst evolving cyber threats. By adopting the AI-native CrowdStrike Falcon(R) platform, they significantly improved their security operations, reducing security alerts by 65% and enabling their IT team to focus on genuine risks. Background. Cullinan Holdings operates in the tourism industry, managing over 20 businesses and employing around 1,000 staff. Before deploying CrowdStrike, the company struggled with multiple security tools that created blind spots and uncertainty in their security environment, impacting their ability to protect customer information effectively. Challenge. The primary challenge was the lack of confidence in the existing security measures, which resulted in significant blind spots and an overwhelming number of alerts that required extensive investigation. This inefficiency hindered the IT team's ability to respond to real threats promptly. Solution. In 2024, Cullinan implemented the CrowdStrike Falcon(R) platform, starting with Falcon(R) Insight XDR and Falcon(R) Adversary OverWatch. During the proof of concept, the platform identified critical security gaps, such as outdated operating systems and dormant malware. Within four weeks, the Falcon platform was deployed across all 1,000 endpoints, allowing Cullinan to refine detections and strengthen security policies. Results. The deployment of the Falcon platform led to a 65% reduction in security alerts, enabling the IT team to prioritize genuine threats. This shift allowed team members to focus on strategic initiatives rather than chasing false positives, enhancing overall operational efficiency. Key insights. Organizations should prioritize a unified security strategy that integrates various tools to improve visibility and reduce operational noise. A proactive approach to cybersecurity, akin to a comprehensive home security system, can significantly enhance resilience against threats. Customer testimonial. "CrowdStrike wasn't just the right choice for Cullinan. It was the only choice. We couldn't find anything that could compete. Once we started using the Falcon platform, we realized just how much we'd gained in securing our environment, reducing noise, and making sense of the alerts we were receiving." - Ryan Porter, CIO, Cullinan Holdings Entities mentioned. Cullinan Holdings CrowdStrike Falcon(R) CrowdStrike Falcon(R) Insight XDR CrowdStrike Falcon(R) Adversary OverWatch Ryan Porter Key concepts. cybersecurity customer trust security operations AI-native technology threat hunting interoperability data protection operational efficiency Definitions. * CrowdStrike Falcon(R)- An AI-native security platform designed to protect organizations from cyber threats through advanced detection and response capabilities. * Protection of Personal Information Act - A South African law that regulates how personal information is collected, stored, and protected. * XDR - Extended Detection and Response, a security solution that integrates multiple security products into a cohesive system for improved threat detection and response. * managed threat hunting - A proactive cybersecurity service that involves continuous monitoring and searching for threats within an organization's network. * false positives - Security alerts that indicate a threat where none exists, often leading to unnecessary investigations. Use cases. * | Reducing operational burden on IT teams * | Improving response times to genuine security threats * | Enhancing visibility across a complex IT environment * | Integrating multiple security tools for better risk management * | Securing customer information in the tourism industry * | Modernizing security strategies to adapt to evolving cyber threats Frequently asked questions. What challenges does Cullinan Holdings face in cybersecurity? Cullinan Holdings faces unique cybersecurity challenges due to its operations across South Africa, including defending against sophisticated attacks and complying with data protection laws. How did CrowdStrike help Cullinan Holdings improve its security? CrowdStrike provided the Falcon platform, which uncovered previously undetected risks and allowed Cullinan to modernize its security strategy, significantly reducing false positives and improving alert trustworthiness. What is the significance of threat hunting for Cullinan? Threat hunting is crucial for Cullinan as it allows their lean IT team to proactively identify and respond to threats, rather than reacting to alerts after incidents occur. How does Cullinan ensure its security tools work together? Cullinan prioritizes interoperability among its security technologies to create a unified view of risk, ensuring that different tools complement each other in detecting threats. Why is customer trust important for Cullinan Holdings? Customer trust is vital for Cullinan Holdings as it operates in the tourism industry, where secure handling of personal information and reliable service availability directly impact customer experiences and business revenue.