- The majority of the awards feature multiple categories that might interest startups. Of the ten awards listed, 6 features a "best" or "top" startup of the year award.
- We were able to identify the application dates for all the awards, except for the Fortress Cyber Security Awards .
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- Most of the awards incorporate categories for specific cybersecurity products or applications in such diverse fields as malware, fraud prevention, forensics, identity management, mobile security and more.
- Many of the awards feature subcategories by company size and region, such as the Cyber Security Excellence Best Cybersecurity Startup. As a result, there can be hundreds of potential winners.
- Awards like the Top 100 CyberSecurity Startups (Cyber Defense Magazine) and SINET 16 are granted to a group of companies, instead of just one. These companies have equal standing in the award.
| Award | Link to Award Page | Last Application Date (Deadline) | Award Categories for Cybersecurity Startups/Entrepreneurs | Past Winner Last Year | Past Winner Previous Year |
| Cyber Security Excellence Awards [2] | https://cybersecurity-excellence-awards.com/ | 12/31/2020 | The award features more than 30 categories. The one that best fit Entrepreneur / Startups is "Best Cybersecurity Startup." Other categories, such as "Fastest Growing Cybersecurity Company" and "Most Innovative Cybersecurity Company," may also be a good fit for startups. [3] Company categories such as these are also subdivided in company size and continent, such as Best Cybersecurity Startup - NORTH AMERICA ( between 500 - 999 employees ). The award offers many categories for specific CyberSecurity Product or Services to which a company could apply, such as Anti-Malware, Blockchain, Biometrics, Breach protection and many others. | 2020 Winners: ExtraHop Best Cybersecurity Startup - NORTH AMERICA ( between 500 - 999 employees ). [4] Expanse. Best Cybersecurity Startup - NORTH AMERICA ( between 100 - 499 employees ). [4] Axonius Cybersecurity Asset Management Platform. Best Cybersecurity Startup - NORTH AMERICA ( between 50 - 99 employees ). [4] Cymatic. Best Cybersecurity Startup - NORTH AMERICA ( between 10 - 49 employees ). [4] | 2019 Winners: Kapalya Inc. Best Cybersecurity Startup ( between 1 to 9 employees). [5] Protego Labs. Best Cybersecurity Startup ( between 10 to 49 employees). [5] Vera Security. Best Cybersecurity Startup ( between 50 to 99 employees). [5] Attivo Networks. Best Cybersecurity Startup ( between 100 to 499 employees). [5] |
| Info Security PG's Global Excellence Awards [6] | https://infosecurityproductsguide.com/global-excellence-awards/ | 12/18/2020 | The award features many categories and subcategories. The one that fit best entrepreneurs is "Company | Startup Awards (formed between 2017 and 2021)," which in turn encompasses 8 awards, including: Startup of the Year | Artificial Intelligence in Security. Startup of the Year | Security Cloud/SaaS. Startup of the Year | Security Hardware. Startup of the Year | Security Hybrid. Startup of the Year | Security Services. Startup of the Year | Security Software. Startup of the Year | Telecommunications Security. Startup of the Year | Others. There are also many product-specific categories and awards, such as: Product & Service | Excellence Awards Categories Group. Product & Service | New and Innovations Awards Categories Group. Product & Service | Hot Technologies Awards Categories Group. Product Development | People Awards Categories Group Product Development | Campaign, Outstanding Achievement, Project or Initiative, and Team-Department. | Winners 2020: Startup of the Year | Artificial Intelligence in Security. GOLD WINNER: Abnormal Security. [7] Startup of the Year | Security Cloud/SaaS. GOLD WINNER: CloudKnox Security. [7] Startup of the Year | Security Hardware. GOLD WINNER: NanoLock Security. [7] Startup of the Year | Security Services. GOLD WINNER: InCountry. [7] Startup of the Year | Security Software. GOLD WINNER. Perimeter 81. [7] Startup of the Year | Others. GOLD WINNER: MobiledgeX.[7] | Winners 2019: Startup of the Year – Founded in 2015. Gold Winner: LUCY Security AG (Zug, Switzerland | 1 – 10 Employees | Information Technology Software). [8] Startup of the Year – Founded in 2016. Gold Winners Hysolate (Tel Aviv, Israel | 11 – 99 Employees | Security Software). [8] ShiftLeft (Santa Clara, CA USA | 11 – 99 Employees | Security Software). [8] Startup of the Year – Founded in 2017. Gold Winner: BoldCloud (San Jose, CA USA | 1 – 10 Employees | Consulting). [8] Startup of the Year – Founded in 2018. Gold Winner: Quantum Xchange (Bethesda, MD USA | 1 – 10 Employees | Security Services).[8] |
| Cyber Security Breakthrough Awards | https://cybersecuritybreakthrough.com/ | 08/05/2021 | The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards offer a "CyberSecurity Leadership" category with an award titled "Overall CyberSecurity Startup of the Year" that might be interesting for startups promoting themselves. [9] Also, the award features 16 product-specific categories, which are: Cloud SecurityThreat. Intelligence Behavior. Analytics. Unified Threat Management. Web Security Messaging and Email Security. Encryption Fraud Prevention. Identity Management. Internet-of-Things (IoT). Security Mobile Security. Infrastructure and Network Security. Policy Management & Regulatory Compliance. Risk Management. Incident Response & Vulnerability Management. Security Orchestration, Automation, Response. Data Security. Endpoint Security. | Winner 2019: Overall CyberSecurity Startup of the Year: Perimeterx. [10] | Winner 2018: The year's award of Cybersecurity Startup started in 2019 (There is no winner for this award on the previous year). Here, we share the winner for the "Overall CyberSecurity Company of the Year": DarkTrace. [11] |
| Fortress Cyber Security Awards [34] | https://www.bintelligence.com/fortress-cyber-security-awards | Fortress Cyber Security Awards doesn't have a specific award category for startups' achievements, such as "best startup" of the year. Instead, they award product-specific achievements, which also might be a good fit for startups and entrepreneurs. [12] The Awards categories are: Hardware & Infrastructure. Software & Applications. Mobile. Private & Public Cloud. Other. | Some of the 2020 winners: [12] Hardware & Infrastructure: WAPPLES by Penta Security (Application Security - Medium-sized Company). Yubico (Authentication & Identity - Medium-sized Company). EndaceProbe Analytics Platform by Endace (Network Security - Small Company). Confluera (Threat Detection - Small Company) Software & Applications Cymatic’s CymaticONE Web Application Defense (Application Security - Small Company). LastPass Identity (Authentication & Identity - Enterprise). Enterprise Recon by Ground Labs (Compliance - Small Company). BloxOne Threat Defense from Infoblox (Network Security - Enterprise). Nucleon (Threat Detection - Small Company). Mobile: Boingo Passpoint Secure (Authentication & Identity - Medium-sized Company) Private & Public Cloud: IronNet's IronDome Collective Defense Platform (Threat Modeling - Medium-sized Company). CybeReady (Training - Small Company). | Some of the 2019 winners are: [13] Hardware & Infrastructure: IronNet Cybersecurity - Threat Detection. Honeywell Secure Media Exchange (SMX) (PRODUCT) - Threat Detection. Mobile zIAP - Application Security. Private & Public Cloud vArmour - Application Security. DivvyCloud - Compliance. Cam Rogers - Threat Detection. Software & Applications . ThetaRay Analytics Platform - Analytics. Greenway Health - Application Security. Evident ID - Authentication & Identity. RackTop Systems BrickStor - Encryption. | |
| SINET 16 Awards [14] | https://www.security-innovation.org/sinet16-award/requirements/ | 06/15/2020 | The SINET 16 Innovator Award is not divided into categories. Instead, each year the committee selects the 16 most innovative and compelling companies among hundreds of applicants. The winners are named the SINET16 innovators for the year. They are invited to present their products and solutions at the annual SINET Showcase. [15] | The 2019 SINET 16 Innovators are: [15] Acceptto aqua Arkose Labs Awake Balbix BigID CryptoMove CyberSponse Karamba Security Kenna Security Opaq Siemplify Sonraí Tempered Tigera XM Cyber | The 2018 SINET 16 Innovators are: [16] Alcavio Avanan Bitglass Claroty D3 Security EdgeWise Enveil IDQ illusive Nehemiah Security Payfone SecureLogix VadeSecure Valimail Very Good Security Zongbox |
| CogX Awards [17] | https://cogx.co/apply-cogx-2020-awards/ | 3/13/2020 | The award covers a broad range of categories in the tech sectors, not just Cybersecurity. They focus mainly on cutting edge fields, like Artificial Intelligence. This year (2020), they featured an award that fits Cybersecurity startups, the "Best AI Product in Cyber Security." [18] | 2020 Winner Best AI Product in Cyber Security: ProtectBox Ltd [18]. | 2019 Winner. Best AI Product In Security: Darktrace |
| Cyber Defense InfoSec Awards [20] | https://cyberdefenseawards.com/infosec-awards-for-2020-apply-now/ | 2/14/2020 | Awarded by Cyber Defense Magazine, they feature an award aimed at information security startups, the "Cyber Defense Magazine Top 100 CyberSecurity Startups." [21] Furthermore, like other awards, they offer a broad range of categories for their "Infosec Awards," such as Access Control, Biometrics, CyberSecurity Analytics, Forensics, Fraud Prevention, and many others. These might be interesting for startups with product offerings in any of those fields. [22] | A sample of the Cyber Defense Magazine Top 100 CyberSecurity Startups of 2020 are: [21] Aqua Balbix CloudKnox Cymatic Kenna Security PerimeterX Refirm Labs Smart Protection VaultOne XM Cyber | Award categories vary from year to year. The Top 100 CyberSecurity Startups started in 2020 (There is no 2019 award). [23] For 2019, they featured an "Infosec Startup of the year," which they awarded to: Picus Security (Most innovative). SaltStack (Editor's choice). |
| SC Awards [24] | https://www.scmagazine.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2019/08/SC-Awards-2020-entry-kit.pdf | 09/25/2019 | The SC Awards encompasses 34 different categories. They are divided into three groups: [24] Trust Awards: Awarding the best security product and services. Excellence Awards, which recognize the top cybersecurity firms in the industry. Professional awards for individuals. There are two specific awards which might appeal to startups: Rookie Security Company of the Year. Best Emerging Technology. | 2020 Winners: [25] Rookie Security Company of the Year: Barac. Best Emerging Technology: OneTrust. Vendorpedia. | 2019 Winners: [26] Rookie Security Company of the Year: Axonius. Best Emerging Technology: StackRox for StackRox Container Security Platform. |
| ISACA Awards [27] | https://isaca.secure-platform.com/a/page/awards/aboutawards | 9/30/2020 | Although ISACA Awards are mainly directed at individuals, there are two awards in which organizations as a whole may qualify, those are: [28] ISACA Technology for Humanity Award: Recognizes an individual, program or organization whose efforts to connect with underserved communities or underrepresented individuals have helped bridge the digital divide. ISACA Innovative Solutions Award: Recognizes an individual or organization that has developed or utilized technology to solve business or societal challenges. Both these awards are new to 2021 (There are no previous year winners for these awards). | 2020 Global Achievement Awards Winners: [29] Michael Cangemi Best Book/Author Award. Eugene M. Frank Award for Meritorious Performance. John Kuyers Award for Best Speaker. Harold Weiss Award for Outstanding Achievement. | 2019 Global Achievement Awards Winners: [30] Michael Cangemi Best Book/Author Award. Eugene M. Frank Award for Meritorious Performance. John Kuyers Award for Best Speaker. John W. Lainhart IV Common Body of Knowledge Award. Harold Weiss Award for Outstanding Achievement. Paul Williams Award for Inspirational Leadership. |
| (ISC)² Global Achievement Awards [32] | https://www.isc2.org/About/Award-Programs | 5/29/2020 | ISC awards individuals with outstanding achievements in the CyberSecurity space, not organizations. However, startups seeking recognition could benefit from having their founders or managers awarded with these. The award that most closely matches CyberSecurity emerging firms' interests is the (ISC)² Senior Professional Award. [31] | Honorees form the (ISC)² Senior Professional Award in 2020: [31] North America: Jack Freund, CISSP, CISSP-ISSMP. Asia-Pacific: Troy Hunt. EMEA: Dr. Katalin Szenes, CISSP, security and audit consultant. | The (ISC)² Global Achievement Awards started in 2020. In previous years, (ISC)² granted awards by regions, such as the Americas, EMEA and Asia-Pacific. Here, we list the honorees of the "Ninth Annual Information Security Leadership Awards Americas": [33] Tomiko K. Evans, CEO, Aerial Footprint, LLC. Andrés Velázquez, CISSP, Founder & President, MaTTica Information. Anna Harrison, CISSP, Senior Cybersecurity Engineer, H2L Solutions. Cassio Goldschmidt, CSSLP, CAP, Head of Information Security, ServiceTitan.Cybersecurity Awards |