Company Overview
zeroRISC is a pioneering company in the cybersecurity and cloud services industry, headquartered in Boston, MA. The company specializes in providing transparent and trustworthy hardware security by commercializing the OpenTitan open-source silicon root of trust (RoT). This approach is geared towards securing devices below the operating system level, particularly for data centers, OT/ICS, IoT, and edge technologies. Their Integrity Management Platform offers a comprehensive solution that includes silicon, software, and services for secure device management and ownership transfer.
- Website: [zeroRISC Official Site](https://www.zerorisc.com/)
- LinkedIn: [zeroRISC LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/company/zerorisc)
Key Recent Developments
In October 2023, zeroRISC announced securing $5 million in seed funding, led by Cambridge Angels. Notable investors include Herman Hauser, ARM founder, and Pete Hutton, former ARM president of product groups. The company is actively involved in the OpenTitan project and partners with notable players like Nuvoton and Winbond.
Leadership Team
Dominic Rizzo
- Position: CEO and Founder
- Background: Dominic Rizzo, based in Mountain View, has over 500 connections on LinkedIn and an academic degree from the California Institute of Technology. His leadership is crucial to zeroRISC's mission of developing secure silicon-based solutions. Recent LinkedIn activities highlight achievements in post-quantum secure boot for OpenTitan and strategic partnerships.
- LinkedIn: [Dominic Rizzo LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/dominic-rizzo-b353a628)
Jon Michelson
- Position: VP Engineering and Co-founder
- Background: Jon Michelson brings substantial experience from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Holding his role at zeroRISC for 672 days, Jon emphasizes engineering and verification within the hardware security framework.
- LinkedIn: [Jon Michelson LinkedIn](https://www.linkedin.com/in/jon-michelson-4074171)
Products and Services
zeroRISC is a forerunner in commercializing cloud security services for silicon. The company's offerings are designed for data centers, IoT, OT/ICS, ensuring systems' security at the hardware level. Their services enhance transparency and reliability across the computing sector.
Strategic Vision
zeroRISC is committed to revolutionizing hardware security through open silicon foundations. The company envisions a future with inherently trustworthy computing systems, supported by its active participation in the OpenTitan project, aiming to standardize open-source silicon-based security globally.
Key Partnerships
- Cambridge Angels: A major investor group nurturing zeroRISC's growth and technological advancements.
- Nuvoton and Winbond: Collaborative partners assisting zeroRISC in advancing OpenTitan-based secure silicon solutions.
Competitor Profile
Primary Competitors
zeroRISC contends with formidable competitors in the cybersecurity industry, such as GovPilot, Kasten, Everfox, and Material Security. These companies provide diverse solutions that address various cybersecurity and technology management aspects.
GovPilot
GovPilot leads in digital transformation for local governments, offering a cloud-based platform to digitize and standardize over 150 government services. Headquartered in Manasquan, New Jersey, and founded in 2015, GovPilot enhances efficiency, productivity, and security for local governments, serving more than 40,000 entities across the U.S. with workflow automation and SaaS solutions.
Kasten
Kasten's application-centric data management platform, K10, focuses on backup, recovery, and data migration for Kubernetes environments. This platform addresses the operational and management challenges of stateful applications, improving enterprise capabilities in their Kubernetes management.
Everfox
Everfox, formerly Forcepoint Federal, provides specialized cybersecurity solutions for government and enterprise clients with a focus on cross-domain and insider risk solutions. With over 25 years of experience, the company is committed to mission success and protects critical data and networks worldwide, operating in more than 20 countries and holding over 150 patents.
Material Security
Material Security delivers data-driven security software for cloud email platforms like Google Workspace and Microsoft 365. The company specializes in preventing sophisticated email attacks, data breaches, and account hijacking. Supported by Andreessen Horowitz, Material Security serves fast-growing companies like Figma, DoorDash, and Lyft, offering a multi-layered detection and response toolkit to safeguard sensitive information while boosting user productivity.
Strategic Insights
zeroRISC's competitive environment is populated by companies specializing in cybersecurity and technological transformation for government and enterprise sectors. These competitors' unique strengths, from GovPilot's comprehensive government service digitization to Material Security's robust cloud email protection, highlight the crucial integration between data management, cybersecurity, and operational efficiency in today's digital ecosystem. This presents zeroRISC both challenges and opportunities to innovate and distinguish its offerings. In this competitive landscape, zeroRISC must sustain robust product development and agile adaptation to rapidly changing market conditions.
