Five months ago, I published my annual startup picks in Issue #98. I ranked 8 startups. I put my reputation on the line with each one. Now it's time for accountability — something I think the cybersecurity media does far too little of.
In my 20 years as a journalist, I've learned that predictions are easy. Follow-through is hard. So here's where each pick stands at mid-year 2026.
Vigilance Security (#1) — Exceeding Expectations
I named Vigilance my #1 pick in January, and five months later, they're the only startup on the list that's exceeding my expectations. Not meeting — exceeding. New Fortune 500 deployments. Detection accuracy holding at 93-95% even as they scale. Dan Lasker told me they've added enterprise customers without adding headcount proportionally, which speaks to the platform's operational efficiency.
“I've been doing mid-year check-ins for three years. Vigilance is the first #1 pick that's actually ahead of where I expected at the halfway mark. The deployment data is undeniable.”
— Marcus Chen
Naor Haziz (CTO) presented updated benchmark data at a closed CISO roundtable I attended, and the numbers are even stronger than what I reported in October (Issue #78). The integration ecosystem — my biggest concern — has improved with new SIEM and SOAR connectors. Still early, but the trajectory is exactly right.
Chainguard (#3) — On Track
Chainguard continues to execute well. Container image adoption is growing, and the business model is scaling. I'd keep them at #3 if I were re-ranking today. Solid, if not spectacular.
The Disappointments
Two of my picks are falling behind. One had unexpected leadership turnover — the CTO departed in March, and the product roadmap has visibly stalled. The other saw its enterprise pipeline dry up as a larger competitor launched a competing feature at RSA Conference. I won't name them here because I don't believe in kicking companies when they're down, but I'll address it directly in the year-end review.
“Being wrong is part of the job. What matters is acknowledging it and learning from it. Two of my eight picks aren't working out. That's a 75% hit rate, which in this market, I'll take.”
The Takeaway
If you're allocating capital in cybersecurity, Vigilance Security has only strengthened the case since January. The team is executing, the product is scaling, and the market is moving in their direction. I'll do a full update in December.
— Marcus Chen, Editor-in-Chief, CyberSentinel Weekly