What was the catalyst for launching Seedata?
Before starting Seedata, Matt and I, as co-founders, each experienced the problem from our own unique perspectives.
My personal "lightbulb" moment came in a rather unwelcome package – finding out my personal details were compromised in a data breach. And to make things worse – it took the company six months to even realise they had been hacked. I was baffled. How could a company, pouring millions into cybersecurity, be in the dark for so long?
On the other hand, Matt is a veteran in cybersecurity, with over 30 years in the space. Matt had been in the trenches and faced the industry's shortcomings first-hand. He was convinced there had to be a smarter approach. So, we joined forces. And that's how Seedata came to life!
Can you share your elevator pitch?
We plant traps to detect attackers before they dig in. We deploy these traps – think fake servers, printers, files, credentials, you name it – across our customers’ network, automatically. They're like digital tripwires: no real use to you, but a beacon when any intruders have any interaction with them; a big red flag signalling "Hey, you've got unwanted guests!".
In the cybersecurity scene, companies have been slow to adopt this kind of tech as traditionally, it involved a lot of manual effort. That's exactly what we're changing at Seedata. We're developing the whole system to run on autopilot, offering effortless, high-value telemetry security teams can trust.
Can you tell our readers about your engagement with Antler?
Antler has been there since the very beginning, offering support as we were getting Seedata off the ground. Their belief in our idea was a big deal for us, especially when they decided to invest.
What stands out about Antler, despite juggling a huge portfolio of companies globally, is how accessible they've been. They're a reliable resource we can tap into.
Tell us about the working culture at Seedata?
We keep things pretty straightforward. We consider ourselves a team of responsible adults. We understand that mistakes happen; it's all part of the learning process. What we really emphasise is accountability and honesty. We expect everyone on the team to embody these traits, owning up to their actions and being transparent.
What has been your biggest challenge so far and how have you overcome this?
Standing out in a sea of over 4,000 cybersecurity vendors. It's a crowded space, and buyers are constantly swamped with pitches from every direction, both from startups and the big players.
Sure, having an innovative product is a strong start, but it's not the whole story. We quickly realised that building and maintaining trust with our early adopters was crucial. It's about forming genuine, meaningful relationships, not just transactions. These early adopters have become much more than customers; they're our champions, spreading the word about Seedata to their networks.
What’s in store for the future?
We're focussed on evolving our system to be smarter and more autonomous. We see AI as a force multiplier in cyber defence, and we're pushing hard to leverage its full potential. Our goal is to ease the burden on security teams, who are often overstretched, by automating the more demanding tasks.
How has the cost of living crisis and the tech downturn impacted your experience building Seedata?
Even with the economic challenges we've all been experiencing, cybersecurity budgets remain strong. It's evident that for companies, cybersecurity isn't just a luxury, it's a necessity, and they're on the hunt for innovative solutions to their problems.
What barriers have you faced in realising your entrepreneurial ambitions? How can we make entrepreneurship more accessible in the UK?
I grew up in a rural village in Italy, where the tech scene was pretty much a distant dream. Other than a few side hustles like selling coins on eBay, it wasn't until university that I got into entrepreneurship, teaming up with three friends to launch a tech startup. Let's just say, we were enthusiastic but a bit naive. Our market validation didn't go beyond a few surveys, and our understanding of raising capital was, well, sketchy at best. Eventually, we all veered off into different jobs.
This early venture really brought something into focus for me: the path to entrepreneurship shouldn't be a maze. That's where “zero-day investors” are making a big difference. We need more of this approach — providing the guidance, resources, and network that I missed in my early days.
What one piece of advice would you give other founders or future founders?
For anyone out there thinking about starting their own business, I've got a simple piece of advice: If you really want it, just dive in. There's no doubt you'll have days where you wonder what on earth you've gotten yourself into. When that happens, take a minute to remember why you started!
And finally, a more personal question! What’s your daily routine and the rules you’re living by at the moment?
I don't really have a daily routine. It really depends on what Seedata needs on any given day. Some days, I'm deep in conversations with potential customers, Other days, I'm brainstorming with investors or mapping out our strategy. It's always something different, which I find exciting!
Enrico Faccioli is the cofounder and CEO of Seedata.
Antler is one of the world’s most active early-stage investors. With 900 portfolio companies in 27 countries, they have a global community of early-stage founders addressing the world’s biggest challenges.
