Inside the Mind of a Cyber VC: What Founders Get Wrong and How to Pitch Like a Pro
Lucas Nelson
BSides NYC 2025 (0x05) · Day 1 · Entrepreneur
In a candid and insightful presentation at BSides NYC, seasoned **Venture Capitalist (VC)** Lucas Nelson provided an unparalleled look into the intricate world of fundraising from the investor's perspective. Drawing on his extensive experience spanning three decades in the business, including 15 years in venture capital and a background rooted in the hacker community since Defcon 2, Nelson demystified the often-opaque process of securing investment. His talk, aimed squarely at cybersecurity founders, meticulously detailed not just *what* VCs look for, but *how* they think, operate, and make decisions, ultimately equipping entrepreneurs with the strategies needed to craft winning pitches.
AI review
Legitimate insider perspective from a cyber-focused VC who clearly knows the domain — fund mechanics, portfolio math, and the generalist-vs-cyber-VC distinction are genuinely useful signal for founders. Nothing here is wrong, but almost none of it is new; this is the same fundraising-101 content that circulates in every founder Slack and YC blog post, lightly flavored with cybersecurity context.