>> If you want to register, and save money in the process, use discount code DSSIMON26 to take 10% off at https://www.prsa.org/conferences-and-awards/icon-2026.

Listen to the episode on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and others.

TRANSCRIPT:

DOUG: So, in mid-October, even real baseball fans are going to have their interest divided from the championship series in each league to what’s happening at PRSA ICON. And here to tell us about why baseball fans might be distracted during this important time of their season, Matt, thanks for joining us.

MATT: Thanks, Doug. It’s great to be with you today.

DOUG: Yeah. So, what is the baseball scoop at PRSA ICON?

MATT: Yeah. Funny you asked. So, we are actually bringing Banana Ball to this year’s PRSA ICON in Orlando. We’re excited to kick off our opening general session with the Savannah Bananas head coach, Tyler Gillum. He’s going to be motivating our audience and talking about some great things related to how they’ve really grown as an organization and how it can relate to PR and comms.

DOUG: And they’ve become a phenomenon. Obviously, that’s one thing that’s different this year than in past. What are some other things that are different for people who are attending? Maybe even some attending for the first time.

MATT: Absolutely. So, one of the great things about ICON this year is that we’ve got something for everyone. So, every level of communicator from the C-suite at the CCO level all the way to our students who are engaged in the PRSSA community, we’ve got something for you and across all the industry verticals. So, whether you’re in finance, health, life sciences, we’ve got sessions that are really geared toward the challenges that those folks are facing. So, crisis management continues to be top of mind. Of course, everybody’s favorite topic, AI, and I know we’ll talk more about that. It’s going be all over the agenda this year. And we’ve got new learning formats. We’ve got new speakers. And then, also, one of the great things about ICON is you can find a lot of solutions to your challenges right there in our expo hall with so many great solutions providers that are bringing you, things that’ll help you in your day-to-day job. They’ve got a lot of new AI solutions, so you’ll find companies that are bringing new technologies that are in AI enabled. So, all those great things. And one of my favorite things is the connections that you’ll make at ICON. You’re going to meet so many people across the board that you’ll have conversations in the hallway, that you’ll make lifelong connections that are going to last through your career.

DOUG: Yeah. And it’s great business opportunities as well. Now I’ll give you a little break on this question so you don’t have to include my session on AI in the Newsroom in your answer, but what are some of the sessions you’re most excited about?

MATT: I’ll talk about two great panels. We’ve got one panel that is answering a question that’s on everybody’s mind, and that is, is AI going to kill the future of PR jobs? And that is going be moderated by Ray Day, our immediate past chair of PRSA. And we’ve got a couple great executive recruiters who are on that panel as well as the global president of research from The Harris Poll. So, there’s going be a lot of fantastic insights coming right out of that session. And then a second one, that’s, looks great is going to be 2026 communications trends, and that’s moderated by Thomas Bennett from FleishmanHillard. And on that panel, we’ve got Damon Jones from Procter & Gamble, and they’ll also be execs from Hilton Grand Vacations and Universal. So, you won’t want to miss those.

DOUG: When Damon and I both started our careers, I actually had a chance to work with him on what was in a video news release for Procter & Gamble. And he was great to work with then. It’s incredible what he’s done. And you talked about AI before. One of the keys is how can PR practitioners use AI to their benefit?

MATT: Absolutely. So, you know, for us one of the things I’ve been hearing from our members and folks on the road is that they’re tired of hearing about just about the theoretical of AI, what the possibilities are. They’re really at the point where, know, they’re leading their teams, and they want to be able to apply what’s happening today into action, right? And how am I going to manage the change management piece of AI? How am I looking at all of those things? So, our sessions are really going to dive into the tactical, the roll up your sleeves, how you can get it done, how you can start to work with your teams on implementing the technology no matter what phase you’re at. So, if you’re if it’s something you’ve just been talking about in the office or you’ve already implemented, you’re already working with one of the platforms, and you want to have a better understand how to leverage it to drive efficiency, drive creativity, we’ve got sessions that’ll dive into that. We’ve got over fifteen sessions that are going to talk about everything from generative AI to leveraging agents in ways that you haven’t thought about.

DOUG: What’s really interesting is AI, as each new technology does, gives a chance for younger PR practitioners to really vault ahead because there’s an expectation that they’ve been living it from the start instead of having to maybe change the ways they’re operating. So that’s a big opportunity. I understand there’s also some new ethical standards that PRSA has put together. What are some of the changes and things to be aware of? And, again, AI comes into play there.

MATT: Yeah. Thanks for asking, Doug. So, our board of ethics and professional standards for PRSA has been looking at this from the early onset. It’s actually a few years ago, we put together a piece called “Promise and Pitfalls” that talks about starting with ethics. Because for PRSA, the code of ethics is one of our differentiating factors, right? So, now fast forward several years, AI has been top of mind. We’ve now got this new ethical standards advisory that talks about specifically how do you weave in a couple things. Number one, what are the risks that I need to consider when I’m thinking about utilizing these AI agents? And so those are going to dive into everything from unclear authorship, manipulative persuasion, and simulated engagement. And then the next piece, what are the best practices? So, what are others doing out there that I can start to consider when I’m thinking about utilizing AI in an ethical way? And so that’s going to cover transparency, the importance of human oversight in dealing with these things, AI literacy, governance, how am I training my team across all of this, you know, and finally, security risks. Those are, of course, big things that every organization needs to look at.

DOUG: Yeah. Those are key topics. One change up question I’d ask that’s sort of the opposite. We always talk about what’s new, what’s different, and what’s changing. But there’s a lot that’s been a consistent thread through the history of what PRSA ICON brings. Could you maybe talk a little bit about the core values that have been part of it and are still continuing to bring value, especially during this time of such massive disruption?

MATT: Most definitely. So, you know, when you think about who our members are, you know, we develop leaders within the PRSA community. And so, when you think about leadership, especially in this day and age of AI, one of the things that’s so important to go back to is developing those soft skills as a leader. And so, you’re going to find, that we go back to that, especially at the student level. When students are coming into the workforce, one of the things we’re hearing is, you know, how am I going to get my first job when they’re cutting all these entry level positions, right? And so, one of those things I’ve been telling students that I hear from agency leaders and CCOs is you’ve gotta be able to differentiate yourself. And if you’re not mastering those core skills like writing and, you know, having the EQ that you need to deal with a complex workforce, you’re not going to be able to set yourself apart. So, you will find those things at PRSA ICON this year that go back to basics and are at the core of being a good storyteller and communicator.

DOUG: Yeah. And I think being up to speed on what’s new, I get a chance to be a guest lecturer each year at NYU’s graduate PR program, which is really meaningful. And, of course, two years ago, AI didn’t even come up in discussion. I asked the professor this year, is it okay if I talk about it? Because I think a reality is if you’re coming into the space, you’ve gotta be AI native. You have to understand it, have experience with it, and know how to practice it ethically to move you ahead or else there’s someone who will know that, that’s going to be able to advance more quickly than you. As we wrap it up, any guides, interest, information for people who are attending, how do you get the most of it? You know, one of my thoughts is like, hey, if you go to a session, when you go to a session, make sure you speak to at least one other person at every session to make a connection, whether it’s the speakers or someone in the audience, but I know you’ve got a bunch of recommendations for people to get the maximum value.

MATT: Yeah. That is such great advice. I would say it starts before you even get on the plane out to ICON. Start to plan ahead. We’ve got the program already out there. Just before the conference launches, we’ll have our Whova app that will take you through. You can find who’s attending. Connect beforehand, find folks who are in similar industries. They want to connect. And so, like you said, when you’re there on-site, that is the best advice you can give every session, introduce yourself to someone new. I know it can be uncomfortable sometimes, a little, you know, nerve wracking, but don’t be afraid.

When I left Microsoft to build MIND, I did so with a clear conviction that one of cybersecurity's biggest problems remained unsolved. Data loss prevention was fundamentally broken.

Traditional DLP had earned a reputation for being complicated to deploy, painful to operate and nearly impossible to scale. Security teams were buried under endless policies and false positives, while sensitive data continued to move beyond their visibility and control.

When I joined forces with my co-founders, Hod Bin Noon (VP R&D of MIND) and Itai Schwartz (CTO of MIND), dozens of conversations with security practitioners confirmed the scale and urgency of the challenge. Organizations didn’t need incremental improvements to legacy tools. They needed a fundamentally new approach to data security.

At the same time, AI was beginning to transform how organizations create, access and share information. It was clear to me that this new era would demand an entirely new security solution - one built for the speed, scale and complexity of an AI-driven world.

That realization became our vision: to reimagine data security from the ground up. Hod’s and Itai’s insight, talent and partnership have been instrumental in turning our shared vision into reality.

That vision, and the conviction behind it, became MIND.

One year ago, we announced our Series A. Today, I'm incredibly proud to announce that we have raised $72 million in Series B funding, led by Crosspoint Capital Partners and our existing investors YL Ventures and Paladin Capital Group. Combined with our Series A, that's more than $100 million raised in 12 months. This is an amazing milestone for our company, especially because it comes only one year after our Series A. But the funding itself is only part of the story.

The real story is everything our team and our customers have accomplished together in such a short time.

From an idea to protecting some of the world's leading organizations

When we started MIND, we believed organizations should not have to choose between protecting their most sensitive data and enabling their employees to move quickly.

We set out to build a complete, AI-native DLP platform that could discover and classify sensitive data, understand how it moves, identify real risks and stop data leaks, all without the complexity and operational burden of legacy tools.

In just one year since our Series A, MIND has been adopted by Fortune 500 companies and other leading organizations across a wide range of industries.

These organizations operate in very different environments, but they share the same fundamental challenge. Their most sensitive data is moving faster, across more systems and in more ways than ever before.

They also share our belief that traditional DLP is no longer enough.

Our customers took a chance on a young company because they saw what we saw, an opportunity to rebuild data security from the ground up for a completely new era.

Their trust means everything to us.

They have challenged us, pushed us and worked alongside us to build a platform that protects their most valuable information without slowing down their businesses. Every deployment and every problem we have solved together has made MIND better.

Data now moves at machine speed

AI is transforming every organization.

Employees are using GenAI applications to work faster. Autonomous agents are accessing and moving information on their behalf. Sensitive data now travels across SaaS applications, endpoints, email, cloud environments, on-premises systems, GenAI tools and AI agents at unprecedented speed.

The old model of data security, built around static policies, endless rules and analysts manually reviewing thousands of alerts, simply cannot keep up.

Data now moves at machine speed. Data security must do the same.

The pioneers of DLP join MIND

We are thrilled to welcome Crosspoint Capital Partners as the lead investor in this round. This partnership is particularly meaningful to us. The team behind Crosspoint helped lead iconic cybersecurity companies such as Blue Coat and Symantec, and includes some of the pioneers who created and defined the original DLP category.

Now, the people who helped build the first generation of DLP are partnering with MIND to reinvent it for the AI era.

Crosspoint understands the history of this market, the limitations of legacy technology and the scale of the transformation now taking place. Few investors have a deeper understanding of the problem we are solving or the opportunity ahead of us.

The best investors do much more than provide capital. They become true partners in the journey. Crosspoint shares our conviction that organizations need a complete, AI-native platform to protect their most sensitive data, as well as our ambition to build MIND into the defining data security company of the AI era.

What comes next

Seventy-two million dollars is a big number. But the number itself is not what matters most.

What matters is what it allows us to do next.

This investment gives us the resources to move faster, invest aggressively in our product and our people, expand globally and continue raising the bar for what customers should expect from data security.

We will accelerate our vision for autonomous data security and continue building the industry's most complete DLP platform, one that allows organizations to protect their most sensitive information wherever it lives or moves.

But with this opportunity come higher expectations.

We need to remain hungry. We need to keep moving with the urgency that brought us here, stay exceptionally close to our customers and continue attracting people who want to solve one of cybersecurity's most important challenges.

This milestone belongs to our team

Funding announcements tend to focus on investors, valuations and numbers. But what our investors are really backing is our people. What this team has accomplished in such a short time is remarkable. In the year since our Series A, this team has earned the trust of some of the largest companies in the world.

To every member of the MIND team: thank you for believing in our vision and bringing your talent, energy and determination to work every day. This milestone belongs to you.

To our customers and partners: thank you for trusting us with what matters most, your sensitive data. We will never take that responsibility for granted.

And to everyone considering joining us: we are still at the beginning of this journey. We're growing across the company and looking for exceptional people who want to help us reinvent data security for the AI era.

One year ago, we announced our Series A.

Today, MIND is protecting many of the world's leading organizations.

Tomorrow, we intend to redefine an entire category.

We always say, "Go big or go home."

We're going BIG.

Industry

Financial services

Location

Global

Founded

N/A

Challenges

Data sprawl esp. company and customer secrets

Unhappy with legacy DLP tool

False positives and inefficiency

MIND has given this global investment firm newfound confidence in DLP. With more than $30 billion in assets under management across vast strategies, sensitive data is stored everywhere and always in motion.

Industry

Financial services

Location

Global

Founded

N/A

Challenges

Data sprawl esp. company and customer secrets

Unhappy with legacy DLP tool

False positives and inefficiency

MIND has given this global investment firm newfound confidence in DLP. With more than $30 billion in assets under management across vast strategies, sensitive data is stored everywhere and always in motion.

Challenges

- Sensitive data exists everywhere and can come in from anywhere. The cybersecurity team describes data sprawl as one of their most concerning issues.

- The amount of sensitive data continues to increase at an alarming rate. This means keeping vital data and company secrets secure is a constant challenge.

- The firm’s previous data loss prevention (DLP) solution, Varonis, was time-consuming, had archaic user experiences and required labor-intensive manual processes. It was described as inefficient and painful.

- Too much time and resources were being spent dealing with false positives. Because their previous DLP was so frequently wrong, it was untrustworthy and “not worth the effort.”

Solutions

- With MIND™, the security team has newfound visibility and control—of data at rest, in motion and in use—all from one single pane of glass.

- Without the constant barrage of time-consuming false positives to investigate, the data security team describes spending very little time in the MIND platform, which is a good thing.

- MIND uses AI and tailored algorithms to classify sensitive data. This eliminates manual efforts and provides better insights into data movement and user activities.

Needed to gain control of sprawling information

At this global investment firm, the data security team is responsible for keeping massive amounts of sensitive data secure. The firm manages more than $30 billion in assets around the world, with vital information coming from an array of portfolio companies and sprawling throughout the firm and its many platforms. Their previous DLP solution, Varonis, had never done a good job, but with the explosion of data in recent years, it was becoming even less relevant. The firm’s data security team knew they needed a new solution.

“The most important thing is to know where the data is and what it is. That was a challenge because there weren’t any tools to do that unless the data was only in one place. That’s almost impossible these days.”

Senior Security Engineer, Investment Firm

The cybersecurity team describes this explosion of sensitive data as one of their most pressing security issues. This includes more than just financial information. In addition to dealing with credentials, personal identities and HR information, they also need to protect valuable proprietary models and deal information, all of which must be kept safe and secure. With data growing every second, it was imperative that IT and cybersecurity teams get a handle on this information in order to prevent data loss. “The problem with deal data is that it might be on any one of a hundred platforms. It’s never all in one place,” says the firm’s Chief Information Security Office (CISO) and Chief Technology Officer (CTO).

MIND provides a centralized platform that gives the firm visibility and control over sensitive data and user activities. For the first time, the security team was able to track data at rest, in motion and in use, enforce security controls, investigate leaks and remediate as needed. All from one central place.

False positives with legacy DLP led to a lack of trust

The security team was also frustrated by having to deploy so many manual processes. Because their previous DLP solution was producing an exorbitant amount of false positives, the team felt like they were wasting time chasing these extraneous alerts. Investigations were time-consuming and cumbersome, and mainly served to confirm suspicions that their previous DLP solution was ineffective.

“Everything was being done manually. The team had to run searches or queries and try to figure out what was going on. They might need to actually reach out to the owner of that file or data in order to understand it, and then apply the right tag or classification around it.”

Senior Security Engineer, Investment Firm

MIND uses AI and hundreds of tailored algorithms to classify and categorize sensitive data. This eliminates manual processes and allows the cybersecurity team to streamline and automate. Now, instead of wasting time on false positives, they can trust MIND to intelligently monitor activities, stop data leaks and help remediate if there’s a legitimate problem.

Before MIND, the firm’s CISO had lost faith in DLP

The firm’s CISO spoke about painful past experiences with failed DLP programs. Having implemented them at previous companies, this was someone with deep knowledge and experience—and disdain. “The problem is they never work. There’s always ways around it,” he said. “Great, so you've encrypted this on your network. Now someone needs to send it externally so it’s de-encrypted. Okay, then what was the point in the first place?”

“I bet you’ll get maybe 2 out of 100 CISOs to say they’ve EVER done a successful DLP program. There’s always ways around it, and they’ve never created enough value to justify the pain. There’s just way too much pain.”

CISO and CTO, Investment Firm

In this CISO’s opinion, legacy DLP solutions weren’t just expensive and ineffective, they were also extremely painful to implement and manage. “I hate it, I’ve always hated it,” he said about their previous DLP solution. And yet, he used it for 15 years. Because until MIND, there wasn’t a better solution.

MIND provided value within hours and built trust

The security team describes an effortless experience getting started with MIND. Within hours of implementation, the platform was already showing results and proving its value. They describe the user experience as intuitive and sleek. “Even just going into it you can immediately see it’s modern. Our old DLP tool looked like it was from 1995 or something,” says one security engineer.

For this firm, MIND dramatically reduced the manual effort needed to protect sensitive data and ensure compliance. The automation and insights provided by MIND have simplified workflows, enhanced data visibility and improved the cybersecurity team’s ability to protect all kinds of sensitive information. Looking ahead, the firm anticipates continued improvements in efficiency, security and compliance as it further integrates MIND into its operations.

New Research from MIND Reveals Critical Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success

SEATTLE, WA - April 8, 2026 - MIND, in partnership with the CISO Executive Network, today announced new research, The Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success. The findings point to a widening gap between rapid AI adoption and the ability to secure and govern the data that powers it.

AI is already embedded across the enterprise. According to the report, 90% of organizations are running enterprise GenAI at scale, yet 65% of CISOs lack confidence in their data security controls and only 20% of AI initiatives meet their intended KPIs.

The research introduces a clear insight: data trust is the degree of confidence that systems, including AI, use data safely and appropriately. When that trust is high, organizations move faster. When it is not, AI slows, stalls or introduces risk that outweighs its value.

“AI has moved beyond experimentation. It is operating at scale, often without the data foundations required to support it,” said Eran Barak, Co-Founder and CEO of MIND. “What we’re seeing is a structural gap between speed and control. Data trust closes that gap. It allows organizations to innovate without introducing unseen risk, and to scale AI with confidence rather than hesitation.”

The study, based on a survey of 124 CISOs and twenty in-depth interviews from this group, highlights several consistent patterns. Organizations have policies for AI, but struggle to enforce them at machine speed. Data estates remain unclassified and ungoverned. Security frameworks were built for human behavior, not autonomous systems. The result is measurable failure, not theoretical risk.

Nearly two thirds of CISOs report low confidence in their ability to prevent unsafe AI data access. At the same time, business pressure to accelerate AI adoption continues to increase, compounding exposure.

“The conversations we’re having with our member CISOs are consistent,” said Bill Sieglein, Founder and COO of the CISO Executive Network. “They know AI will drive competitive advantage, but they worry about the risks. Data trust has become one of the important deciding factors between those who move forward safely and those who struggle.”

The report frames AI as a stress test of existing security fundamentals. Organizations with strong data foundations are positioned to accelerate. Those without face a growing risk of failure, including stalled initiatives, regulatory exposure and potential business disruption.

At its core, the research reframes data security as a business enabler. As companies embrace AI innovation, high data trust moves beyond protection to become a competitive accelerant.

MIND’s perspective reflects this shift. The company positions data security not as a barrier to AI, but as the condition that makes AI viable at scale. By enabling organizations to understand, control and act on data risk in real time, MIND supports a model of Stress-Free DLP, where security operates with the speed and precision that AI demands.

The full report, “The Impact of Data Trust on AI Initiative Success,” is available now.

About MIND

MIND is on a mission to help organizations gain peace of mind and thrive in a digital world in this AI era by protecting their most sensitive data, mitigating data risks and preserving brand reputation. MIND is the first-ever data security platform to autonomously discover and classify sensitive data, fix data security issues and stop data leaks in one place, so organizations can put their data loss prevention and insider risk management programs on autopilot. We enable businesses to mind what really matters - their most sensitive data. Founded and led by cybersecurity veterans, MIND is based out of Seattle, WA. For more information, contact us at info@mind.io.

About CISO Executive Network

CISO ExecNet is a peer-to-peer professional membership organization for 2,000+ senior information security executives across the United States. Founded in 2005, it operates through 30+ regional chapters with Executive Breakfast Roundtables, national events, and discussion forums. Membership is invitation-only, limited to security leaders at large and mid-sized organizations. The network provides a trusted forum for sharing best practices, gaining peer perspectives, and engaging with experts on challenges facing modern security leaders.

Media Contact for MIND

Michelle Kearney

Hi-Touch PR

443-857-9468

kearney@hi-touchpr.com

MIND Awarded “Data Loss Prevention Platform of the Year” in 2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards Program

MIND awarded Data Loss Prevention Platform of the Year

2026 CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards

Prestigious Annual Awards Program Recognizes Breakthrough Information Security Products and Companies Around the World

LOS ANGELES, California - Oct. 8, 2026 – CyberSecurity Breakthrough, an independent market intelligence organization that recognizes the most innovative companies, products and technologies driving progress in the global information security industry, today announced that MIND®, the AI-native data loss prevention (DLP) platform, has been named “Data Loss Prevention Platform of the Year” in the 10th annual CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program.

MIND is an AI-native DLP platform that discovers, detects and prevents sensitive data leaks across every environment and every state of data, from GenAI and Agentic AI to SaaS, on-premise, endpoint and email. Discovery and classification of sensitive data across the enterprise is the critical first step, using MIND AI to understand what data exists, where it lives, who has access to it and how it moves. MIND then detects risky data activity in real time and automatically responds with intelligent, context-aware actions that remediate exposure. Prevention happens in real time at the endpoint level and in the browser, with no SSL inspection or latency tax. MIND automates the full data security lifecycle, from discovery to prevention, with minimal user input. It enforces real-time policies for data at rest and in motion that adapt to context and risk.

MIND AI, the company’s multi-layered AI classification engine, uses hundreds of tailored algorithms and multiple AI models to understand the content and context of an organization's unique data for accurate classification. MIND AI DLP Agents automate data security. The Custom Classifier Agent builds business-specific classifiers at the document and data level. The Policy Producer Agent suggests, creates and refines policies from natural language instructions. Meanwhile, the Issue Investigator Agent analyzes incidents, uncovers patterns, explains risk and suggests remediation. MIND’s Rapid Response Agent executes remediation and escalates when human approval is required, while the Reason Reviewer Agent evaluates user override justifications against policy guidance in real time.

With MIND, detecting risky data activity with context-aware intelligence separates meaningful risk from noise and reduces false positives. The platform allows for remediating data exposure and security issues autonomously and sensitive data loss is prevented with adaptive policy-driven controls that can automatically block risky activity.

“The advent of AI has resulted in both accelerating risks surrounding sensitive data while also creating an opportunity for us to fundamentally reinvent how organizations protect it. The outcomes are measurable, with customers reporting up to 80% less DLP program effort, near-zero false positives and deployment in minutes. We are honored to receive this recognition from CyberSecurity Breakthrough. It underscores our mission to help organizations thrive in the AI era by protecting their most sensitive data, mitigating risks and preserving brand reputation.”

Eran Barak

Co-Founder & CEO of MIND

Marking its 10-year milestone this year, the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards has spent a decade on a mission that hasn’t wavered: to celebrate excellence and spotlight breakthrough innovation driving the global cybersecurity industry forward. Over that decade, the program has grown to span a wide range of categories, including Cloud Security, Threat Intelligence, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Application Security, Identity Management and more, consistently shining a light on the solutions and organizations redefining how we safeguard the digital world.

In this landmark 10th year, the 2026 awards program received thousands of nominations from organizations in more than 20 countries around the world, representing breakthrough technologies from disruptive startups to established global enterprises. This year’s winners embody the cutting edge of cybersecurity technology, delivering next-generation protection and resilience in today’s increasingly complex threat landscape.

“MIND is the DLP platform built for the AI era, owning the whole job. Security leaders running data security are hindered by legacy DLP that buries analysts in false positives while real exfiltration slips through, unending policy tuning and GenAI and agentic tools moving sensitive data faster than any team and tool can track. MIND automates both policy creation and enforcement, applying the right rules, in the right context, to the right data. MIND outpaces modern risk with machine speed data security, delivering intelligent protection that adapts, acts and scales with you.”

Steve Johansson

Managing Director of CyberSecurity Breakthrough

####

About CyberSecurity Breakthrough

Part of Tech Breakthrough, a leading market intelligence and recognition platform for global technology innovation and leadership, the CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards program is devoted to honoring excellence in information security and cybersecurity technology companies, products and people. The CyberSecurity Breakthrough Awards provide a platform for public recognition around the achievements of breakthrough information security companies and products in categories including Cloud Security, Threat Detection, Risk Management, Fraud Prevention, Mobile Security, Web and Email Security, UTM, Firewall and more. For more information visit CyberSecurityBreakthrough.com.

Tech Breakthrough LLC does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in our recognition programs, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with award designations. Tech Breakthrough LLC recognition consists of the opinions of the Tech Breakthrough LLC organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Tech Breakthrough LLC disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this recognition program, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

About MIND

MIND is on a mission to help organizations thrive in a digital world in the AI era by protecting their most sensitive data, mitigating risks and preserving brand reputation. MIND is Stress Free DLP built for the AI era that is simple, autonomous and complete: one platform that discovers, detects and prevents across every environment and every state of an organization's data. The MIND AI DLP Agents take on the day-to-day work of running a DLP program, so security teams can focus on strategy and say yes to AI innovation with confidence. Founded and led by cybersecurity leaders and industry veterans, MIND is based out of Seattle, WA. For more information, contact us at info@mind.io.

Media Contact for MIND:

Michelle Kearney

Hi-Touch PR

443-857-9468

kearney@hi-touchpr.com

DLP Savings Estimator

How MIND delivers operational savings for your organization. To get started, simply input your company's end-user count into the field below.

Projected savings

MIND reduces total alert volume by 67%, thanks to smarter data classification, automated remediation and user-guided enforcement.

$0

* How MIND generates operational savings

This estimate reflects what your organization would likely need to reach 100% alert coverage using a status quo approach. Because most teams only triage about 65% of alerts today, getting to full coverage usually requires significant additional headcount. In this savings estimation, the total analyst hours required to triage 100% of user generated data security alerts is projected based on your inputs. A comparison is made to the level of effort required to achieve the same result with MIND.

By dramatically reducing alert volume, false positives and triage time through smarter classification, automated remediation and user-guided enforcement, MIND helps you reach full coverage without adding people. This model is meant to give you clarity, show what it really takes to mind what matters and support confident decision-making.

In PCB manufacturing, communication and coordination are just as important as technical expertise. Between quotation requests, documentation, production schedules, and deliveries, many moving parts must work together smoothly.

At Aspocomp, the Customer Service team plays a central role in keeping that process transparent and efficient. Acting as the daily link between customers and the factory, the team ensures that information flows clearly and that projects progress as expected from the first quotation to final delivery.

“From the customer’s perspective, we are often the main contact point,” says Maria Pasanen of Aspocomp’s Customer Service team. “We receive the RFQs, prepare quotations, handle the orders, and follow them all the way until the boards are shipped.”

By coordinating closely with sales, production, and technical experts, the team helps ensure that customers always know what is happening with their orders.

One Contact, Clear Communication

One of the cornerstones of Aspocomp’s customer service model is that every customer has a dedicated contact person. This approach creates continuity and simplifies communication.

“It’s beneficial that customers can communicate through a single contact,” explains Antti Ahola. “They receive consistent service and know exactly who to reach out to.”

For customers, this approach reduces complexity. Instead of navigating different departments, they can contact the same person who understands their projects and requirements.

Over time, this relationship builds familiarity that improves efficiency.

“When customers are assigned to specific team members, you gradually learn how they operate,” says Kirsi Mäkiniemi, who has worked at Aspocomp for over two decades. “You understand what kind of information they need and what matters most to them.”

This familiarity helps the team anticipate customer needs and respond quickly when questions arise.

Close to the Factory – Faster Answers

Aspocomp’s Customer Service team works directly at the company’s Oulu factory, giving them immediate access to production information.

Because of this proximity, they can often provide updates faster than teams working remotely from the manufacturing site.

“We’re here at the factory, so sometimes we can access information more quickly,” Pasanen says. “That means we can also inform the customer faster.”

This direct connection between customers and the production floor allows the team to monitor orders closely and maintain transparency throughout the process.

“We’re essentially the link between the factory and the customer,” adds Pyry Alanen, the newest member of the customer service team.

From RFQ to Delivery

The Customer Service team is involved in projects from the earliest stages of cooperation.

When customers send quotation requests, the team coordinates the internal process required to evaluate the request and when everything is clarified, then prepares the offer.

“If the quotation is accepted, we take the order forward and ensure it moves through production,” Pasanen explains.

Throughout the process, the team monitors schedules, communicates updates, and ensures that documentation and specifications are handled correctly.

Their work continues until the finished PCBs are ready to ship.

“Once the boards are completed, we inform the customer that the delivery is on its way,” Pasanen says.

Coordinating Complex Processes

PCB manufacturing involves several internal teams, including production specialists, technical support engineers, and sales representatives. Customer service helps coordinate communication between these groups and the customer.

The team also works closely with Aspocomp’s manufacturing partner network, ensuring smooth coordination between different production sites.

“I mainly handle the partner manufacturing side,” says Seija Rajahalme, who has been with Aspocomp for 14 years. “The process is similar, but it involves coordination with external suppliers.”

Regardless of whether the project is manufactured in Oulu or through external partners, the Customer Service team ensures that customers receive clear and consistent communication.

Experience and Fresh Perspectives

Aspocomp’s customer service team combines decades of experience with new perspectives:

- Kirsi Mäkiniemi has been with Aspocomp since 2004 and is the team’s most experienced member, bringing more than 20 years of knowledge about customers, processes, and PCB manufacturing.

- Seija Rajahalme, who has worked at Aspocomp for 14 years, focuses particularly on partner manufacturing and coordinating related international logistics.

- Antti Ahola joined the team five years ago and works closely with customers to ensure orders move efficiently through the production process.

- Maria Pasanen has been part of the team for about three years and manages her own group of customers, supporting them throughout the order lifecycle.

- Pyry Alanen, the newest member of the team, recently joined Aspocomp and quickly became part of customer service supporting communication and order coordination. He joined the team while Kati Häikiö, also part of the customer service team, is currently on parental leave.

Together, the team provides a combination of deep experience and fresh energy that helps maintain reliable service for Aspocomp’s customers.

Transparency as a Service

In industries where PCB performance, delivery reliability, and documentation are critical, transparent communication becomes a key part of the customer experience.

Aspocomp’s customer service team ensures that customers always have a clear view of their projects.

Pyry Alanen also highlights how the role of customer service is evolving as new tools improve efficiency:

“AI tools can help automate some of the manual tasks in the future,” Alanen says. “That means we can spend more time focusing on what really matters: serving customers and supporting their projects.”

By acting as the daily bridge between customers and the factory, the team helps keep PCB projects on track, ensuring that communication remains clear, timely, and reliable throughout the entire process.

Planning your next PCB project?

Contact Aspocomp’s technical team to learn how early support can save time, reduce costs, and improve product reliability from design to delivery.

In the fast-moving world of electronics development, timing and technical insight often make the difference between a successful product and a missed opportunity. As designs become more complex and timelines tighter, suppliers increasingly rely on PCB partners who can bring deep technical knowledge to the earliest phases of the process.

That’s where Dominic Büch, Aspocomp’s newest Sales Manager, comes in.

With 14 years of experience in the PCB industry, Dominic has built his career on bridging the gap between technology and customer needs, first as a Product Manager for HDI and wire bonding, and later as a Key Account Manager for global electronics manufacturers.

Technical Sales for Complex Applications

At Aspocomp, Dominic focuses on technical sales across Central Europe, with a particular emphasis on the booming defence and semiconductor sectors, where customers are actively seeking reliable, high-performance PCB partners.

“The earlier we get involved, the more value we can provide,” Dominic explains.

“For example, we often help customers avoid costly iterations by flagging manufacturability issues and material risks during the layout phase. That’s why our support is not just commercial; it’s deeply technical.”

Aspocomp’s high-mix production capability and strong DFM support are particularly valuable for advanced and time-critical applications. Dominic is ready to help customers with tough PCB needs, covering everything from RF performance and impedance control to managing heat and designing fine-pitch layouts.

Driving Growth through Collaboration

Dominic’s approach is built on customer proximity, transparency, and mutual growth.

“Customers want partners they can rely on. Especially when navigating tight timelines or introducing new technologies,” he says.

“My goal is to build those long-term relationships where customers see us as an extension of their own team.”

Working closely with Aspocomp’s engineering and production teams, Dominic helps ensure that project requirements are translated into real, reliable solutions.

The close collaboration between Aspocomp’s factory in Finland and its international sales teams enables rapid feedback loops and shared learnings, resulting in more robust processes and fewer surprises.

This close collaboration is further strengthened by Aspocomp’s ongoing investments in both production capacity and local presence. The expansion of the Oulu factory in Finland is progressing as planned, enabling new process improvements and supporting future growth. At the same time, Aspocomp continues to strengthen its team in Central Europe, ensuring even closer customer support and faster response times in the region.

A Dual Advantage: Local Expertise, Global Perspective

Dominic’s arrival strengthens Aspocomp’s already strong footprint in Central Europe, a region known for innovation but also for high expectations when it comes to delivery performance, documentation, and quality.

“Aspocomp combines local expertise with a global perspective. We’re able to offer the responsiveness of a European partner and the strategic insight of an international team,” Dominic notes.

This dual advantage is increasingly critical as customers shift sourcing strategies to build more resilient and transparent supply chains. Whether supporting rapid prototyping or production ramp-up, Dominic ensures that customers get the right technology, at the right time, with the right support.

About Dominic Büch

Dominic Büch is a Sales Manager at Aspocomp, responsible for technical sales and customer relationships in Central Europe. He brings 14 years of experience from both product management and key account roles in the PCB industry. Dominic’s passion lies in helping customers succeed by providing clear, expert guidance throughout the entire product development cycle.

Interested in how Aspocomp can support your next project?

Get in touch with Dominic and our team to explore tailored solutions for your most advanced applications.

To support our technology roadmap, we have recently invested in two new 6-spindle drilling machines. These represent best-in-class equipment currently available on the market and mark a significant step forward in expanding our drilling capacity and technology capabilities.

Drilling defines the electrical interconnections between layers. The accuracy, stability, and consistency of this step directly affect signal integrity, reliability, and overall product performance.

At Aspocomp, drilling is a high-precision process driven by optical alignment, real-time process control, and continuous accuracy management, combined with deep application expertise for high-performance designs.

What drilling enables

- Creation of plated through-holes (PTH) and via structures

- Precise vertical interconnections in multilayer PCBs

- A strong foundation for high-reliability plating and assembly

In high-end applications, drilling requires:

- Micron-level positioning accuracy

- Tight diameter and depth control

- Consistent hole quality across complex stack-ups

Advanced capabilities we focus on:

Backdrilling for signal integrity

Removing unused stubs in multilayer PCBs through high-resolution optical alignment and adaptive process control for micron-level accuracy.

High aspect ratio drilling

Enabling reliable drilling of deep holes in thick multilayer designs while maintaining hole quality and positional accuracy.

High-speed and deep drilling (peck drilling)

Optimized for demanding materials, high layer counts, and challenging drilling depths.

Coin drilling applications

Supporting specialized hole geometries and advanced stack-ups where controlled depth and surface interaction are critical.

HDI-ready precision alignment

Enabled by optical alignment systems and continuous accuracy calibration.

Process stability and real-time control

Including tool condition monitoring, broken tool detection, and automatic compensation to ensure consistent quality and early defect prevention.

Why this matters for our customers

- Reliable electrical performance in high-frequency, high-speed, and mission-critical applications

- Reduced risk of defects in downstream processes

- Capability to support complex HDI and multilayer designs

- Increased capacity and flexibility with scalable, high-quality output

Part of our ongoing investment program

These investments strengthen our core manufacturing processes and support our long-term growth.

Our drilling platform includes advanced features such as non-contact tool measurement and automated accuracy control, ensuring consistent quality, repeatability, and long-term process stability.

We continue to develop our capabilities to deliver high-reliability PCBs for demanding applications – combining top-tier equipment with deep process expertise.

In high-reliability electronics, getting the PCB right for the first time is critical. Mistakes in manufacturability or material selection can cause costly delays or even halt production entirely.

At Aspocomp, the Technical Support team led by NPI Manager Jari-Pekka Seppänen plays a vital role in helping customers get their PCB designs right from the start. The team’s mission is simple: ensure that every design is manufacturable, cost-effective, and reliable.

“Our job is to help the customer succeed. We’re here to make sure their designs don’t just look good on screen; they work reliably in the real world,” Jari-Pekka explains.

Early-Stage Involvement Saves Time and Cost

Too often, PCB layout decisions are made without knowing how they’ll impact manufacturability. Many designers have never visited a PCB factory, so they may not be aware of practical limitations or cost drivers.

That’s why Jari-Pekka encourages customers to get in touch as early as possible:

“If we’re involved during the layout phase, we can suggest adjustments that improve reliability, reduce cost, or speed up delivery. Small changes can make a huge difference.”

This can include suggestions on stack-up choices, impedance control, fine-pitch design rules, and thermal management — always tailored to the customer’s end-use and expected volumes.

Tailored Support from a Dedicated Engineer

One of the team’s key strengths is customer proximity. Every customer is assigned to a dedicated technical support engineer who becomes a long-term partner for design reviews, documentation questions, and production transitions.

The team includes four highly experienced engineers, each with strong expertise in PCB technology and design.

Jari-Pekka Seppänen leads the team with 18 years at Aspocomp, bringing a strong understanding of both engineering and production.

Henni Moilanen – 16 years, Tomi Latvala – 9 years, and Sari Turunen – 11 years of experience at Aspocomp, all bring deep technical understanding across PCB design, layout optimization, manufacturability and engineering support for customer projects.

“We work closely together as a team. We also interact with production daily, so we know what’s possible and what’s not,” says Jari-Pekka.

From Concept to Mass Production

Aspocomp’s technical support is not limited to early-stage development. The team helps customers through every stage of the product lifecycle:

- Prototype reviews to ensure early builds go smoothly.

- Material readiness checks for long-term availability.

- Transition planning for scaling volume production.

- Documentation support for certifications and traceability.

“We’re not just solving problems. We’re helping customers design better, faster, and smarter,” Jari-Pekka summarises.

Reducing Risk, Increasing Confidence

In a fast-paced industry, small choices made early can have major downstream effects. A poorly chosen material, an unmanufacturable via, or an overly tight design rule can derail timelines and drive up costs.

Aspocomp’s technical support team acts as a safeguard, bringing years of practical manufacturing knowledge into the design room. By bridging the gap between theory and production, they help customers get to market faster and with fewer surprises.

“We make it easy for our customers to succeed. That’s our mission,” says Jari-Pekka.

About Jari-Pekka Seppänen

Jari-Pekka Seppänen is the NPI Manager at Aspocomp, leading the company’s Technical Support team. With over two decades of hands-on experience in PCB manufacturing, he combines deep technical knowledge with a practical understanding of customer challenges.

Jari-Pekka has worked in various engineering and supervisory roles throughout his career and has a strong background in front-end processes, design-for-manufacturing (DFM), and new product introduction (NPI). At Aspocomp, he plays a central role in ensuring that customer designs are robust, cost-efficient, and production-ready from first layout to volume ramp-up.

He is passionate about building bridges between design and manufacturing, helping customers avoid pitfalls, reduce iteration cycles, and get to market faster with smarter, more reliable solutions.

Planning your next PCB project?

Contact Aspocomp’s technical team to learn how early support can save time, reduce costs, and improve product reliability from design to delivery.