
Cybersecurity is one of the most dynamic sectors in tech, and one of the most challenging for startups to break into. Our new course, AI Cybersecurity Startup Case Studies, is designed to help you navigate this high-stakes industry with real-world examples of startups using AI to solve today’s most urgent security problems. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, technologist or aspiring founder, you’ll learn how others are building trust with hard-to-reach decision-makers like CIOs and CISOs, tackling new threat surfaces and breaking into the opaque buyer ecosystem.
This is your chance to explore how AI-driven startups are identifying critical gaps in cybersecurity, from agentic AI and API sprawl to remote infrastructure vulnerabilities and how they’re choosing the right go-to-market and funding strategies to succeed. Learn what works, what doesn’t and how to make smarter decisions at every stage of the journey.
For the month of August, we’re offering up to 85% off this course and all others listed below.
All coupons expire on August 31, 2025, so don’t miss your chance to enroll today!
Artificial Intelligence:
AI Cybersecurity Startup Case Studies: TRY1MBY1MAUG2025AICS
How to Bootstrap an AI Startup First and Blitzscale Later: TRY1MBY1MAUG2025AIBB
AI FinTech Startup Case Studies: TRY1MBY1MAUG2025AIFT
AI HealthTech Startup Case Studies: TRY1MBY1MAUG2025AIHT

Art.com Co-founder Josh Chodniewicz bootstrapped for 10 years before raising a $30 million first round of funding. He shared his journey with me in 2022.
Sramana Mitra: Let’s start at the very beginning of your journey. Where are you from? Where were you born, raise, and in what kind of background?
Josh Chodniewicz: I was born in New Jersey. I am the oldest of seven kids. My parents had seven kids in nine years.
This articles summarizes why 1Mby1M is the best non-equity startup accelerator for Central Asian startups, after comparing accelerators in Central Asia to 1Mby1M across key dimensions.
Guest Author Altynai Myrzabekova | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra
Equity preservation is a major concern for entrepreneurs in emerging markets like Central Asia. Traditional accelerators often require founders to give up equity in exchange for mentorship and resources. But what if you could get the support you need without sacrificing ownership? Let’s explore why 1Mby1M stands out as the best non-equity accelerator for Central Asian startups—and how it compares to other programs in the region.
>>>Sramana Mitra: Tell me about your AI investment thesis.
David Evans: I’m going to build on something you said in terms of how do you get sticky, how do you know what to invest in? Generally speaking, we’re looking for companies that meet two criteria. One is unilateral where AI is core to the value proposition. If you just have a button that says, “Click here to do something AI,” we’re really not interested. AI features are table stakes.
>>>Sramana Mitra: Not anymore. That’s what the question is. If you look at what’s happening in the market right now, there is a product that was built on Lovable, and in 48 hours it went to 3 million ARR. Obviously, they’re using some no-code tool that has enough functionality for people to want to pay.
>>>This articles summarizes the best virtual accelerators in Central Asia for bootstrapped and solo founders, comparing them to 1Mby1M across key dimensions like equity, learning style, investor access, and market focus.
Guest Author Altynai Myrzabekova | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra
Over the last decade, startup accelerators have become a go-to resource for early-stage founders. But here’s the thing — not all accelerators are created equal. Some programs genuinely help founders build sustainable businesses, while others focus too much on short-term vanity metrics. This is exactly what the Accelerator Conundrum blog series explores — cutting through hype to reveal what adds real long-term value. As someone focused on Central Asia, I wanted to see how these lessons apply to founders from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan.
>>>
David Evans, Managing Partner at Sentiero Ventures, discusses his firm’s AI investment thesis.
>>>This article summarizes the risk of blitzscaling early and the top startup accelerators for entrepreneurs focused on bootstrapping before blitzscaling in Central Asia that are similar to the 1Mby1M philosophy of Bootstrap First, Scale Later.
Guest Author Altynai Myrzabekova | Reviewed by Sramana Mitra
In Central Asia’s fast-evolving startup landscape, founders are often pressured to raise capital and scale quickly—sometimes before they’ve validated their business models. But many successful entrepreneurs are taking a different path: bootstrapping first, fundraising later, and only blitzscaling once the fundamentals are strong.
>>>