Joshua Ray is the founder and CEO of Blackwire Labs and has over 20 years of experience navigating the commercial, private, public, and military sectors. As a U.S. Navy veteran and seasoned cybersecurity executive dedicated to enhancing cyber resilience across industries, he has played an integral role in defending some of the world’s most targeted networks against advanced cyber adversaries.
As the former Global Security Lead for Emerging Technologies & Cyber Defense at Accenture, Joshua played a pivotal role in driving security innovation and securing critical technologies for the next generation of the global economy. Other related career experience includes serving as the Global Cyber Defense Practice Lead for Accenture Security; managing Verisign’s enterprise Cyber Intelligence Program; and creating and managing cyber threat intelligence programs at Raytheon. Additionally, he has served in technical leadership roles at the Office of Naval Intelligence and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
Company: Blackwire Labs
We are thrilled to have you join us today, welcome to ValiantCEO Magazine’s exclusive interview! Let’s start off with a little introduction. Tell our readers a bit about yourself and your company
Josh Ray: I am Josh Ray, CEO and founder of Blackwire Labs. We are a cybersecurity startup founded by industry and military veterans, based in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. Our mission is to democratize advanced cybersecurity capabilities for organizations of all sizes through trusted AI solutions. We’ve developed a platform called Blackwire.ai, which combines human expert-vetted knowledge with blockchain-powered integrity to deliver unparalleled cybersecurity insights. Our team includes myself, Christopher Clark (CTO), and Andrew Maloney (COO), all with extensive experience in cybersecurity and technology leadership roles at companies like Accenture, Palo Alto Networks, and Query.AI. We’re also proud to be incubating with Hack Factory, led by technology luminary Matt Devost, who serves as our strategic advisor and my personal mentor.
What emerging technology trends do you believe will have the most profound impact in the next 5-10 years?
Josh Ray: Based on Blackwire Labs’ focus and market positioning, the most impactful emerging technology trends in the next 5-10 years are likely to be:
1. Artificial Intelligence in Cybersecurity: AI-driven solutions for threat detection, response, and overall security posture management.
2. Quantum-Safe Cryptography: Developing encryption methods that can withstand attacks from quantum computers.
3. Blockchain for Data Integrity: Using blockchain technology to ensure the trustworthiness and integrity of data and AI created outputs.
4. Zero Trust Security Models: Implementing security architectures that require verification from everyone trying to access resources in a network.
5. Edge Computing Security: Addressing security challenges as more computing moves to the edge of networks.
Can you share a specific technological breakthrough from your company that has the potential to reshape your industry?
Josh Ray: Blackwire Labs’ most significant technological breakthrough this far is Trustwire, our proprietary blockchain-based system that ensures the integrity and immutability of all training data and AI outputs. Trustwire employs zero-knowledge proofs and smart contracts to create a verifiable audit trail for all data used in Blackwire.ai’s operations. This unique approach allows for transparent validation of AI decision-making processes while maintaining the confidentiality of sensitive information. By addressing the critical issue of trust in AI-generated outputs, Trustwire has the potential to ensure the integrity and security of AI training data and reshape how AI is adopted and utilized in society.
How do you approach innovation while balancing the need for practicality and market readiness?
Josh Ray: Blackwire Labs approaches innovation by:
Focusing on real-world cybersecurity challenges: Our solutions are designed to address critical industry needs, such as the cybersecurity skills gap and the demand for trusted AI solutions.
Collaborating with industry experts: The Cybersecurity Community of Excellence (CCOE) ensures that innovations are grounded in practical, expert-validated knowledge.
Iterative development: Starting with a prototype and soft launch before moving to general availability, allowing for refinement based on early customer feedback.
Balancing cutting-edge technology with usability: Developing advanced AI capabilities while ensuring the platform remains accessible and user-friendly for organizations of all sizes.
Addressing market concerns: By focusing on trust and transparency in AI, we’re tackling a key barrier to AI adoption in cybersecurity.
What challenges do you face in integrating cutting-edge technology into existing business models?
Josh Ray: Some challenges will likely include:
1. Trust deficit in AI: Overcoming skepticism about AI-generated outputs in the critical field of cybersecurity.
2. Data privacy and security concerns: Ensuring the security of sensitive data while leveraging it for AI training and analysis.
3. Integration with existing systems: Making our solution compatible with a wide range of existing cybersecurity tools and workflows.
Skill gap: Helping clients effectively use advanced AI tools, given the existing cybersecurity skills shortage.
Regulatory compliance: Ensuring our AI-driven solutions meet various industry and regional compliance requirements.
Scalability: Building enterprise-grade scaling capabilities while maintaining high performance.
Proving ROI: Demonstrating the value of our AI-driven approach compared to traditional cybersecurity solutions.
How do you foster a culture of innovation within your organization to stay ahead in the tech race?
Josh Ray: Expert collaboration: The Cybersecurity Community of Excellence (CCOE) brings together industry experts, fostering a culture of continuous learning and innovation.
Cross-functional teams: Our leadership team brings diverse experiences from different areas of cybersecurity, encouraging multidisciplinary approaches to problem-solving.
Rapid prototyping and iteration: Our accelerated journey from concept to revenue suggests a culture of rapid development and learning.
Encouraging creativity: Our focus on developing novel solutions like Trustwire indicates a culture that values creative problem-solving.
Staying close to market needs: Our engagement with customers and design partners helps keep innovation aligned with real-world requirements.
Continuous learning: Regular updating of our AI models and knowledge base with the latest threat intelligence and security practices.
Open communication: Fostering an environment where team members can freely share ideas and challenge existing paradigms.
