Building Conifers.ai: A Journey of Resilience, Innovation, and Purpose
The story of Conifers, which we brought out of stealth today, is one rooted in resilience, purpose, and a commitment to solving some of the hardest challenges in cybersecurity. Our journey began years ago, not in a boardroom or a startup incubator but in the intelligence units of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), where I was first exposed to the transformative power of technology and data science. I had the unique opportunity to work on cutting-edge technologies in the intelligence domain. We were pioneers in leveraging data science to extract insights from massive datasets—transforming raw information into actionable intelligence in real-time. This experience revealed to me the true potential of data science when applied to complex, high-stakes problems, a lesson that would resonate throughout my career.
From Data Science to Cybersecurity
My career then took me to VMware, where I led product teams focused on solving large-scale business challenges using data science. Whether it was operational optimization or performance improvement, I saw firsthand how data science could uncover patterns, enable better decision-making, and scale complex solutions for global enterprises.
Later, I joined a sustainability-focused startup, where we leveraged data science to optimize power generation and consumption to streamline production on the factory floors of power plants. It was here that I gained a deeper appreciation for how data, when effectively analyzed and applied, could improve efficiency and solve operational bottlenecks—directly driving measurable outcomes.
However, my most transformative shift came when I re-entered the world of cybersecurity. At Rapid7 (via an acquisition of IntSights, where I was Chief Customer Officer), I led initiatives that integrated data science into the detection and response practice. My work focused on improving how organizations detected and responded to threats by automating processes and uncovering patterns that human analysts might overlook. These experiences reinforced for me how critical data science is for advancing cybersecurity solutions and revealed significant gaps in the industry’s ability to harness this potential.
The Birth of Conifers
Through these varied experiences, it became clear to me that the power of data science was underutilized in cybersecurity. I had seen firsthand the challenges faced by Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs) and MDR providers: issues with quality, scalability, expertise shortages, labor inefficiencies, and outdated technology. On the enterprise side, I observed security teams struggling with visibility, risk management, and proactive detection and response.
Conifers was born from a desire to address these challenges. Our mission is to help organizations—whether service providers or enterprises—adopt cutting-edge solutions powered by data science to drive real, actionable outcomes. By combining advanced data science and AI with deep cybersecurity and SecOps expertise, Conifers aims to redefine the way organizations approach cybersecurity.
Tackling the Hard Problems
At Conifers, we focus on solving the most pressing challenges in the Security Operations Center (SOC)—not just incremental improvements, but transformative solutions. One of the biggest issues SOCs face is the lack of expertise needed to investigate alerts thoroughly and efficiently. Even highly skilled analysts are often overwhelmed, leading to compromises that leave organizations vulnerable.
Data science plays a pivotal role here. It allows us to automate the detection, triage, and investigation of alerts in ways that are not just faster but also more accurate. By creating multi-tiered contextual investigations, we’re ensuring that alerts are handled with the depth and precision needed to prevent breaches as soon as possible to the point of compromise.
But this isn’t about automating repetitive tasks—it’s about building systems that fundamentally change how SOCs operate, by delivering measurable results and ROI. Our solutions help organizations reduce risk, gain better visibility, and achieve a level of SOC excellence that was previously unattainable.
Building the Right Team
A key part of our journey has been assembling a team that shares the same vision and values. My co-founder Alon and I have known each other since we were two years old, growing up together in Tel Aviv. We’ve worked together on multiple projects, and our shared experiences have built a strong foundation of trust and collaboration.
Our third co-founder, Mark, joined us through a mutual connection. His technical expertise and belief in our vision made him the perfect fit for our team. Together, we worked tirelessly to refine our ideas and secure funding, driven by a shared commitment to solving real problems for our customers.
The Values Behind the Name
The name “Conifers” was inspired by a trip to Colorado, where I was struck by the resilience of the evergreen trees that thrive in the harshest conditions. These trees survive extreme heat, fires, snow, and freezing cold—a symbol of the resilience and adaptability we aim to build into our company.
For us, Conifers represents not just a name but a set of values. It’s about building a company that can endure challenges, adapt to changing landscapes, and continue to grow, just like the trees that inspired us.
A Commitment to Solving Real SecOps Pain
At Conifers, we’re not interested in building tools that offer marginal improvements. Our focus is on delivering real solutions to real problems. The SOC is one of the most challenging areas in cybersecurity. And we see many other options out there that were born from the desire to create an AI-based solution for the SOC. But the result of this approach can align with the adage, “When you’re a hammer, everything looks like a nail.” Instead, we started with the problems SecOps was trying to solve, and then determined the best mix of data science and AI techniques that would deliver effectiveness and efficiency. We’re committed to not only addressing the basic day-to-day struggles that security teams face, but also the harder questions that CISOs and the C-suite need to answer such as “Have we reduced our overall risk?”, “How efficient is my SOC—how are we getting better?”, “What is the level of accuracy in our investigations?”
Our approach centers on leveraging data science and AI to improve the quality, efficiency, and outcomes of SOC operations. By applying these techniques at scale, we’re helping organizations solve critical SOC challenges at scale, increasing effectiveness and efficiency, reducing risk, and increasing proactiveness to achieve SOC excellence. This isn’t just about adopting AI for the sake of it—it’s about delivering tangible results that matter to our enterprise and service provider customers. And we also understand the desire to “implement AI” but the lack of trust and confidence because of the unknown. We have made it possible for organizations to build that trust and confidence by letting them roll out our platform and “verify and trust” and their own pace.
Why We Chose the Hard Path
Many cybersecurity companies focus on low-hanging fruit—small, incremental changes that are easier to achieve. At Conifers, we chose the harder path. We’re tackling the big, complex challenges that have traditionally been considered “the hard nuts to crack.”
This decision was driven by a desire to truly move the needle. Whether it’s automating contextual investigations, reducing alert fatigue, or improving SOC detection and response workflows, our CognitiveSOC™ platform has been designed from the start to deliver significant, measurable, strategic results. We believe that by focusing on the hard problems, we can have a meaningful impact on the organizations we serve.
Looking Ahead
As Conifers continues to grow, our mission remains the same: to build a company that solves hard problems, delivers real value, and helps organizations achieve their cybersecurity goals. We believe in the power of AI—not as a buzzword, but as a transformative tool for driving meaningful change.
Conifers is more than just a company; it’s a reflection of our journey, our values, and our commitment to making a difference in the world of cybersecurity. We’re excited about what the future holds and look forward to continuing to push the boundaries of what’s possible.
