The recent edition of the Fortune Cyber 60 list (in partnership with Lightspeed Venture Partners) reveals a clear pivot in the cybersecurity world: artificial intelligence (AI) is not only expanding defenders’ capabilities but also magnifying attackers’ arsenal. The list showcases 60 venture-backed cybersecurity companies that are gaining traction and growing rapidly—many of whom are placing AI at the heart of their value proposition, whether to defend their clients or protect the burgeoning AI attack surface.
One key theme: startups are now being measured not just on how well they detect and prevent traditional threats but how they monitor, secure and govern AI systems themselves. The report notes that AI‐powered solutions are increasingly essential for firms to defend against novel threats like prompt-injection, adversarial attacks, and model-extraction. On the flip side, these same AI systems become new vulnerabilities—creating a whole new domain of cyber risk. As a result, the vendors who make the Cyber 60 list are those tackling this dual dimension: defending “AI as asset” and “AI as threat” in one.
Another insight: cybersecurity spending is growing faster than overall IT budgets, which is significant given the macro-economic head-winds tech has been facing. According to the Lightspeed data, the industry is seeing an 11 %+ compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for security investment into the next few years—meaning there’s capital available even when other segments are slowing. For India and other emerging markets, this means opportunities in cyber are less cyclical and more resilient compared to many other tech segments.
In summary, this year’s Cyber 60 list sends a message: For cyber startups (and for organisations buying those solutions), the AI dimension is now non-negotiable. You either build or integrate AI-centric defence (models, agents, data-monitoring) or you risk becoming legacy. For the Indian ecosystem, the implication is clear—whether you’re a startup, investor, or enterprise buyer, focusing on “AI + cyber” is becoming a strategic imperative rather than a nice-to-have.
