According to a 2025 report, ransomware is present in 88 percent of all data breaches affecting small-to-medium enterprises, making them the primary targets rather than just collateral damage. Despite the severe financial and emotional toll these attacks take on small companies and non-profits, the cyber security industry remains largely tailored for massive corporations, creating a severe state of "cyber inequity". Recognising this massive gap, Gaurav Keerthi left a two-decade career at the very top of Singapore's national cyber security and defence infrastructure to protect these highly vulnerable underdogs.

Gaurav founded Strongkeep to become the "IKEA of cyber security," abandoning complex, over-engineered bespoke solutions in favour of highly accessible, affordable protection. By bundling four essential pillars - anti-malware, phishing protection, credential management, and secure server configurations - the platform dramatically raises the security baseline for companies without dedicated IT teams. Priced at just $39 a month, the platform utilises intelligent automation to allow non-technical staff to pay, deploy, and be completely protected within just seven minutes.

Rather than relying on massive marketing budgets, Strongkeep has built a strategic distribution moat by partnering with telecommunications companies, banks, and managed service providers who bundle the protection into their existing offerings. Gaurav joins us to discuss building a rapidly scaling cyber security startup and how they keep customer acquisition costs lean. We also explore the company's global expansion plans, their ongoing seed extension round, and their ambitious research into developing an artificial intelligence-powered virtual Chief Information Security Officer for small businesses.