Cybersecurity Visionary Phil Venables Joins Ballistic Ventures as Venture Partner

For decades, Venables served as CISO and cyber executive across some of the world's largest organizations, including Google Cloud, Goldman Sachs, Deutsche Bank

SAN FRANCISCO, April 25, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ballistic Ventures, the venture capital firm dedicated exclusively to funding and incubating entrepreneurs and innovations in cybersecurity, is pleased to announce that Phil Venables, the renowned cybersecurity leader and former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) of Google Cloud, has joined the firm as a Venture Partner. Venables brings decades of experience in building and advising cybersecurity and risk management programs across some of the world's most influential companies and government bodies.

With a distinguished career spanning leadership roles at Google Cloud, Goldman Sachs, and Deutsche Bank, Venables has played a pivotal role in shaping the cybersecurity landscape. His deep experience in both the private and public sectors, including serving on the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology (PCAST), makes him an invaluable addition to the Ballistic team.

"We have known and worked with Phil for years, and he was our first call to be a trusted advisor when assembling Ballistic," said Ted Schlein, Co-founder and General Partner at Ballistic Ventures. "Phil's unparalleled expertise in securing critical systems, advising governments, and building resilient cybersecurity programs has already been tremendously valuable to us, and we're pleased to have him join us in an even greater capacity as Venture Partner. His insights will also help guide our portfolio companies as they tackle the ever-evolving security threats of today and tomorrow."

Venables' contributions to the cybersecurity industry are extensive. He helped found the Center for Internet Security (CIS) and served on its board from 2014 until 2020, and he currently serves on multiple boards and committees, including for MITRE's Science and Technology Advisory Committee, HackerOne, Interos, Ballistic portfolio company Veza, and he is Strategic Security Advisor at Google Cloud. He has also been a leader in financial-sector cybersecurity, having co-chaired the board of Sheltered Harbor, which protects the financial system if a catastrophic event such as a cyberattack causes critical systems to fail, and he has led numerous industry-wide initiatives to enhance resilience against cyber threats.

"After being a CISO for 30 years across some of the world's largest organizations, I'm excited to take on a new challenge that allows me to help shape the future of cybersecurity in a different way," said Venables. "Ballistic's exceptional team and dedicated focus on shaping and scaling the next generation of cybersecurity solutions align deeply with my passion for fostering security innovation and resilience across industries. I look forward to working alongside founders and teams tackling the most pressing security challenges of our time."

Venables' appointment as Venture Partner underscores Ballistic Ventures' commitment to fostering innovation and supporting the most promising cybersecurity entrepreneurs. His strategic insights and deep technical knowledge will help shape the future of cybersecurity investments and solutions. Learn more about the Ballistic Ventures team here.

About Ballistic Ventures

Ballistic Ventures is a venture capital firm solely dedicated to early-stage cybersecurity and cyber-related companies. The partners have spent their entire careers defending against every cyber threat conceivable. Members of the firm have founded, operated, and funded over 100 successful cybersecurity firms – including Abnormal Security, AlienVault, ArcSight, Fortify, Mandiant, and Shape Security – led over 10,000 security professionals globally, and have 40+ years of experience in venture capital. The Ballistic portfolio includes Aembit, Alethea, ArmorCode, AuthMind, Codezero, Concentric AI, GetReal, Gomboc AI, Mimic, Noma, Nudge Security, Oligo, Pangea, Perygee, Reach, SpecterOps, Talon (PANW), Veza, and WitnessAI. Our experience provides entrepreneurs impactful support from people focused on the same mission. Our networks and relationships open doors for our founders. Learn more at ballisticventures.com.

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SOURCE Ballistic Ventures