How AI Is Stopping Your Coffee Shop From Getting Hacked

Cybersecurity is often depicted as a high-stakes poker game between monolithic enterprises and shadowy hackers.

Often lost in this epic narrative is the vulnerability of startups and small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), which are the backbone of global economies.

While multinational corporations flaunt their cutting-edge security suites, coffee shops, family-run stores, and burgeoning startups and SMBs are left grappling with rudimentary solutions, often no more sophisticated than basic DNS filtering.

HiAware sees a “gap in the market,” says YiLun Miao, its chief revenue officer and partner. He sees an untapped opportunity in providing purpose-built cybersecurity for the “first-time security buyer.”

Miao explains, “The enterprise market loves a solution with all the bells and whistles, but the SMB market is just too complicated [to address].” They are just too numerous and have diverse yet specific requirements. Security vendors pouring money into research and development do not readily see the economic sense in offering them a comprehensive solution.

HiAware takes an innovative approach based on the maturing AI landscape. Instead of overwhelming SMBs with an avalanche of features and configurations, HiAware prioritizes simplicity and user experience using machine learning.

Essentially, the company’s AI-powered solution learns the user behavior on devices and connections across an entire network, adapting its protection without requiring user input.

“We’ve removed the need to configure and tweak,” Miao states. “By doing it this way... we minimize the actual throughput, requiring minimal impact on the device, from a performance perspective and a battery life perspective.”

Transforming the SMB channel

HiAware knows that providing user-friendly, innovative protection for SMBs is only part of the solution. It also needs to reach and service these companies. So, it set its sights on transforming how the channel delivers cybersecurity to SMBs.

The company is partnering with telcos, hardware resellers, and IT distributors, leveraging existing relationships and large device volumes to expand its reach rapidly. This 100% channel-centric strategy has proven successful in Europe and the Middle East, where HiAware boasts an impressive 38% attach rate with one of its reference customers.

Now, the company is turning its attention to the Asia-Pacific (APAC) region, a market it believes is ripe for disruption.

“[When you compare] five years ago, the awareness of cyber attacks in the APAC market [has gone up], but I think we’ve now hit the point where most people are aware,” Miao observes. “Many countries...have a huge mobile user base...but also high in cyber threat.”

With plans to initially target Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, Thailand, and India, HiAware is poised to capitalize on this growing demand for cybersecurity solutions.

Seeding the channels

However, HiAware isn’t just relying on its technological prowess to conquer new markets. The company recognizes the unique challenges of selling to SMBs, particularly in regions where relationships and trust play a pivotal role.

To address this, HiAware has developed a comprehensive go-to-market framework that includes on-site workshops and tailored sales and marketing strategies. It has also refined this framework with its successful penetration in the Middle East and Europe.

This hands-on approach ensures channel partners can effectively sell HiAware’s solution, further accelerating the company’s growth.

The road ahead is not without its hurdles. Competition is fierce, and the SMB landscape is constantly evolving.

Yet, HiAware remains confident in its ability to carve out a significant market share with its AI engine combined with a relentless focus on user experience and channel enablement.

Changing the status quo

In a world where cyber threats are becoming increasingly sophisticated and pervasive, HiAware’s mission to democratize cybersecurity is more relevant than ever. After all, many attacks now stem from supply chain attacks and third-party sources (often an unwitting developer in a startup or SMB).

As the company looks to expand its footprint in the APAC region and beyond, it will be fascinating to see how its unique approach shapes the future of cybersecurity for SMBs and closes the apparent security hole.

Will HiAware succeed in capturing the untapped potential of this vast market? Only time will tell.

But one thing is certain: the company is challenging the status quo and forcing the industry to broaden its approach to protecting the digital lives of all — not just some enterprises.

Image credit: iStockphoto/Francisco Javier Ortiz Marzo