San Antonio’s cybersecurity sector is strong but lopsided, said local industry leaders who participated in a Geekdom panel.
While many companies in the city’s defense sector and beyond provide cybersecurity services — investigators, auditors and consultants — relatively few actually build software, which is where the big money is. And those that do often get whisked away to Austin.
“The ability to build product and have people building product … is going to be extremely important for longevity in the industry,” said Nicholas Hollis, president and CEO of Coherent Cyber, a San Antonio-based cybersecurity services firm. “The challenge for us is to keep those product companies and developers here.”
The Wednesday panel, coordinated by the World Affairs Council of San Antonio, was moderated by Charles Woodin, CEO of Geekdom. Thomas Ervin, a UTSA lecturer and cybersecurity specialist at the FBI’s San Antonio office, and Jeff Fair, vice president of cybersecurity at the San Antonio Chamber of Commerce, also took part in the discussion.