ForgePoint Capital, the most active sector-focused cybersecurity venture investor in 2020 with $770 million under management, announced today the promotions of Will Lin to Managing Director, Ernie Bio to Principal, and Rohit Gupta to Associate. The promotions strengthen what is already the most extensive and diverse investment team in cybersecurity, managing a substantial and growing portfolio of 26 active companies.
“We are delighted to announce the promotions of Will, Ernie and Rohit,” said J. Alberto Yépez, Co-Founder and Managing Director. “They are extremely valuable members of our team and are instrumental in helping build our franchise and scale our companies into global leaders. At ForgePoint, we are committed to develop diverse talent and promote from within. These promotions expand our investment bandwidth and leadership.”
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Will Lin, Managing Director
Will is a member of the ForgePoint founding team and has been involved in every aspect of the firm’s evolution. Since ForgePoint Capital’s founding in 2015, Will has risen from Vice President to Managing Director in five years—a meteoric career advancement. As Managing Director, he is a senior member of the team responsible for leading investments, growing the members of the investment team, expanding the trusted network of industry relationships and supporting fundraising efforts. He started his career at Citi’s Investment Banking Group and subsequently joined Trident Capital where he supported investments in cybersecurity and infrastructure software. Will currently serves on the boards of Attivo Networks, Bishop Fox, Concourse Labs, LoginRadius, Remediant, Symmetry Systems, Uptycs and an unannounced company.
“Looking back to the beginning of ForgePoint, my path could not have been possible with these amazing co-founders, partners, investors and great friends in the ecosystem. Thank you for all of your trust in me,” said Lin. “I am ecstatic to work with this team to help the next couple decades of entrepreneurs, innovators, practitioners and leaders.”
Ernie Bio, Principal
Ernie joined ForgePoint as a Vice President in September 2018 after serving as Chief Operating Officer of the Defense Innovation Unit, a Department of Defense organization headquartered in Silicon Valley. Prior to that, he led U.S. Cyber Command’s efforts to leverage commercial cybersecurity technologies from cutting edge startups. He has helped ForgePoint portfolio companies better serve the Department of Defense and Federal customers. In February 2020, he led the Series A investment in Huntress Labs. As a Principal, Ernie will focus on company building, portfolio management, sourcing and leading additional investments. He currently serves on the boards of Huntress Labs, Bayshore Networks, Bishop Fox, and NowSecure.
“I’ve spent a large part of my career rapidly identifying and acquiring cutting-edge commercial technologies to solve national security challenges. I’ve also led scouting efforts and engagement strategies with key entrepreneurs, startups, and venture capitalists within the cybersecurity ecosystem,” said Bio. “As Principal, I will have the opportunity to accelerate deal flows for ForgePoint and help foster the innovators and technologies that are vital to cybersecurity across both commercial and public sectors. As a veteran, this is very important to me.”
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Rohit Gupta, Associate
Rohit joined ForgePoint as a Senior Analyst in 2020 after working at Plug and Play Ventures focused on early-stage cybersecurity and sustainability investments. Rohit brings product management experience and community building skills. He has helped coordinate and shape ForgePoint Capital’s Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) committees’ efforts and formalized the firm’s Executive Briefing Program. As an Associate, he will focus on deal sourcing, due diligence support and portfolio management.
“The ForgePoint team is making a genuine impact by fostering next-generation security startups that protect personal privacy, support national security and prevent disruptive cyberattacks and breaches,” said Gupta. “ForgePoint is a place where people with unique backgrounds like me who have been involved in product management and the innovation economy can thrive. What’s more, the firm is committed to active ESG initiatives and leading the industry by example.”
