CrowdStrike, AWS, and NVIDIA Announce Startup Accelerator Finalists Ahead of RSAC(TM) 2026; Robert Herjavec Joins as Celebrity Judge
MWN-AI** Summary
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), a leader in cybersecurity, has unveiled the six finalists for its third annual Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator, in partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA. These startups will present their innovative solutions at the Startup Nest live pitch event during RSAC™ 2026, where notable figures in cybersecurity, including investor and 'Shark Tank' executive producer Robert Herjavec, will judge their presentations.
The finalists, chosen from nearly 1,000 global applicants, highlight groundbreaking advancements in cybersecurity, focused on AI and cloud-native technologies designed to secure modern infrastructures and combat threats at machine speed. The cohort includes Above Security, Capsule Security, Evoke Security, Jazz, Nimble Security, and Vivid Security.
In preparation for the event, Herjavec remarked on the transformative impact of this accelerator, noting that the selected companies are poised to redefine the future of cybersecurity. He emphasized the significance of the collaboration between CrowdStrike, AWS, and NVIDIA, suggesting that their combined expertise will elevate the capabilities of emerging cybersecurity solutions.
The judging panel for the pitch event features prominent industry leaders, including George Kurtz, CEO of CrowdStrike; CJ Moses, CISO at AWS; and Bartley Richardson, senior director at NVIDIA. Each participant will showcase how their innovative solutions can help address critical security challenges.
Daniel Bernard, chief business officer at CrowdStrike, stated that this accelerator reflects a shift in the cybersecurity landscape, emphasizing that decision-making is increasingly centered on platforms that determine innovation scalability. This event is not just a competition; it represents a blueprint for the future of enterprise security. The finals will take place on March 24 in San Francisco, with registration available online.
MWN-AI** Analysis
As the market prepares for the Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator finals at RSAC™ 2026, it’s essential to assess the positions of CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), Amazon Web Services (AWS), and NVIDIA, as their collaborative efforts aimed at fostering cybersecurity innovation signal significant trends for investors.
CrowdStrike stands at the forefront of the cybersecurity landscape with its advanced cloud-native platform, the Falcon® platform. Its accelerator program emphasizes the growing importance of AI and cloud-native security solutions, a sector likely to experience accelerated growth. With significant expert backing and participation from notable figures like Robert Herjavec, CrowdStrike is reinforcing its leadership position. Investors should watch for momentum in CRWD’s stock price as new startups highlight its innovative ecosystem.
AWS's involvement is also noteworthy. As a leader in cloud services, AWS is vital in shaping the future of cybersecurity by integrating advanced security protocols directly into its offerings. This collaboration enhances its cloud security portfolio, making its services more attractive to enterprises concerned about rising cybersecurity threats. AWS's continuous growth in cloud adoption suggests that investors should remain bullish on its stock.
NVIDIA, known for its prowess in AI hardware, leverages its technological advancements to benefit cybersecurity. The initiatives with CrowdStrike and AWS highlight its role in enabling faster threat detection and mitigation. NVIDIA's stock performance may continue to rise, particularly given the growing demand for AI-driven solutions in the enterprise security space.
In summary, as innovative startups emerge from this accelerator and join the suite of offerings from CrowdStrike, AWS, and NVIDIA, these companies are poised to capture increasing market share in the cybersecurity industry. Investors should keep a close eye on the outcomes from RSAC™ 2026 and consider the implications of these collaborations on the respective stocks moving forward.
**MWN-AI Summary and Analysis is based on asking OpenAI to summarize and analyze this news release.
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD) today announced the six finalists for the third annual Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator with Amazon Web Services (AWS) and NVIDIA through its Inception program – with finalists set to take the stage at Startup Nest, the live pitch event at RSAC™ 2026 , where the next generation of cybersecurity leaders is decided. Cybersecurity expert and entrepreneur Robert Herjavec will also join the Startup Nest judging panel.
“What CrowdStrike has built in its Cybersecurity Accelerator with key partners AWS and NVIDIA is remarkable in bringing tomorrow’s innovators to the forefront,” said Robert Herjavec, investor and executive producer of ‘Shark Tank.’ “The companies on this stage aren’t just pitching ideas – they’re building the future of how cybersecurity is delivered, and I couldn’t be more excited to share my perspectives.”
Selected from nearly 1,000 global applicants, this year’s finalists represent a new wave of innovation – startups building AI- and cloud-native security to protect modern infrastructure, secure AI systems, and stop threats at machine speed.
Finalists of the 2026 Cohort include:
The finalists will take the stage on March 24 at RSAC™ 2026, pitching live in front of a judging panel that includes George Kurtz, CEO and founder of CrowdStrike; CJ Moses, chief information security officer at Amazon; Bartley Richardson, senior director of agentic AI and cybersecurity engineering at NVIDIA; and Herjavec.
“It takes a Crowd to build the next generation of cybersecurity. Our Accelerator with AWS and NVIDIA is how we do that," said Daniel Bernard, chief business officer at CrowdStrike. "With AWS bringing the cloud, CrowdStrike securing it, and NVIDIA accelerating it with AI, this accelerator has become a proving ground for what comes next. These finalists represent where cybersecurity is going – and who’s going to define it.”
This accelerator reflects a fundamental shift in cybersecurity: decision-making is moving upstream – into the platforms that determine which innovations scale, and which don’t.
That shift will define where innovation comes from, how quickly companies grow, and ultimately, who shapes the future of enterprise security.
See It Live at RSAC™ 2026
The Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator finals will take place Tuesday, March 24, from 2–4 PM in San Francisco. Register to attend: https://events.crowdstrike.com/startupnestrsac/ .
About CrowdStrike
CrowdStrike (NASDAQ: CRWD), a global cybersecurity leader, has redefined modern security with the world’s most advanced cloud-native platform for protecting critical areas of enterprise risk – endpoints and cloud workloads, identity and data.
Powered by the CrowdStrike Security Cloud and world-class AI, the CrowdStrike Falcon® platform leverages real-time indicators of attack, threat intelligence, evolving adversary tradecraft and enriched telemetry from across the enterprise to deliver hyper-accurate detections, automated protection and remediation, elite threat hunting and prioritized observability of vulnerabilities.
Purpose-built in the cloud with a single lightweight-agent architecture, the Falcon platform delivers rapid and scalable deployment, superior protection and performance, reduced complexity and immediate time-to-value.
CrowdStrike: We stop breaches.
Learn more: https://www.crowdstrike.com/
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Start a free trial today: https://www.crowdstrike.com/trial
© 2026 CrowdStrike, Inc. All rights reserved. CrowdStrike and CrowdStrike Falcon are marks owned by CrowdStrike, Inc. and are registered in the United States and other countries. CrowdStrike owns other trademarks and service marks and may use the brands of third parties to identify their products and services.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260318423953/en/
Media Contact
Jake Schuster
CrowdStrike Corporate Communications
press@crowdstrike.com
FAQ**
How does CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. CRWD plan to leverage the innovations presented by the finalists of the Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator to enhance its existing Falcon platform?
What specific criteria did CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. CRWD use to select the six finalists from nearly 1,000 global applicants for its Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator?
Can CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. CRWD provide insights on how partnering with AWS and NVIDIA through the accelerator influences the development of new cybersecurity solutions?
In what ways does CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. CRWD see the shift in decision-making upstream affecting the future of enterprise security and the startups emerging from the accelerator?
**MWN-AI FAQ is based on asking OpenAI questions about CrowdStrike Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ: CRWD).
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