Operator-Led Cybersecurity for Fast-Moving Organizations

Operator-Led Cybersecurity for Fast-Moving Organizations

Built by Operators. For the Innovation Economy.

For 15+ years, we sat at the center of the global innovation ecosystem. vCSO.ai exists for one purpose: Give high-growth and regulated organizations access to board-level cybersecurity judgment without hiring a full-time CISO.

WHAT WE DO

We help CEOs, CISOs, and boards answer three hard questions:

Where are we exposed?

Where are we exposed?

How do we prove we're in control?

How do we prove we're in control?

How do we adopt AI without inviting regulatory trouble?

How do we adopt AI without inviting regulatory trouble?

Our Story

vCSO.ai was founded on a simple observation: the organizations driving innovation forward high-growth startups, venture-backed companies, and financial institutions navigating digital transformation, face cyber and AI risks but rarely have access to the executive-level judgment needed to address them.


Most advisory firms offer either hourly consultants who lack strategic depth or expensive audit-driven engagements that prioritize compliance theater over real risk reduction. CEOs and boards are left with reports full of jargon but no clear path forward.


We built vCSO.ai differently. As operators who've lived through board scrutiny, regulatory examinations, and high-stakes incidents, we know what matters and what doesn't. We've sat across the table from venture capitalists evaluating security posture, from regulators demanding accountability, and from executive teams balancing innovation velocity with risk exposure.

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OUR IMPACT, QUANTIFIED

Security Backed by Experience, Proven by Numbers

0+
0+

Years

In Cybersecurity Leadership

0
0

Years

As CSO & Chief Privacy Officer

$150B+
$150B+

In Institutional Assets Previously Secured

50+
50+

Boardroom Briefings Delivered to Executive Leadership

0+
0+

Advisor to Cybersecurity Product Companies

$0B+
$0B+

In Collective Enterprise Value Across Advised Startups

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL ADVISOR

FOUNDER & PRINCIPAL ADVISOR

Nick Shevelyov

Nick Shevelyov

Former Chief Security Officer & CIO, Silicon Valley Bank
25+ Years in Cybersecurity, Risk & Technology Leadership
25+ Years in Cybersecurity, Risk & Technology Leadership
25+ Years in Cybersecurity, Risk & Technology Leadership

Nick brings 25+ years of cybersecurity, risk, and technology leadership to every engagement. As Chief Security Officer and CIO of Silicon Valley Bank, he built and led the global security and technology program for one of the most systemically important financial institutions in the innovation economy.

For 15+ years, Nick sat at the center of the global innovation ecosystem supporting companies backed by top-tier VCs, working with security pioneers like Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, and Zscaler from their earliest stages, and briefing boards and regulators on the risks that matter.

Credentials & Recognition

Public Bio

Public Bio

Recognized for ongoing engagement with CSO/CISO priorities and thought leadership

Recognized for ongoing engagement with CSO/CISO priorities and thought leadership

Board & Advisory

Board & Advisory

Active on boards and as an advisor to cybersecurity innovators and industry leaders

Active on boards and as an advisor to cybersecurity innovators and industry leaders

Media Appearances

Media Appearances

Frequent speaker and commentator on cybersecurity, risk, and innovation

Frequent speaker and commentator on cybersecurity, risk, and innovation

Author

Author

Cyber War…and Peace: Building Digital Trust Today with History as Our Guide

Cyber War…and Peace: Building Digital Trust Today with History as Our Guide

THE vCSO.ai TEAM

THE vCSO.ai TEAM

Operators. Specialists. Builders.

Operators. Specialists. Builders.

Operators. Specialists. Builders.

Every member of our team brings deep domain expertise, operational experience, and a commitment to delivering executive-level judgment.

Every member of our team brings deep domain expertise, operational experience, and a commitment to delivering executive-level judgment.

Sonja Shevelyov

Head of operations

Scaled and exited companies, including a Proofpoint acquisition, ensure operational rigor and execution excellence across all vCSO.ai engagements.

Jay Manalo

Executive Assistant

Helps cyber and AI founders craft compelling market narratives; co-orchestrates the vCSO Supper Club connecting operators, builders, and investors.

Andrej Bosanac

Information Security Analyst

Leads technical assessments across NIST CSF, ISO 27001, and FFIEC; delivers comprehensive reports that boards, auditors, and regulators trust.

Nicholas Carlson

Analyst

Builds vCSO.ai's technical tools including the ROI Calculator and AI Risk Navigator; coordinates engineering teams from MVP to production.

Berk Algan

Advisor

Focuses on SOC 2, ISO 27001, and audit preparation; translates technical controls into governance frameworks that regulators and boards trust.

WORK WITH vCSO.ai

Ready to Strengthen Your Cybersecurity Leadership?

If you're a CEO, founder, or board member who needs clarity on cyber and AI risk, not decks full of jargon, we should talk.