
AI for Founders with Ryan Estes The MMA ring for cybersecurity: inside Hackerverse's product showdowns
May 27, 2025
48:12
Guest: Mariana Padilla, Founder & CEO of Hackerverse.ai
Summary: Mariana shares how Hackerverse is turning cybersecurity sales into hands-on, testable experiences for buyers. From "World Hacker Games" to instant, AI-generated product demos, Mariana explains how she and her team are slashing POC timelines, building trust through transparency, and creating a community-led growth engine in an industry known for skepticism. She also talks about her unique journey, advice for startup founders, and the looming risks of agentic AI warfare.
Key Takeaways
- Storytelling is critical in technical sales: “Words are our code.”
- Buyers can test software in digital replicas of their own systems—no sales call needed.
- Red team “World Hacker Games” offer real-time validation of cybersecurity products.
- Using generative and agentic AI, Hackerverse can launch vendor POCs in hours.
- Community-building through Discord, immersive branding, and real relationships is core to Hackerverse’s success.
Frameworks & Models
- Digital POC Framework: Self-service product trials in simulated environments.
- Community-Led Growth: Build rabid fans through radical transparency and engaging experiences.
- Beginner’s Mindset: Embrace naivety as a strength when entering technical industries.
Resources
- Hackerverse.ai
- Mariana’s LinkedIn
- Techstars Chicago AI
- OWASP Foundation
- Lydia – Deepfake Detection
- Book: Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind by Shunryu Suzuki
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