RSA Conference, the world's leading information security conferences and expositions, today announces the 10 finalists for its annual RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest. The competition offers a leading platform for entrepreneurial cyber security companies to launch their ground-breaking research and innovation in front of the industry's most savvy audience.

On Monday, April 16, the Top 10 finalists listed below will present a three-minute quick-pitch to try to win the coveted "Most Innovative Start Up" at the 2018 RSA Conference in San Francisco. Industry veterans Asheem Chandna, Partner, Greylock Partners; Gerhard Eschelbeck, Vice President Security and Privacy Engineering, Google; Niloofar Razi Howe, Tech Investor and Entrepreneur; Patrick Heim, Operating Partner and Chief Information Security Officer, ClearSky; Paul Kocher, Entrepreneur/Researcher and IT security expert will select the winner. Dr. Herbert (Hugh) Thompson returns to emcee the contest.

The finalists (in alphabetical order) are:

Acalvio Technologies
Acalvio ShadowPlex uses autonomous deception to detect breaches inside the corporate network quickly and accurately. ShadowPlex deploys scalable, authentic deceptions to detect successful attackers, analyze their behavior, automatically respond to stop attacks, and prioritize threat hunting and remediation activities.

Awake Security
Awake's Security Investigation Platform detects attacks that blend in with business-justified activity, enabling conclusive and rapid response. With exhaustive intelligence from the network, Awake uniquely identifies mal-intent to stop insider attacks, file-less malware, and much more.

BigID
BigID is a US-Israeli software company focused on privacy and personal data protection. As enterprises stare down GDPR and similar privacy regulations, they face new challenges in understanding what personal data they collect and process. BigID is redefining how enterprises satisfy GDPR and meet new data privacy and protection requirements.

BluVector
BluVector is revolutionizing network security with state-of-the-art AI, sensing and responding to the world's most sophisticated threats in real time. With the unmatched advantage of 8 years of work with the US Intel Community and their threat data, only BluVector has the ability to protect against emerging threats on average 13 months in advance.

CyberGRX
CyberGRX delivers the most cost-effective, scalable approach to third-party cyber risk management today, helping enterprises mitigate risk in their partner ecosystems with the world's first third-party cyber risk exchange, a dynamic stream of third-party data and advanced analytics.

Fortanix
Fortanix delivers deterministic security with a Runtime Encryption platform that protects data in use without requiring application modifications and even on compromised infrastructure. Runtime Encryption, leveraging Intel® SGX, enables new levels of security and privacy for key management, databases, analytics, and sensitive workloads.

Hysolate
Hysolate's Software-Defined Endpoints (SDE) platform brings air-gap grade security to enterprise endpoints, while freeing users to be fully productive. The platform introduces a new security and IT layer below the OS, bringing the data center virtualization revolution to the endpoint.

ReFirm Labs, Inc.
ReFirm Labs has developed an unconventional approach to securing connected devices through a firmware vetting process. Built by an elite team of former NSA experts, the Centrifuge Platform automates and monitors firmware security without the need for source code, agents, SDKs, or network access.

ShieldX Networks
ShieldX has reinvented security for the cloud computing age. APEIRO is uniquely designed to offer in-depth, multi-cloud security at the speed, scale and cost modern enterprises demand. Businesses use APEIRO in data center and cloud environments to consolidate spend, reduce cyber risk and achieve regulatory compliance.

StackRox
StackRox helps enterprises secure their cloud-native applications from container build and deployment through runtime. StackRox enables security teams to centralize container deployment governance, visualize the container attack surface, expose malicious activity, and stop attacker activity.

"Startups continue to drive innovation in security and this year's competition saw very strong submissions, including a record number from outside the United States," said Asheem Chandna, Partner, Greylock Partners. "By attending the RSA Conference Innovation Sandbox Contest, audience members will be treated to a front row seat on the leading advancements in the global cybersecurity community."

For the first time, the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest will be working with leading business information website, Crunchbase. This partnership supports the Conference's goal to advance the information security industry forward by shining a light on groundbreaking security companies.

"We're looking forward to joining in on the excitement of the RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest this year as an event partner," said Gené Teare, Head of Content at Crunchbase and moderator for the "How to Find the Money" panel at RSA Conference's Innovator and Entrepreneur Seminar. "Startups are the lifeblood of innovation in the security industry, bringing revolutionary ideas and approaches to both existing and emerging cybersecurity threats. This year's finalists are impressive and represent a wide variety of promising pioneers in security, so we're looking forward to their presentations and wish them all good luck in April."

The contest will begin at 1:30 p.m. PT on April 16 and the winners will be announced at 4:30 p.m. PT the same day. The contest will be hosted at the Marriott Marquis - Yerba Buena Ballroom, a new location from the 2017 event.

More information regarding RSA Conference 2018, taking place at the Moscone Center and the Marriott Marquis in San Francisco from April 16-20, can be found at: www.rsaconference.com.