What VetSec does

VetSec, Inc. is a US 501(c)(3) nonprofit headquartered (by mailing address) in Raleigh, North Carolina, that operates a Slack-based community of more than 8,000 veterans and transitioning servicemembers pursuing cybersecurity careers. Founded in 2018 as a Slack community and formally incorporated on May 10, 2019, the organization runs an all-volunteer board-and-staff structure with no traditional office and provides services entirely free of charge to members. Its core product is the VetSec Community Platform, hosted under Slack's nonprofit professional license, supplemented by a mentorship program, resume review service, job listings and interview preparation channels, and an orientation course for newcomers. The organization also produces VetSecCon, an annual all-virtual conference launched in October 2020 that functions as both a networking event and the primary annual fundraiser.

The business model is donation- and sponsorship-funded: VetSec receives tax-deductible contributions from individuals and corporate sponsors (AWS, Google, Fortinet, SANS Institute, and others), as well as substantial in-kind donations of training access, software, and infrastructure. Training content is delivered through a partner ecosystem of 20+ providers including Google (Grow with Google), Coursera, SANS Institute, Fortinet, Cybrary, CompTIA, Splunk, Cisco, OffSec, Immersive Labs, Blue Cape Security, SafeStack, Level Effect, and eLearnSecurity, which supply free or discounted courses, certification vouchers, and bootcamp seats. The Veterans Global Tech Network, co-founded in 2021 with TechVets (UK), Vets in Cyber (Australia), and Coding for Veterans (Canada), extends the model internationally.

Customers are individual veterans and transitioning servicemembers (active duty, guard/reserve, retirees, and allied NATO veterans), while corporate partners serve as both sponsors and downstream employers; documented placement destinations include Google, DigiCert, Datadog, Citigroup, Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Lab, and Ruddershift. Go-to-market is community-led and event-driven, relying on word-of-mouth referrals among veterans, partnerships with transition programs such as TAPS and SkillBridge, organic LinkedIn and X presence, and participation in industry conferences including DefCon, RSAC, and SleuthCon.

Name

VetSec

Legal name

VetSec, Inc.

Website

https://vetsec.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2019

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

VetSec is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a free Slack-based community of 8,000+ veterans transitioning into cybersecurity careers, providing mentorship, resume review, job placement, and discounted training access funded by donations and corporate sponsorships.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Raleigh

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations: VetSec is funded through tax-deductible donations from individual supporters. The organization encourages donations through PayPal and states that all contributions support their mission of helping veterans transition into cybersecurity careers.
2. Corporate Sponsorships: VetSec receives significant financial contributions and in-kind donations from corporate sponsors including AWS, Google, Fortinet, SANS Institute, and others. Sponsors provide funding for operations, conference sponsorship (VetSecCon), and donated services/products.
3. Free Services Model: All VetSec resources are provided free to members. The organization relies entirely on external funding (donations and sponsorships) rather than revenue from members. This aligns with their nonprofit mission to remove financial barriers for veterans entering cybersecurity.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

VetSec is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit operating a Slack-based community platform of over 8,000 veterans and transitioning military members pursuing cybersecurity careers. The organization provides free mentorship, resume reviews, interview preparation, job listings, and access to discounted or free training through partnerships with providers such as Google, SANS Institute, Fortinet, Coursera, Cybrary, and CompTIA. VetSecCon, an annual all-virtual conference, serves as its largest networking event and fundraiser.

Product overview

VetSec is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit offering a community-first platform for veterans transitioning into cybersecurity careers. The core product is its Slack-based community platform (serving over 8,000 members), which is paired with structured mentorship, resume review, and employment services. Training is delivered through multiple partner programs including Google Career Certificates, SANS Institute, Fortinet, Coursera, CompTIA, Cybrary, OffSec, Splunk, Immersive Labs, Blue Cape Security, SafeStack, and Cisco Networking Academy, each providing free or discounted access to certifications and courses. VetSec's flagship event is VetSecCon, an annual all-virtual conference. The Veterans Global Tech Network extends its reach internationally through partnerships with TechVets (UK), Vets in Cyber (Australia), and Coding for Veterans (Canada).

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 8,000 veterans helped into cybersecurity careers
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers7 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Partnerships

25 partnerships are on record, tiered core, secondary and minor.

• TechVetscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2021TechVets is a UK-based nonprofit that provides a bridge for veterans and service leavers into cybersecurity and technology careers. They share a similar mission and community-minded approach to serving veterans. TechVets is a founding member of the Veterans Global Tech Network alongside VetSec, collaborating on knowledge sharing, joint activities like Capture the Flag events, and international veteran support.
• eLearnSecuritycoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 March 2020VetSec's first strategic partnership launched in March 2020 with eLearnSecurity, providing training resources and certifications to members.
• Vets in Cyber (Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAn Australian-based organization dedicated to helping the Australian Veteran community within cybersecurity by providing free mentoring and events. They host networking and presentation events for cybersecurity professionals. Vets in Cyber is a community partner of VetSec and a member of the Veterans Global Tech Network.
• Coding for Veterans (Canada)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides Canadian Armed Forces members, families, Reservists, and Regular Force members with opportunities to retrain and learn essential skills for careers in Canada's tech industry. A member of the Veterans Global Tech Network and community partner with VetSec.
• RuddershiftcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerA servicemember-first, third-party SkillBridge provider that delivers advisory services for small business SkillBridge participation. Helps military servicemembers transition to employment in small businesses through hands-on Department of Defense SkillBridge program support. One of VetSec's community partners.
• Google (Grow with Google)coreGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the Grow with Google program, Google provides career certificate programs including cybersecurity, data analytics, project management, and IT support. VetSec members gain access to these certificate programs as a training resource benefit.
• The SANS InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSANS provides VetSec with a donation through the Work-Study program, allowing one VetSec member to attend a SANS Course every month free of charge. SANS is a leading provider of cybersecurity training, certifications, and degrees.
• Fortinet Training InstitutecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe Fortinet Veterans Program provides cybersecurity training and certification to veterans and military spouses. Benefits include free self-paced cybersecurity training, free hands-on labs and exam vouchers, and free Fortinet Certified Professional certifications for transitioning veterans.
• Level EffectcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerThe only cybersecurity bootcamp endorsed by VetSec. The 14-week Cyber Defense Analyst Program normally costs $5,000 but Level Effect offers two seats each cohort free of charge to VetSec members, plus a $500 discount for all VetSec members.
• CourseracoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCoursera partners with leading universities and companies to provide flexible, affordable online learning. Through their partnership with VetSec, members receive Coursera platform access at no charge.
• CybrarycoreGTM or Marketing PartnerCybrary is a growing cybersecurity training community. VetSec is a member of the Cybrary Impact Hub, where Cybrary offers limited period access to their platform for all VetSec members.
• CompTIAsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerAs a CompTIA Academic Partner, VetSec can offer CompTIA training products and certifications at discounted costs to members.
• SplunksecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerPart of the $100 million Splunk Pledge, Splunk donates free courses to individuals from underserved communities. They help train veterans and former service members in the United States with Splunk skills needed for industry jobs.
• OffSecsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerOne VetSec member can enroll in OffSec's CyberCore course each month free of charge, and all members receive a 20% LearnOne discount toward pursuing an OffSec certification.
• Cisco Networking AcademysecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerCisco Networking Academy offers certification-aligned courses in cybersecurity, networking, and Python. Through their partnership with VetSec and Open University, VetSec members can access these courses.
• Immersive LabssecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough the Cyber Million program partnered with Accenture, Immersive Labs provides free cybersecurity training that engages participants in reality-based exercises. VetSec formed a Cyber Million team to help servicemembers complete the program and unlock hiring opportunities.
• SlackcoreGTM or Marketing PartnerSlack provides VetSec a complimentary nonprofit professional license for their community platform, valued at $8.75/month per member. This donation of approximately $840/month for 8,000 members enables VetSec's primary community infrastructure.
• RSAConferencesecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerRSAConference provides VetSec members access and engagement opportunities at their major cybersecurity conference in San Francisco.
• AlteryxsecondaryGTM or Marketing PartnerThrough SparkED for the Military, Alteryx provides VetSec members with access to Alteryx Designer License for 90 days, training for data analytics, and certification opportunities that make resumes stand out.
• Blue Cape SecurityminorGTM or Marketing PartnerBlue Cape Security provides structured DFIR (Digital Forensics and Incident Response) training. All VetSec members receive a 20% discount off all training tracks.
• CloudBreachminorGTM or Marketing PartnerCloudBreach offers courses on defending against cloud breaches with training based on real-life attack scenarios. They provide a discount on Breaching Azure and Breaching AWS courses to all VetSec members.
• SafeStackminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSafeStack provides an all-in-one learning platform for Secure Development training. Through their partnership, they provide secure development training to VetSec members at no cost.
• 13CubedminorGTM or Marketing Partner13Cubed provides digital forensics and information security training videos and courses. They offer one free course seat quarterly to VetSec plus a discount on other courses.
• HaikuminorGTM or Marketing PartnerHaiku uses game-based training to facilitate skill acquisition. They offer a discount on World of Haiku and Haiku Pro to VetSec members.
• Cybercrime Support NetworksecondaryStrategic or Co-development PartnerA community partner that provides military and veteran members and their families with education and resources to protect themselves from fraud and scams throughout military life and beyond. They provide in-person workshops, speaking engagements, and educational materials.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• IVMF at Syracuse University: The Institute for Veterans and Military Families is a nationally recognized academic-backed organization supporting veteran transition across employment, education, and wellness. Comparable as a research- and program-driven veteran-services organization, but with significantly more institutional backing and broader scope than VetSec.
• Hiring Our Heroes: A program of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation that connects veterans, transitioning servicemembers, and military spouses with employment opportunities across industries. Significantly larger and better-funded than VetSec, it serves as a broader incumbent in the veteran-employment space with overlapping corporate partnerships.
• SANS Institute VetSuccess Academy: SANS Institute's program providing scholarships and training pathways to veterans entering cybersecurity. Already a VetSec partner (donates a free course seat monthly) but operates as a broader incumbent veteran-cyber training pipeline with significant institutional resources.
• Microsoft Software & Systems Academy (MSSA): A Microsoft program providing transitioning servicemembers with technology training and industry-recognized certifications for civilian IT and cloud careers. Directly competes for the same veteran tech-transition audience but is funded by a hyperscaler employer rather than a community of donors.

Direct peers

• Hire Heroes USA: Nonprofit providing free, personalized career transition assistance to veterans and their spouses, with a strong focus on underemployed and unemployed transitioning servicemembers. Directly comparable to VetSec in providing resume, interview, and job placement support to veterans entering civilian careers.
• Coding for Veterans: Canadian nonprofit retraining Canadian Armed Forces members, reservists, and families for tech careers. Fellow Veterans Global Tech Network member with a comparable veteran-to-tech transition model and curriculum-driven approach.
• TechVets (UK): UK-based nonprofit that bridges veterans and service leavers into cybersecurity and technology careers. Co-founder of the Veterans Global Tech Network alongside VetSec, sharing the same veteran-to-cyber mission, community-led model, and global footprint.
• Vets in Cyber: Australian nonprofit providing free mentoring and events for Australian veterans entering cybersecurity. Co-founding member of the Veterans Global Tech Network with VetSec, pursuing the same mission and community-driven approach in a different geography.

Emerging players

• Fortinet Veterans Program: Fortinet's free training and certification program for veterans and military spouses, covering Network Security, Secure SD-WAN, and cloud security. VetSec partner today, but represents a single-vendor training pathway that competes for the same members and outcomes.
• Per Scholas / CyberVetsUSA: Per Scholas provides tuition-free technology training for adults, including cybersecurity tracks, and has partnered with the Department of Veterans Affairs on the CyberVetsUSA program offering free cyber training to veterans. Comparable to VetSec as a no-cost cybersecurity training pathway for transitioning veterans.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/veteransec
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/veteransec

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about VetSec