Uploaded April 2026 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
What does security look like when attackers use AI better than you do?
Armadin recently raised $200M to build for the “attacker of the future,” where attacks are autonomous and harder to contain.
On the Kleiner Perkins Grit podcast, Kevin Mandia joins Joubin Mirzadegan to share how he’s thinking about this shift, why cybersecurity has always been a calling, and why customer trust is what ultimately compounds into market leadership.
Guest: Kevin Mandia, Founder and CEO, Armadin
Connect with Kevin Mandia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevin-mandia-0a07173
Connect with Josh Coyne:
X: https://x.com/josh_coyne
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuacoyne
Connect with Joubin:
X: https://x.com/Joubinmir
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854
Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Follow on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/kpgrit
Follow on X:
https://x.com/KPGrit
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins: kleinerperkins.com
(00:00) Trailer
(01:13) Introduction
(02:28) The Fortune magazine cover story
(04:10) Becoming a legend in security
(08:57) Intensity from childhood
(13:29) Why Mandiant was self-funded
(17:05) Building vs fundraising
(20:53) Everybody buys what everyone else bought
(25:05) Raising $200 million
(29:36) Leaders build their own subculture
(36:10) Finding co-founders Travis and David
(43:44) The Mandiant to FireEye to Google journey
(49:58) Offensive security and modern warfare
(57:33) Armadin pitch: AI-driven offense trains defense
(01:00:29) Who Armadin is hiring
(01:01:30) What grit means to Kevin
(01:02:08) Outro
What does security look like when attackers use AI better than you do?
Armadin recently raised $200M to build for the “attacker of the future,” where attacks are autonomous and harder to contain.
On the Kleiner Perkins Grit podcast, Kevin Mandia joins Joubin Mirzadegan to share how he’s thinking about this shift, why cybersecurity has always been a calling, and why customer trust is what ultimately compounds into market leadership.
Guest: Kevin Mandia, Founder and CEO, Armadin
Connect with Kevin Mandia
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/kevin-mandia-0a07173
Connect with Josh Coyne:
X: https://x.com/josh_coyne
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joshuacoyne
Connect with Joubin:
X: https://x.com/Joubinmir
LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/joubin-mirzadegan-66186854
Email: grit@kleinerperkins.com
Follow on LinkedIn:
linkedin.com/company/kpgrit
Follow on X:
https://x.com/KPGrit
Learn more about Kleiner Perkins: kleinerperkins.com
(00:00) Trailer
(01:13) Introduction
(02:28) The Fortune magazine cover story
(04:10) Becoming a legend in security
(08:57) Intensity from childhood
(13:29) Why Mandiant was self-funded
(17:05) Building vs fundraising
(20:53) Everybody buys what everyone else bought
(25:05) Raising $200 million
(29:36) Leaders build their own subculture
(36:10) Finding co-founders Travis and David
(43:44) The Mandiant to FireEye to Google journey
(49:58) Offensive security and modern warfare
(57:33) Armadin pitch: AI-driven offense trains defense
(01:00:29) Who Armadin is hiring
(01:01:30) What grit means to Kevin
(01:02:08) Outro
