Browser-Based Cybersecurity StealthCo CTO

Who We Are

The Downing Capital Group is a new breed of venture capital firm: members of our team are business builders, not merely capital providers. Our unique model turns conventional VC on its head by supporting our companies from the very beginning with experienced investment, market research, strategy, recruitment, brand-building, and operations teams that will provide guidance at every step along the journey. Downing Capital Group greatly reduces the early existential risks in starting a business through diligent investment analysis and thorough operational processes, which fundamentally alters the risk/reward proposition for our management teams.

Our newest portfolio company, hereafter “StealthCo”, will build web browser-based cybersecurity products to guide users through the “digital hellscape”: an inhospitable internet that aims to deceive and defraud users at every turn. The pandemic greatly accelerated both the amount of companies that operate primarily online as well as those that house teleworkers. Though classic drive-by attacks and browser exploits have become rare, attackers have developed hard-to-detect techniques such as malicious extensions and malvertisements on legitimate websites. Cybercriminals have democratized social engineering tactics through PhaaS (Phishing as a Service) kits, easily convincing users via baiting, pretexting, scareware, and generative AI-augmented phishing/vishing campaigns.

Training and education can only go so far, and “StealthCo” imagines a world where the most vulnerable users have a constant protector, companion, and educator as they navigate the modern internet.

About This Role

Downing Capital Group is seeking a driven engineering leader for the role of CTO for “StealthCo”. As CTO of StealthCo, you will have the unique opportunity to create and scale a market-leading cybersecurity solution with a human-first approach. As CTO, you will be responsible for leading all engineering activities, from hiring world-class technical talent to designing scalable architecture. You will partner closely with the CEO to be not only a builder but an innovator and visionary who will play a vital role in shaping the future success of StealthCo.

What You’ll Do

• Serve as an executive partner to the CEO to develop the business plan, product design, and company vision
• Take ownership of the product architecture to build and evolve the platform to meet user needs
• Build an efficient and scalable MVP by utilizing  modern development languages, frameworks, and tools
• Attract, retain, and develop a top-talent engineering team to support StealthCo’s technical needs
• Foster and maintain a collaborative, inclusive culture that promotes employee satisfaction and productivity
• Align resources to achieve key business goals and milestones
• Execute and maintain modern technical standards, including writing clean scalable code and utilizing continuous deployment practices

Who You Are

• Have built something from scratch in a startup environment or innovation center 
• Experience building browser extensions is a plus
• Bonus points for experience working on AI-enabled features within browsers such as Brave Leo AI or Edge Copilot
• Hands-on and experienced with modern web stack such as WebAssembly, gRPC, webRTC, React, Go, etc
• A proven subject matter expert in cybersecurity
• Bonus points for building security detection engines such as EDR, SIEM, or NIDS
• Both a builder and a leader, just as comfortable writing code as you are coaching and hiring engineers
• Excellent communicator who can convey complex topics to different audiences 
• Built and managed a team that developed business-critical systems at a significant scale
• Bonus points for multidisciplinary management – engineering, product, design, etc. 
• Ability to thrive in uncertainty and be a pillar of stability for the team when things don’t go as planned
• Is focused on the customer, and leverages user data to inform creative solutions to their problems
• A graduate with a Bachelor’s Degree from a leading computer science or engineering institution 

What We Offer

We offer a competitive compensation package, which includes cash compensation, significant equity ownership in StealthCo, and a full benefits package (medical, dental, vision, and 401k)