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Key people at Rapidascent.
RapidAscent delivers specialized training programs designed to accelerate individuals into cybersecurity and IT careers, emphasizing operational skills over theoretical knowledge. The company’s core offering involves hands-on, job-simulated environments where participants gain real-world experience, practice critical tasks, and build a resume-ready skill set. This approach focuses on practical application through cohort-based apprentice training and task-oriented learning to prepare individuals for immediate contributions in the workforce.
The company was founded by Brian DeMuth, Craig Schultz, and Mark Goodwin, who identified significant gaps in traditional cybersecurity education despite two decades of collective experience in the field. Their insight stemmed from observing the insufficiency of certifications alone and the need for operational training that mirrors real enterprise environments. The founders leveraged their backgrounds, including experience from MIT and Stanford, to pilot an online operational task training model akin to flight simulation.
RapidAscent serves a diverse customer base, including individuals seeking to enter or advance within cybersecurity and IT, those upskilling for more advanced roles, and transitioning military personnel. The company partners with employers to provide a deployable talent pipeline, aiming to secure businesses against evolving threats. Its long-term vision is to empower individuals to build meaningful cybersecurity careers while simultaneously strengthening the security posture of organizations.
RapidAscent is a cybersecurity training company founded in 2020 that provides hands-on, apprentice-style bootcamps and upskilling programs to prepare individuals—no prior degree required—for entry-level and advanced IT/cybersecurity roles like SOC Engineer, Incident Response, and Cloud Security.[1][3][4][7] It serves beginners, career changers, transitioning military veterans, and corporate employees through adaptive curricula, real-world simulations, and direct employer matching, addressing skills gaps caused by inadequate traditional training amid rising cyber threats.[1][3][4][5][7] With programs costing around $18,000 (with GI Bill, grants, and no-upfront-tuition options), it boasts high placement rates—8 out of 10 students receiving full-time offers—and has expanded to aerospace via partnerships like Boeing.[1][3][4] Revenue stands at $9.7 million, with campuses in Colorado Springs, Richmond, San Francisco, and remote options.[3][4]
RapidAscent was created in 2020 in Fredericksburg, Virginia (with operations in Pleasanton, CA), by founders with over two decades of cybersecurity experience across universities (MIT, Stanford, VA Tech), national labs, corporate risk management, and sectors like national defense, nuclear security, and critical infrastructure.[1][2][3] Motivated by massive monetary and strategic losses from expert staff shortages, the CEO/Co-Founder and CTO/Co-Founder—drawing from operational flight simulation training success—piloted online task-based training to bridge gaps in real-world preparedness.[1] Early pivots included apprentice programs, veteran transitions via SkillBridge, and a F50 aerospace initiative with Boeing, securing a US DOC Good Jobs grant and DOL registration for corporate upskilling.[1][4]
RapidAscent rides the explosive demand for cybersecurity talent amid escalating threats—projected global shortages of millions—fueled by AI-driven attacks, supply chain vulnerabilities, and regulatory mandates like CMMC for defense/aerospace.[1][7] Its timing aligns with post-2020 remote work shifts and military transitions, filling gaps where traditional education fails real-world complexities; partnerships like Boeing amplify impact in critical infrastructure.[1][4] By democratizing access via no-cost options and apprenticeships, it influences the ecosystem by accelerating workforce entry, reducing hiring friction for employers, and promoting "Good Jobs" in high-demand sectors—potentially scaling via AI/ML integrations from founder networks.[1][3][4]
RapidAscent is poised to expand its employer network and no-cost programs, targeting Tier 2+ roles with AI-enhanced simulations amid deepening cyber talent crises.[1][5][7] Trends like quantum threats and zero-trust mandates will boost demand, while DOL grants and veteran pipelines ensure sustained growth; expect deeper aerospace/defense penetration and potential acquisition by edtech giants. This positions RapidAscent as a key scaler of cyber readiness, transforming "why us" gaps into widespread operational excellence.[1][4]
Key people at Rapidascent.
