Niels Provos is a technology visionary whose groundbreaking contributions have left a lasting impact on the digital landscape. Best known for his work as a Distinguished Engineer at Google, where he led the security team responsible for safeguarding billions of users, Niels is the architect behind critical security innovations like Safe Browsing, which protects users from phishing and malware attacks. His influence extends beyond his tenure at Google; as co-creator of the widely-used password hashing algorithm bcrypt, he has helped set the standard for password security in modern computing. He has also made significant contributions to the open-source community, particularly through projects such as libevent and Honeyd, as well as being one of the creators of OpenSSH.

Niels later brought his expertise to Stripe, leading the security organization during Stripe's hypergrowth phase. He then joined Lacework as a technology executive, where he met and worked with Sreedhar. Beyond his technical prowess, he is known for his management philosophies; he has written numerous articles on building a healthy company culture.

Niels has advised multiple early-stage startups and founders who run successful companies. He is also an accomplished swordsmith, blending ancient craftsmanship with modern techniques, and an electronic music producer, bringing creativity and precision to sound. His rare combination of deep technical expertise, business acumen, artistic skills, and leadership continues to shape industries