From Innovation to Capability – Scaling Cybersecurity Entrepreneurship

Alex Driesen is Chief Executive Officer of Toreon, an independent consulting firm focused on organizational cyber governance and building secure products. He also serves as an Independent Board Member for several companies active in cybersecurity, technology, and venture capital. He chairs the Steering Committee of CMiB within Agoria and the Cyber Sounding Board at Guberna. Alex holds master’s degrees in Computer Science, Business Administration, and Corporate Law from fine institutions in Antwerp, Hasselt, Leuven, Brussels, and Boston (US). Driven by a passion for building a cyber-trusted region, Alex works at the intersection of technology, business, and governance to help organisations and technology companies grow, innovate, and create lasting value and prosperity for the region.

Born in Namur in 1972, Major General Pierre Ciparisse became Commander of the Belgian Cyber Force on 19 September 2025. After graduating from the Royal Military Academy with a Master in Engineering Sciences and a specialization in telecommunication, he served as Para-Commando Signal Officer in various operational and staff functions. He held several key positions at the General Intelligence and Security Service (SGRS), including Head of Technical Collection. He also commanded the 4th CIS Group, supporting both international operations and national security missions. He was deployed in Albania and Burundi. From 2021 onwards, he was deeply involved in building Belgium’s Cyber capabilities, first as head of the SGRS Cyber Directorate and later as Deputy Commander of the newly created Cyber Command, before taking full command of the Cyber Force in 2025.

Simon Bauwens is CEO and co-founder of OutKept, a Ghent-based cybersecurity company that built the world's first ethical phishing platform. Since launching OutKept in 2020, Simon has grown it into a successful scale-up, running realistic, locally relevant phishing simulations in more than 100 countries, powered by an international community of ethical phishers - tackling cybersecurity's most persistent weak point and opportunity: the human factor. Before OutKept, Simon worked as a strategy and management consultant (Arthur D. Little, Kearney) and holds an MBA from IE Business School in Madrid. He previously co-founded an RPA-as-a-service company which was acquired in 2021. Having started and scaled a European cyber awareness company from early-stage funding to first steps in international growth, Simon brings a founder's perspective on the realities of building and scaling a cybersecurity business in Europe.

Wouter Joosen is a Full Professor at the Department of Computer Science at KU Leuven, Belgium. He has a Ph.D. degree from KU Leuven, Belgium, and has been involved in various research groups and initiatives. Joosen is known for his expertise in security and privacy of distributed software systems, services, and applications. His research interests include aspect-oriented software development, security aspects of software, and the engineering of secure service platforms. Joosen has authored or coauthored several research papers and has been involved in various academic and professional activities, including being a director of Flanders' Cybersecurity Research Program and founding multiple security ventures.

Roel Caers is the Chief Executive Officer of Guardsquare, a global leader in mobile application protection. With over 25 years of experience in the IT industry, including 15 years in various leadership positions, Caers has established Guardsquare as a market leader in mobile application security. Before joining Guardsquare, he was the Sales & Marketing Director at UNIT4 Business Software NV from 2004 to 2014. Caers has a diverse educational background, having attended Katholieke Hogeschool Kempen, UHasselt, and Sint-Victor Turnhout. His extensive experience and leadership skills have made him a key figure in the tech industry, particularly in the field of mobile application security.

Isabelle Tennstedt joined Seeder Fund in June 2022. Prior to joining Seeder Fund, Isabelle was Investment Manager at PMV for early-stage companies. Before that, she was active in Financial Services at ING and BNP Paribas Fortis and as consultant at Bain & Company. She holds a Master of Science in Engineering: Physics from Ghent University and a CFA.