Welcome to Season 5 of the Cyber Security District Podcast!
In this episode, our founder and host Laurens Jagt sits down with Jimmy Wind (CEO) and Yusuf Öztürk (CTO), the visionary co-founders of VirtualMetric, a European cybersecurity startup that’s transforming how Security Operations Centers (SOCs) process and secure data.
Meet the Founders of VirtualMetric
Jimmy Wind, based in Amsterdam, brings years of expertise in business strategy and scaling technology ventures. Yusuf Öztürk, based in Istanbul, is a Microsoft MVP and the engineering brain behind VirtualMetric’s innovative platform. Together, they combine business acumen and technical expertise to solve one of cybersecurity’s most pressing challenges: managing and optimizing massive volumes of security data.
Recently, VirtualMetric closed a €2.25 million funding round, backed by TIN Capital | European Cybersecurity Investors and Auriga Cyber Ventures, with support from Microsoft. This funding will accelerate their product development and global expansion.
From Monitoring Tools to Security Data Pipelines
VirtualMetric didn’t begin as a cybersecurity company. Yusuf originally built the product to monitor Hyper-V environments, but customer needs and market demand pushed them to pivot into cybersecurity.
Jimmy recalls speaking with CISOs who told him:
“Looks really nice, but we already have five tools. It’s a big effort for little gain.”
That feedback forced them to rethink their approach and led to a critical insight: the biggest pain point wasn’t a lack of tools, it was the data itself.
Today, VirtualMetric delivers a security data pipeline platform that:
- Collects and normalizes log and telemetry data
- Filters and enriches information before it reaches SIEM platforms
- Reduces SIEM costs by up to 80%
- Ensures data integrity for both threat hunting and auditing
Why Security Data Pipelines Matter
In the episode, Jimmy explains:
“For AI you need to have better quality data. It will bring better results. You can put that data at the heart of your entire operation and apply your AI strategy on top of that.”
But the founders are careful not to over-promise on AI. As Jimmy points out, referencing skepticism from JPMorgan’s CISO:
“You don’t want unpredictable outcomes in cybersecurity analysis. Our approach is solid, predictable, and reliable.”
This balance of automation, predictability, and efficiency is what makes VirtualMetric stand out from competitors.
Scaling a Startup in Cybersecurity
With funding secured and their first Managed Security Service Provider (MSSP) onboard, VirtualMetric is entering its next growth phase. That means hiring, expanding the sales and marketing team, and deepening cybersecurity expertise.
Yusuf reflects on the journey so far:
“All the years of hard work and now seeing that the company’s growing… more people, more ideas, more talents. It’s great for a founder.”
Jimmy adds:
“The people make the company. Every person has to be able to play multiple instruments, just like in an orchestra.”
Advice for Cybersecurity Founders
The two founders also shared candid advice for aspiring entrepreneurs in cybersecurity:
According to Jimmy:
“You need a really good problem to solve, one that translates into business value. CISOs already have too many tools. You need to prove ROI.”
According to Yusuf:
“Don’t try to challenge the giants. Focus on a specific pain point and solve it better than anyone else. Build strong networks and share your passion, it will come back to you.”
Looking Ahead
VirtualMetric’s mission is clear: to make SOCs more efficient, scalable, and cost-effective by solving the security data overload problem. Their pipeline technology ensures that organizations can trust their data, cut costs, and prepare for the future of AI-driven security, without losing control.
Learn more about VirtualMetric.
Watch the full episode on YouTube:
