
Can Europe Compete in Cybersecurity? Hadrian’s AI-Driven Ambition with Rogier Fischer | Hadrian
Cyber Security DistrictShow Notes
Can Europe build global cybersecurity leaders of its own? And what happens when AI becomes better at finding vulnerabilities than humans can keep up with? Recorded live at the ONE Conference in The Hague, we welcome back Rogier Fischer, Co-Founder and CEO of Amsterdam-based Hadrian, to discuss building a global cybersecurity company in Europe, the rise of autonomous AI and the challenges facing the industry. Since Rogier’s last appearance on our podcast four years ago, Hadrian has grown from an ambitious startup into a rapidly scaling cybersecurity company. With a new €40 million funding round, expanding international operations and continued investment in AI research, the company is pursuing its ambition to become a global leader in offensive cybersecurity. Rogier explains how Hadrian uses autonomous AI to discover vulnerabilities, validate what attackers can exploit and automate penetration testing. He shares why businesses need to prepare for a new wave of AI-driven cyber threats, how agentic systems could introduce entirely new attack surfaces and why basic security hygiene remains critical. The conversation also explores Hadrian’s expansion into the US, its ambition to build a broader offensive security platform and what Europe needs to do to produce more successful technology companies. For Rogier, the challenge goes beyond individual businesses: Europe needs more ambitious founders, greater investment and more companies capable of competing on the global stage. In this episode: - Hadrian’s journey from Amsterdam startup to international cybersecurity scale-up - The €40 million funding round and what it means for the company’s next stage of growth - Why enterprise customers need a broader, consolidated offensive security platform - How autonomous AI is transforming penetration testing and vulnerability discovery - Could AI-driven attacks and autonomous agents trigger a cyberpandemic? - Why basic security hygiene matters as AI makes vulnerabilities easier to discover - How agentic AI introduces new attack surfaces through deception and inadequate guardrails - Why the US is an important growth market for Hadrian - Europe’s technological sovereignty and the need for more global cybersecurity champions - Why the industry needs to talk openly about AI risks and prepare for what comes next Timestamps ● 00:00 Introduction: Live from the ONE Conference ● 01:39 Hadrian’s €40 million funding round and international ambitions ● 02:57 Investing in AI research, hiring, and expansion ● 03:34 From startup to global cybersecurity platform ● 04:53 Why AI should be used to hack your own systems ● 08:00 Could autonomous AI agents trigger a cyberpandemic? ● 09:50 Is Hadrian a cybersecurity company or an AI company? ● 10:57 Building a global cybersecurity company from Europe ● 11:48 Why US expansion matters ● 12:34 The strategic value of international investors ● 13:40 Building a global company rather than chasing unicorn status ● 14:59 Hadrian’s vision for the next four years ● 16:59 How AI will reshape the cybersecurity threat landscape ● 17:50 From technical exploitation to deception-based attacks ● 18:41 The new attack surface created by agentic AI ● 20:25 Europe’s technological sovereignty ● 20:35 Why Europe needs more cybersecurity champions ● 23:19 What should the cybersecurity industry do differently tomorrow? ● 25:15 Closing remarks Connect with Hadrian: Rogier Fischer: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rogierfischer/ Hadrian: https://hadrian.io/
Follow Cyber Security District: Jeroen Prinse on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jprinse/ Laurens Jagt on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurensjagt/
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