In 2026, the primary risk question is no longer just “who” has access to your systems. It’s “what” has access. While boards spent the past decade securing human identities, implementing multifactor authentication, conducting phishing simulations and debating zero-trust, organizations invited an invisible workforce through the back door: autonomous AI agents.
Boards usually ask about security after something goes wrong. I’ve sat through enough of these conversations to recognize the pattern. They ask what failed, which control didn’t work or how an attacker got in. Those are fair questions, but they often come too late.
As part of CRN’s coverage looking ahead to 2026, we’re highlighting 10 cybersecurity startups —at the Series C funding level or earlier—that have been on our radar for delivering novel approaches to protecting businesses and engaging with channel partners. Our list of cybersecurity startups to watch in 2026 includes early-stage companies providing identity security, exposure management and […]
