Hed Kovetz isn’t your typical tech founder. Before he became the CEO and co-founder of Silverfort—an award-winning cybersecurity startup—he was honing his skills in Israel’s elite intelligence unit, Unit 8200. Today, Kovetz stands at the forefront of modern cybersecurity leadership, driving innovations in identity protection that are helping enterprises safeguard against rapidly evolving digital threats.
But his rise wasn’t just built on code. It was fueled by vision, resilience, and a clear understanding of how cyber warfare and business collide in the 21st century. Here are seven powerful lessons from Hed Kovetz’s remarkable journey.
1. Start with Service: Lessons from Unit 8200
Hed Kovetz’s formative years were spent in Unit 8200, often described as Israel’s NSA equivalent. There, he specialized in cybersecurity operations, working on classified projects that prepared him for a lifetime of digital defense. Unit 8200 is known for producing elite tech leaders, but few have turned that training into a scalable global product like Kovetz has.
He credits his time there with instilling a mindset of precision, speed, and strategic problem-solving. “In Unit 8200, we had to move fast and think outside the box. Those skills are directly transferable to building a startup,” he said in an interview.
2. Solve a Problem You Understand Deeply
After completing his service and working in private cybersecurity roles, Hed Kovetz noticed a growing gap in how companies manage identity authentication. Traditional multi-factor authentication (MFA) couldn’t be applied to many critical systems—like command-line interfaces, legacy systems, or machine-to-machine communication.
Together with Yaron Kassner, another Unit 8200 alum with a Ph.D. in computer science, Kovetz launched Silverfort in 2016. The company focused on agentless MFA and adaptive authentication—essentially delivering identity protection for places where MFA wasn’t previously possible.
Their mission was clear: build a future where no user, device, or system goes unprotected.
3. Execution Is Everything
Coming up with a big idea is one thing—executing it at a global scale is another. Under Hed Kovetz’s leadership, Silverfort quickly gained traction with Fortune 500 companies, banks, and government agencies. His focus on product excellence, customer trust, and operational discipline helped the company scale rapidly while maintaining enterprise-grade security standards.
Silverfort’s zero-trust approach has since positioned it as a trusted partner in modern cybersecurity architecture. And the company continues to grow, backed by investors like StageOne, TLV Partners, and Singtel Innov8.
4. Build with a Global Vision from Day One
While Silverfort started in Tel Aviv, Hed Kovetz had his eyes set on a global footprint from the beginning. He understood that cybersecurity leadership isn’t confined to one geography. With data breaches and ransomware attacks hitting every industry and country, the demand for comprehensive identity protection was universal.
Today, Silverfort operates globally, with clients across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Kovetz regularly speaks at major industry conferences and is often quoted in media outlets for his insights on securing modern infrastructure.
5. Stay Mission-Driven in a Crowded Market
The cybersecurity space is noisy, with hundreds of vendors competing for attention. But Hed Kovetz believes that a mission-driven approach is what cuts through the clutter. For Silverfort, the mission has remained the same: secure every access point without disrupting user workflows.
This clarity has not only shaped the product roadmap but also helped the company attract and retain top talent. “People want to work on something meaningful,” Kovetz said. “Our job is to make sure their work has impact.”
6. Adapt to New Threats Quickly
One of the hallmarks of Hed Kovetz’s leadership is agility. As cyber threats evolve, Silverfort constantly updates its platform to stay ahead. Whether it’s detecting lateral movement in ransomware attacks or integrating with the latest cloud environments, Kovetz ensures the company never becomes stagnant.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when remote work surged, Silverfort rapidly rolled out features to support secure access for distributed teams—showcasing its ability to respond to real-world needs in real-time.
7. Trust Is Your Most Valuable Asset
In a field where stakes are high and mistakes are costly, trust is everything. Hed Kovetz has worked hard to build and maintain trust—not just with customers, but also with employees, partners, and investors. Transparency, integrity, and delivery have become the cornerstones of his leadership style.
It’s no surprise that Silverfort has received numerous accolades, including being named a Gartner Cool Vendor and a Global InfoSec Award winner. These recognitions are a testament to the company’s—and Kovetz’s—reputation in the cybersecurity world.
Hed Kovetz has proven that deep technical expertise, when combined with sharp business acumen and a mission-driven approach, can lead to groundbreaking innovation. From Israel’s top intelligence unit to leading one of the most exciting cybersecurity companies of the decade, his journey offers lessons not only in identity protection but also in leadership, resilience, and vision.
As digital threats become more sophisticated, leaders like Kovetz remind us that the best defense starts with the right mindset—and a relentless focus on execution.
