Industry veteran James C. Foster will lead the new company as CEO
WASHINGTON, Aug. 5, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — IronCircle, a new AI cybersecurity workforce platform, today announced its official company launch. As part of the announcement, IronCircle also appointed industry veteran James C. Foster to the role of CEO and to the company’s Board of Directors. The company, which includes carved-out assets from ThriveDX, a global cybersecurity education provider, is backed by Francisco Partners, NightDragon, Foster, and other strategic investors. IronCircle is on a mission to transform how cybersecurity teams leverage human and artificial talent to defend against today’s rapidly evolving digital threats.
IronCircle serves as a trusted partner to leading universities and organizations worldwide seeking to expand access to career-aligned cybersecurity education. By integrating adaptive AI and hands-on training, the platform enables universities to offer industry-relevant learning experiences at scale, without the need for additional infrastructure or technical lift.
In a digital age marked by accelerating threats and rapid technological advancements, organizations need AI-powered cybersecurity to stay competitive and secure. Unlike legacy offerings that bolt on AI as an afterthought, IronCircle has reimagined and built from the ground up a platform that leverages millions of hours of training to create intelligent, adaptive AI workforce solutions.
“This cyber paradigm where attackers have an advantage has traditionally left organizations with a binary choice: hire more talent or buy more security software to reduce risk,” said Foster. “And unfortunately, the cyber talent gap is growing by the year. The United States Department of Defense also recognized this gap, and it created the Cyber Workforce Framework to help organizations create a comprehensive talent strategy. We see an opportunity with our strategic partners to create a new dimension whereby well-trained human and synthetic talent leveraged together can create accelerated outcomes.”
IronCircle’s platform uses purpose-built AI to deliver personalized, real-time workforce solutions at scale. AI agents, also known as IronCircle Operatives, dynamically adapt to each user’s skill level, role, and challenge to deliver context-aware guidance and tailored real-world simulations. This differentiated and cutting-edge design is helping IronCircle train smarter, stronger, and more resilient professionals, supporting not just enterprises, but also universities seeking to deliver relevant, career-aligned learning at scale.
“We’re not just building something new, we’re building something essential,” said Dave DeWalt, Founder and CEO of NightDragon. “As organizations move into the AI era, they’ll need specialized cyber talent and operatives that are ready. IronCircle has the potential to become the go-to platform for building the next generation cyber workforce.”
“IronCircle is playing a critical role in helping to both train AI-enabled talent and provide organizations with the cutting-edge resources they need to protect themselves,” said Peter Gingold, Managing Director at Francisco Partners. “With a 25-year track record working in AI and cybersecurity, Foster is well-equipped to help IronCircle achieve its mission of revolutionizing how cybersecurity workforces are built.”
An Operating Partner at NightDragon, Foster’s career spans roles supporting U.S. national security at the Department of Defense and scaling companies like Guardent (acquired by VeriSign), Foundstone (acquired by McAfee), and Ciphent/Accuvant (now Optiv). He also founded and led ZeroFox from its inception as a startup to its IPO, establishing it as a global leader in external cybersecurity. Foster is also a widely published author, with more than a dozen books on advanced threats, cyber-attacks, and defense strategies.
“The team and partner network behind IronCircle is world-class and gets better every day,” added Foster. “By helping individuals, universities, and companies we are building a cyber ecosystem to outsmart adversaries and stay ahead of what’s next. I am excited to embark on this journey with IronCircle and work closely with Francisco Partners and NightDragon.”
About IronCircle
IronCircle is the leading AI-powered cybersecurity workforce platform for individuals, universities, and enterprise organizations. IronCircle is developed from the ground up with AI at its core. The platform provides an adaptive, hands-on proving ground that reflects the speed and complexity of today’s evolving threat landscape. It features immersive AI experiences designed to close critical gaps and build resilient cybersecurity teams. Through a unified platform experience, we ensure that every individual and workforce is ready for “what’s next.” Headquartered in Washington, D.C., IronCircle is trusted by the world’s top organizations and universities, including the leading technology investor in North America, Francisco Partners, and the cyber investment juggernaut NightDragon.
IronCircle. Forging Cyber Futures.
Learn more at www.IronCircle.com
Media Contact
Lindsey Pietrowski
VP, Marketing
press@ironcircle.com
SOURCE IronCircle