Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt

//CEO@GRANNY&SMITH, DE-RISKING INNOLAB FOR THE MOST INNOVATIVE COMPANIES

I’m an inventor, innovator and investor. I turn real problems into real companies.My career changed the moment I realized most innovations fail for the same reason: everyone talks about ideas - almost no one builds them.In boardrooms and workshops, I watched brilliant concepts suffocate under politics, process and PowerPoints. The spark in people’s eyes faded the moment reality entered the room. I couldn’t unsee it.So I stopped helping people discuss the future and started building it.Over the past 15 years, I’ve created products, ventures and business models that didn’t exist before. What began as engineering evolved into a practice: recognizing real unmet needs, inventing the solution and forming a company around it.Today, I operate where invention, innovation and investment meet. I don’t manage portfolios — I create the companies they’re built from.How I work: • real-world problems • physical + digital products • validated demand • scalable models • long-term ownershipWhat drives me: If you can see a better future, you’re responsible for building it. I work with people who believe progress comes from creating, not talking — and who want to bring things into the world that should already exist.That’s why I build.More: grannyandsmith.com

We are here to help you develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months. We specialize in innovation development, constantly keeping up with the latest trends, methods, and ways of working.

We have been developing innovation for our customers for more than 15 years now. Our teams, consisting of designers, engineers, software developers, and business model experts, have tried a lot and gained much experience. Today we know what works and what does not - so you don't have to make all those experiences again.

Our INNOWEEK® method is the result of more than 15 years of continuous development and project experience with well-known DAX groups and Fortune 500 companies and helps you to develop, test, and grow new business ideas in a few weeks instead of months.

STEVE JOBS: HOW MANY OF YOU ARE CONSULTANTS? OH... THAT'S BAD!

Consulting is broken.

A lot of smart people…
 _Sell you a PowerPoint.
 _Disappear when it’s time to execute.

_No skin in the game.
_No responsibility.
_No results.

Consulting can feel like hiring someone to build you a sandcastle…
 …and finding out they only brought a whiteboard.

Big ideas. Fancy slides.

And when it’s time to actually do the thing — poof — they’re gone.

We prefer a different game: roll up sleeves, build stuff that works, and maybe get some sand in our shoes.

Because in innovation, the fun part is not talking about the castle.
 
It’s standing in front of it saying: 

“Yep. We made that.”

———

The strategy 7 of Germany's most innovative companies already follow
https://lnkd.in/dexsVrw8

#innovation #innoweek #venturestudio #companybuilder #startupstudio #vc 

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Dipl Ing Lars Behrendt 

INVENTOR · INNOVATOR · INVESTOR - Building Companies. Not Slide Decks. We build and scale industrial ventures. At own risk.

STEVE JOBS SAID ONE DECISION IN LIFE SEPARATES SUCCESSFUL PEOPLE FROM THOSE WHO ONLY DREAM

That decision? 

PERSEVERANCE.

Steve Jobs put it perfectly:

"I'm convinced that about half of what separates the successful entrepreneurs from the non-successful ones is pure perseverance.... Unless you have a lot of passion about this, you're not going to survive. You're going to give it up."

Jobs knew this from experience. He was fired from Apple, started over with NeXT, then came back to build one of the world's most valuable companies.
Here's what separates dreamers from achievers:

_Passion fuels persistence - Without deep passion for your mission, you'll quit when things get tough

_Setbacks become feedback - Every failure reveals what customers really want and where you need to improve

_Long-term vision beats short-term pain - When you're anchored in your "why," you can weather any storm

_Persist, but pivot - Stay committed to the goal while being flexible in your approach

Research backs this up: Angela Duckworth's studies show that grit and sustained perseverance predict success better than IQ or talent alone.

The next time you want to quit, ask yourself: Am I facing a dead end—or just the natural friction of progress?

The leaders who refuse to quit, who show up one more time after setbacks, are the ones who ultimately cross the finish line.

What's one time perseverance made all the difference in your journey? 

———

The strategy 7 of Germany's most innovative companies already follow
https://lnkd.in/dexsVrw8

#innovation #innoweek #venturestudio #companybuilder #startupstudio #vc 

All rights and credits are reserved for the respective owner(s). 
Contact me to be added as a reference or to request content removal.

♻️ Share this with someone building the next big thing. 
Follow Dipl.-Ing. Lars Behrendt for innovation strategies that actually work.

Senior Security Program Manager | Leading Cybersecurity and AI Initiatives | Driving Strategic Security Solutions | Tech Creator

Imagine a world where security threats are constantly evolving, and the stakes are higher than ever for tech industry leaders. As decision-makers, you need more than just a reactive approach—you need a visionary partner who can anticipate, mitigate, and transform potential threats into robust defenses.
That’s where I come in.

► WHAT I DO:
I empower decision-makers in the tech industry to fortify their organizations against the ever-changing landscape of cyber threats. My mission is to help you enhance your security posture without sacrificing operational efficiency or stifling innovation.

► HOW I DO IT:
With years of hands-on experience in security program management and leadership, I’ve developed a comprehensive approach that combines strategic oversight with critical governance activities. I lead cross-functional teams, inspire innovation, and collaborate closely with technical experts to build secure, resilient systems.


► WHY IT WORKS:
My methodology is proven and practical, rooted in a deep understanding of the cybersecurity field. I’ve spearheaded strategic security initiatives, joined the Cybersecurity Steering Council, and implemented scalable, sustainable operational plans. This unique blend of strategic vision and tactical expertise ensures that your organization remains a step ahead of potential threats.

Marcel Velica

The 5 Cybersecurity Roles Nobody Explains Properly
(And Why Choosing the Wrong One Can Cost You Years)

Most people say they want a career in cybersecurity.
But they have no idea which role they actually fit into.

And that’s why they stay stuck.

Cybersecurity isn’t one job.
It’s 5 completely different battlefields.

Choose wrong  you burn out.
 Choose right  you build authority.

Here’s what most people don’t understand:

1️⃣ Security Analyst
You love investigation.
You enjoy patterns, alerts, logs, and finding what others miss.
You think like a detective.

2️⃣ Penetration Tester
You question everything.
You think like an attacker.
You enjoy breaking systems (ethically).

3️⃣ Security Engineer
You don’t just find problems you fix architecture.
Firewalls. EDR. Hardening. Automation.
You build defense.

4️⃣ SOC Analyst
You thrive under pressure.
Incidents don’t scare you.
You monitor, respond, and coordinate in real-time.

5️⃣ Cybersecurity Manager
You think strategy.
Risk. Governance. Business alignment.
You lead people  not just tools.

The Mistake Most Professionals Make

They chase titles.
Instead of asking:

 👉 Do I enjoy reacting, breaking, building, or leading?
Cybersecurity rewards alignment, not confusion.

If you choose a role that matches your thinking style…
You don’t just get paid more.
 You grow faster.
 You stand out sooner.

Cybersecurity isn’t crowded.

Which role do you see yourself in  Analyst, Engineer, Pentester, SOC, or Manager?

If this helped you,
 🔁 Reshare it with someone exploring cybersecurity.
 ➕ Follow Marcel Velica for more real-world cybersecurity insights and career clarity.

The 10 Companies Quietly Controlling the Future of Cybersecurity

If 2024 was about AI hype,
 2025 was about AI adoption,

👉 2026 is about AI-secured enterprises.

The companies winning right now aren’t just “doing cybersecurity.”
They’re engineering digital resilience at scale.

Here are the cybersecurity leaders shaping 2026  and what they’re mastering:

1️⃣ Palo Alto Networks
➡️ Platform consolidation + AI-driven security operations
 They’re reducing tool sprawl and turning security into a unified ecosystem.

2️⃣ CrowdStrike
➡️ Cloud-native protection + real-time threat intelligence
 Endpoint isn’t the edge anymore  identity and cloud are.

3️⃣ Cisco
➡️ Networking + security convergence
 Infrastructure is now the first security control.

4️⃣ IBM
➡️ AI-powered threat detection + enterprise-grade response
 Security operations are becoming automation-first.

5️⃣ Fortinet
➡️ High-performance network security + secure SD-WAN
 Performance and protection can’t be trade-offs anymore.

6️⃣ Zscaler
➡️ Zero Trust architecture at scale
 Perimeter security is officially obsolete.

7️⃣ Check Point
➡️ Advanced threat prevention + hybrid environment control
 Consistency across cloud and on-prem is critical.

8️⃣ Okta
➡️ Identity-first security strategy
 In 2026, identity is the new firewall.

9️⃣ Trend Micro
➡️ Cloud workload + endpoint leadership
 Protection must follow the workload  not the device.

🔟 Broadcom
➡️ Enterprise security through strategic acquisitions
 Security ecosystems are consolidating fast.

The 2026 Reality:

The leaders dominate because they master 4 non-negotiables:

✔️ Prevention at scale
 ✔️ AI-powered detection
 ✔️ Automated response
 ✔️ Zero Trust by design

Security is no longer a department.
It’s an enterprise operating model.

And the companies treating it as strategy  not compliance  are pulling ahead.
As someone who studies how security maturity separates resilient enterprises from security theatre…

I’ll ask this:

👉 Who do you think will define the next wave  AI-native startups or platform giants?

The Cybersecurity Stack Every Modern Organization Should Understand

Many companies think cybersecurity means:
Install antivirus.
Add a firewall.
Problem solved.

But modern cybersecurity is much bigger than that.
It’s a complete ecosystem of security layers.

Miss one layer…
and attackers find the gap.

Here are the core domains protecting modern organizations:

Endpoint Security
◉Antivirus, EDR/XDR, host firewalls, device encryption, application control.

Cloud Security
◉CASB, CSPM, CWPP, CIEM, cloud WAF, container security.

Network Security
◉NGFW, IDS/IPS, NDR, VPN/ZTNA, network segmentation, DDoS protection.

Identity & Access Management
◉IAM platforms, PAM, SSO, MFA, identity governance.

Security Operations
◉SIEM, SOAR, UEBA, threat intelligence platforms, incident management.

Application Security
◉SAST, DAST, SCA, API security.

OT / IoT Security
◉Asset discovery, industrial IDS, IoT device control, protocol-aware firewalls.

Governance, Risk & Compliance
◉Risk assessment, compliance automation, policy management, audit tools.

Data Security
 ◉DLP, data classification, encryption, key management, tokenization.

Cyber Threat Intelligence
 ◉Threat feeds, malware sandboxing, dark web monitoring, vulnerability 
databases.

Vulnerability & Exposure Management
◉ Asset discovery, patch management, exposure monitoring.

Security Awareness
◉ Security awareness training, phishing simulations, insider risk management.

Email & Collaboration Security
◉ Anti-phishing protection, secure email gateways, DMARC/SPF/DKIM, collaboration security.

Here’s the truth most organizations realize too late:

Cybersecurity is not a single product.
It’s a layered strategy.
Because attackers only need one gap.

Security teams must defend every layer.

Follow  Marcel Velica for more insights on cybersecurity strategy, leadership, and enterprise security frameworks.

Which security area do you think organizations should prioritize most today?

Most companies want advanced security testing 
But they haven’t mastered basic risk visibility yet.

They invest in sophisticated tools.
They hire specialists.
They run penetration tests.

Yet the organization still doesn’t truly know:
👉 What can actually break tomorrow.

Security programs fail not because they lack technology.
 They fail because they optimize visibility, not survivability.

Here is what is happening inside many security programs:

• Security is treated as a purchasing problem
 More tools are bought when risk is unclear.

• Activity is mistaken for protection
 Dashboards show operations  not risk reduction.

• Detection is celebrated more than response strength
 Finding attacks feels safer than surviving them.

• Reporting replaces decision-driven protection
 Risk reports are produced more for compliance comfort.

• Technology grows faster than operational readiness

• Security language is not translated into business survival risk

• Resilience engineering is ignored
 Programs focus on stopping attacks instead of continuing operations.

• Complexity silently weakens defense effectiveness

• Compliance is mistaken for safety

• Recovery capability is rarely tested under pressure

 Advanced testing is useless if your organization cannot answer one simple question:

👉 If everything fails tomorrow, can we keep operating?

Security maturity is not measured by how many attacks you detect.

 It is measured by how well you can stay alive when defense fails.

 Real security is not about proving you are protected.
 It is about proving you can survive uncertainty.

Do you think most companies are investing in security technology or security survivability?

Follow Marcel Velica for more cybersecurity leadership insights.
 Repost if this resonates.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗖𝗜𝗦𝗢 𝗖𝗼𝗺𝗺𝘂𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝗚𝗮𝗽 𝗧𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗤𝘂𝗶𝗲𝘁𝗹𝘆 𝗗𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗼𝘆𝘀 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗕𝘂𝗱𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘀

Your security budget isn’t getting cut because it’s too big.
It’s getting cut because it’s misunderstood.

That’s the CISO communication gap.

And it quietly creates budget waste year after year.

𝗜’𝘃𝗲 𝘀𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗻 𝘁𝗼𝗼 𝗼𝗳𝘁𝗲𝗻.

Security says:
 “We reduced vulnerabilities by 40%.”

Executives hear:
 “Technical improvement.”

What they actually care about:
 “Did we reduce revenue exposure?”

Security activity does not automatically equal business impact.

And when that translation fails, funding gets questioned.

Here’s what happens next.

A new tool gets purchased.
Metrics are reported.
But there’s no clear business linkage.
Executive clarity drops.
Future funding gets challenged.
Reporting becomes more defensive.

The cycle repeats.
Not because security failed.
Because communication failed.

Every board conversation filters through four lenses:

Revenue.
Risk.
Regulatory exposure.
Reputation.

If your update doesn’t clearly connect to one of these,
 it gets categorized as overhead.

Instead of saying:
 “Vulnerability backlog decreased.”

Say:
 “We reduced the revenue exposure window.”

Instead of:
 “Incident response time improved.”

Say:
 “We strengthened downtime containment capability.”

Instead of reporting activity,
 report capital protection.

Before proposing any initiative, answer five questions:

What asset is truly at risk?
What is the probable impact?
What is the financial exposure range?
How does this reduce probability or impact?
Is the cost justified by the risk reduction?
If $1 of spend doesn’t clearly reduce $10 of exposure,
expect friction.

Security doesn’t lose budget because it’s expensive.
It loses budget because it sounds operational instead of strategic.

The most dangerous risk in cybersecurity right now
 is misalignment between technical language and capital language.

If you’re leading security today,
 ask yourself:

Are you reporting metrics…
 or are you reporting business protection?

Curious how others are reframing board conversations this year.

Follow Marcel Velica for more insights on executive security leadership, risk strategy, and board-level communication.

If this resonated, reshare it with other security leaders who need to see this.

Infographic explaining the CISO communication gap, showing how security metrics fail to translate into revenue protection, risk reduction, regulatory exposure, and reputation impact in board reporting.

𝗧𝗲𝗰𝗵𝗻𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲 𝘃𝘀 𝗘𝘅𝗲𝗰𝘂𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗟𝗮𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗮𝗴𝗲.

This is where most security leaders lose the room.
Not because they lack expertise.

But because they speak cyber…
 while executives think in business value.

👉 I call this: 𝗟𝗼𝗼𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗼𝗻 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿. 𝗘𝘅𝗽𝗼𝘀𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆.

Here’s what I mean.

When security says:

Vulnerability Detection
 Executives need to hear:
 → We reduce business exposure before damage happens.

Threat Monitoring Systems
 → The business sees risk early instead of reacting late.

Incident Response Tools
 → We protect operational continuity during disruption.

Compliance Reporting
 → We reduce legal, regulatory, and financial uncertainty.

Security Dashboards
 → We translate technical activity into clear business risk insight.

Attack Prevention Technology
 → We protect revenue, reputation, and operations.

Identity Protection Systems
 → Only trusted access reaches critical business assets.

Cloud Security Controls
 → Business data stays protected as we scale digitally.

Application Security Testing
 → Risk isn’t built into the products we ship.

Employee Security Awareness
 → We reduce human error risk inside the organization.

Asset Visibility Platforms
 → We prioritize protection of the business’s most critical resources.
Same work.

Different language.
And language changes influence.

Executives don’t approve budgets for “better tools.”

They approve budgets for:

• Risk reduction
• Revenue protection
• Operational resilience
• Strategic growth

If you want executive trust…
 speak in outcomes, not controls.

Technical depth earns respect.
Executive risk communication earns authority.

👇 Which cyber term do you think leaders misuse the most?

🔁 Re-share this with your security network.
 Follow Marcel Velica for more insights on cybersecurity leadership and executive influence.

Most security programs look strong…
Until they get hit.

𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀:

What looks secure isn’t always safe.
Compliance created the illusion of protection for years.

Because passing audits feels like control.
Because dashboards look reassuring.
Because certifications signal maturity.

But attackers don’t care how safe you feel.

They care how fast you detect.

How clearly you decide.
How well you survive.

If you want to build a security program that actually endures,

Use these 7 executive reality checks 👇

 Stop Confusing Paper With Protection

1️⃣ Documentation ≠ Detection
 ↳ Policies prove intent. Detection proves awareness.

2️⃣ Control Mapping ≠ Control Effectiveness
 ↳ A mapped control isn’t the same as an interrupted attack path.

3️⃣ Audit Success ≠ Incident Readiness
 ↳ Passing audits doesn’t mean surviving ransomware.

4️⃣ Regulatory Alignment ≠ Revenue Protection
 ↳ Compliance reduces fines. Resilience protects enterprise value.
 Shift What You Measure

5️⃣ Reporting Metrics ≠ Risk Reduction
 ↳ Dashboards show activity. Survivability shows strength.

6️⃣ Annual Audits ≠ Continuous Threat Reality
 ↳ Audits run on schedules. Attackers don’t.
 Build What Actually Matters

7️⃣ Certification ≠ Capability
 ↳ Certification proves conformity. Capability proves endurance.

Here’s the executive test:

If your security program disappeared tomorrow…
How long before the business feels it?

That answer tells you everything.
Compliance creates comfort.
Capability ensures survival.

And in today’s threat landscape…
Survival is the only metric that matters.

 What’s one “secure-looking” metric your board trusts too much?

♻️ Repost to challenge how your organization defines “mature security.”
And follow Marcel Velica for more executive cyber risk insights.

Infographic explaining 7 executive reality checks showing why cybersecurity compliance does not equal real security capability or cyber resilience.

🔒 Your Security Program Looks Strong… Until It Gets Hit

Your security program looks mature… but it’s not resilient
Audits passed…
Red team exercises done…
Green dashboards everywhere…

Feels safe, right? Think again.

𝗜 𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝘄𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗹𝗼𝗼𝗸𝘀 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗲 𝗶𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝘀𝗮𝗳𝗲.

Here are 𝟭𝟮 𝘄𝗮𝗿𝗻𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘀𝗶𝗴𝗻𝘀 I see in programs like this:

1️⃣ Passing audits comfortably
↳Compliance validates paperwork
↳Survival validates strength

2️⃣ Running annual red team exercises
↳Finding weaknesses isn’t the same as responding effectively
↳Speed of detection and containment is what matters

3️⃣ Dashboards full of green metrics
↳Activity metrics create comfort
↳Impact metrics create accountability

4️⃣ Deploying “the right” tools
↳Tools alone don’t reduce risk
↳Explain how each control lowers financial exposure

5️⃣ Reporting vulnerability counts to leadership
↳Executives need business impact, not ticket numbers
↳Numbers without context create false confidence

6️⃣ SOC measures alerts closed
↳Closing alerts fast doesn’t prevent damage
↳Limiting blast radius is true resilience

7️⃣ Thick incident response plan
↳Documentation isn’t operational muscle
↳Practice under pressure matters more than the plan itself

8️⃣ Measuring maturity with framework scores
↳Scores create structure, not security
↳Outcomes are what actually reduce risk

9️⃣ Investing heavily in prevention but underinvesting in detection
↳Prevention fails always
↳Quick detection is critical to survival

🔟 Board sees risk heat maps
↳Heat maps simplify complexity
↳They rarely reflect real operational fragility

1️⃣1️⃣ Celebrating zero incidents
↳Silence may just mean zero detection capability
↳No incidents ≠ true security

1️⃣2️⃣ Optimizing for reporting cycles, not attack cycles
↳Attackers move in hours
↳Resilient programs operate at threat speed, not reporting speed

Real security resilience isn’t about looking good it’s about surviving when the stakes are real.

Start asking yourself:

 Could your team contain a sophisticated attack tomorrow?

If this resonates, share it with your network.
 📌 Follow Marcel Velica for more cybersecurity insights.

Infographic listing 12 warning signs that a cybersecurity program appears mature but lacks operational resilience, highlighting gaps between compliance, metrics, tools, and true incident containment capability.

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