Biography of Sekhar Rao: Founder and CEO of AShield -Entrepreneur
Journey of Sekhar Rao:
Sekhar Rao is not your typical entrepreneur. With over two
decades of experience, he has consistently built and scaled businesses that
have delivered immense value to both organizations and industries. A seasoned
leader with a deep understanding of how digital ecosystems work, Sekhar’s
career is driven by a strong purpose—to create a more secure digital world
without sacrificing customer experience.
A Foundation in Global Leadership
Sekhar’s academic journey took him to the Indian Institute
of Management Bangalore, where he completed the Advanced Management Program.
His leadership development was further shaped by a Europe-based executive
program that included modules from institutions like INSEAD. These experiences
helped him master the dual challenge of functional expertise and strategic
leadership in a global context.
Building from the Top – Early Leadership at MACH
Before becoming a startup founder, Sekhar played a crucial
role at MACH, a leading telecommunications hub owned by Warburg Pincus. As COO
and part of the global management team, he led large-scale operations and
strategies, gaining deep insights into telecom networks, cybersecurity, and
global information systems. His time at MACH laid a solid foundation for his
future ventures.
The Entrepreneurial Shift Begins
In 2009, Sekhar transitioned from corporate leadership to
entrepreneurship by launching SunKabir, a strategy consulting and innovation
lab in Bangalore. This marked the beginning of his journey into building
startups that solve real-world problems. Two years later, he co-founded
JunoTele, a company focused on mobile value-added services and cybersecurity,
where he still serves as Director.
Biography of Sekhar Rao: Founder and CEO of AShield -Entrepreneur #startup#age#net worth#startup#AShield story#business#Sekhar Rao#investor
The Birth of AShield
In 2018, Sekhar founded AShield Technologies in Singapore
with a bold mission—to eliminate phishing and bring passwordless, frictionless
authentication to the world. Based out of Palo Alto and Bangalore, AShield was
built to disrupt outdated authentication methods like passwords and OTPs, which
often create more problems than they solve in terms of security and user
experience.
Rethinking Cybersecurity
AShield isn’t just another cybersecurity company. It
introduces a unique approach that combines spatial cryptography, deep learning,
and cloud-native architecture. This allows real-time threat detection while
improving the customer experience. By combining probabilistic and deterministic
security models, AShield ensures strong protection without being intrusive or
inconvenient.
Invisible, Smart, and Seamless Authentication
AShield developed what it calls the world’s smartest and
most invisible authentication system. It’s designed for consumer-facing
platforms—especially mobile apps and websites—enabling users to log in and
interact without needing passwords or SMS-based two-factor codes. It’s a
one-click authentication method that works silently in the background,
constantly verifying users.
IDaaS and TMaaS – Next-Gen Security Services
AShield introduced two innovative services: IDaaS (Identity
as a Service) and TMaaS (Threat Management as a Service). These tools allow
businesses to onboard users more securely, track threats in real-time, and
maintain high assurance throughout the user journey. The result is fewer
frauds, better user conversion rates, and a superior customer experience.
Tailored for the B2C World
While many cybersecurity solutions focus on corporate IT
systems, AShield is laser-focused on B2C businesses. It serves sectors like
telecom, media, healthcare, and finance—industries where customer interaction
and security are both critical. By designing specifically for these platforms,
AShield ensures that real users get a smooth, secure experience every time.
Built for Scale, Reliability, and Global Reach
Thanks to its cloud-native infrastructure, AShield offers
consistent performance across devices, regions, and networks. This allows
businesses to scale globally without worrying about authentication failures or
system downtimes. As users shift between apps, devices, and locations,
AShield’s technology keeps them protected without friction.
The Need for Expert Partners
As cyber threats evolve rapidly, most companies struggle to
keep up. Sekhar believes that businesses will soon need dedicated partners who
can monitor threats continuously and adapt faster than internal IT teams can.
AShield positions itself as that expert partner—one that’s agile, future-ready,
and capable of delivering end-to-end protection.
A Future Without Passwords
With AShield, Sekhar Rao envisions a world where security no
longer comes at the cost of convenience. By removing passwords and OTPs from
the equation, he’s helping create a digital environment that is safer, smarter,
and easier to use. It’s not just about protecting data—it’s about reimagining
how we interact with the digital world altogether.
Timeline for story
2009: Founded SunKabir, a strategy consulting and innovation
lab.
2011: Co-founded JunoTele, focused on mobile VAS and
cybersecurity.
2018: Launched AShield Technologies to eliminate phishing
and passwords.
2020–Present: Rolled out IDaaS and TMaaS for real-time user
authentication.
