Ian Swanson
Ian Swanson is AI Security Leader at Palo Alto Networks and a member of the MLSecOps Community. He founded Protect AI, Inc., DataScience.com, and Sometrics, all of which were acquired. He is recognized for expertise in artificial intelligence, machine learning, digital transformation, data science, big data, and performance-based analytics.
Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson and Founders Share Key Startup Lessons at Seattle Flow Day on May 15
At Seattle Flow Startup Day, experienced founders including Tin Can CEO Chet Kittleson shared lessons from their hardships, emphasizing building passionate companies, maintaining emotional stability, hiring capable people, disciplined fundraising, questioning the need for venture capital, and considering acquisition early. Kittleson recounted surviving a disastrous network outage that nearly ended his startup, highlighting resilience and customer-driven growth.
OpenAI's $1.1B Statsig Acquisition and Other Billion-Dollar Deals Finalists for 2026 GeekWire Deal of the Year
The 2026 GeekWire Awards feature finalists including billion-dollar deals by OpenAI and others, a rare Seattle-area IPO, and a $5 billion mega-round, all recognized for their significant impact on Northwest tech. Voting for the Deal of the Year, which highlights key transactions in innovation, runs through April 16.
Seattle’s UW research, Amazon alumni and military adjacency fuel startups building high-stakes, regulation-ready AI for biotech, finance and government
A Seattle high-school intern argues that strict school AI rules illuminated why AI must be disciplined in high-stakes domains, and describes how Seattle's research institutions (notably UW and the David Baker ecosystem), Amazon alumni, and military adjacency produce founders building accountable, regulation-ready AI for biotech, finance, and government.
Seattle Cybersecurity Startup Protect AI, Founded by Ian Swanson, Acquired by Palo Alto Networks
Seattle-based cybersecurity startup Protect AI, founded by Ian Swanson and co-founders, was acquired by Palo Alto Networks after addressing AI security gaps in enterprises. Swanson leveraged his experience with previous startups and AWS to pivot Protect AI towards securing large-scale machine learning deployments, coinciding with increased AI adoption following ChatGPT's popularity.
Palo Alto Networks to acquire Seattle startup Protect AI in deal reported above $500 million
Seattle-based Protect AI, founded in 2022 to secure machine-learning systems and serving Fortune 500 clients, is being acquired by Palo Alto Networks; sources report the deal is worth over $500 million after Protect AI raised $60 million in a 2024 Series B at a $400 million valuation. Palo Alto plans to integrate Protect AI into its Prisma AIRS platform to expand AI security capabilities.
Palo Alto Networks to Acquire Seattle AI Cybersecurity Startup Protect AI for Over $500 Million
Palo Alto Networks plans to acquire Seattle-based AI cybersecurity startup Protect AI, founded in 2022, for an estimated $500 million or more, aiming to strengthen its AI security offerings. Protect AI, which serves Fortune 500 clients and recently raised $60 million at a $400 million valuation, focuses on protecting machine learning systems amid rising AI-related breaches.
Seattle startup Protect AI launches out of stealth with $13.5M seed to secure AI/ML systems
Seattle cybersecurity startup Protect AI launched out of stealth with a $13.5 million seed round, plans rapid hiring to grow from 15 to about 50 employees and focuses on protecting machine learning and AI systems.
Organizations
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Protect AI Executive Officer, Director, Promoter 2024–present, Founder, CEO & Founder (Acquired by Palo Alto Networks) · current
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MLSecOps Community Member 2023–present · current
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Palo Alto Networks Founder (Acquired by Palo Alto Networks) and AI Security Leader 2022–present · current
Education
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UC Santa Barbara
