Former Meta, Uber and Cloudflare CSO Joe Sullivan Joins Costanoa to Back the Next Generation of Cybersecurity Companies

Veteran security executive brings decades of experience building security organizations and advising technology companies to Costanoa's investment team as a Venture Partner

SAN FRANCISCO, July 30, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Costanoa, a venture capital firm investing in companies of consequence across Applied AI, AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, National Security, and Fintech, today announced that Joe Sullivan has joined the firm as a Venture Partner, a part-time advisory role. Sullivan will advise Costanoa's cybersecurity portfolio and help the firm source and evaluate new investments in the sector.

Sullivan brings more than three decades of experience spanning cybersecurity, technology, law enforcement, and national security. He served as Chief Security Officer at Meta, Uber, and Cloudflare, where he built and scaled each security organization. He began his career as a federal prosecutor with the U.S. Department of Justice, prosecuting cybercrime, economic espionage, and computer hacking cases.

"Joe has an exceptional ability to see where cybersecurity is going because he has spent his career helping shape it," said Greg Sands, Founder and Managing Partner at Costanoa. "We're excited to have his perspective as we work with founders building the next generation of  enterprise security and look for the opportunities that will define the industry in the years ahead."

Sullivan has worked closely with technology founders throughout his career, advising many leading security and AI companies and serving on the board of StackHawk, a company powering secure AI-driven development. The Venture Partner role is a natural extension of that work — and of his existing relationships with Costanoa's investment team and founders.

"Joe has a rare understanding of what it takes to build and lead security organizations at scale, and he brings that perspective to every conversation," said Joni Klippert, CEO and co-founder of StackHawk. "He's a deeply product-minded leader who asks the questions that shape strategy and understands the challenges security teams are facing as AI changes how software is built. He's been an invaluable thought partner to us, and I know that perspective will be just as valuable to other founders Costanoa works with."

"Some of the most important cybersecurity companies of the next decade will come from founders who are solving problems the industry hasn't fully recognized yet," said Joe Sullivan, Venture Partner at Costanoa. "I'm excited to work with a team that has the conviction to find those founders early, help them navigate the challenges of building enduring companies, and invest in the ideas that can fundamentally change how security works."

Sullivan is also CEO of Ukraine Friends, a nonprofit providing humanitarian support to children in Ukraine. His public-sector service includes serving on President Obama's Commission on Enhancing National Cybersecurity and as a commissioner on the National Cybersecurity Alliance.

Sullivan's addition deepens Costanoa's cybersecurity and national security practice, where the firm has backed companies like Empirical Security, SGNL, Cyberhaven, Cape, and Vannevar at the formation stage.

About Costanoa 

Costanoa exists to elevate founders building companies of consequence. We lead investments from formation through Series A in Applied AI, AI Infrastructure, Cybersecurity, National Security, and Fintech. With $2.8B of AUM, we're boutique by design—making fewer investments to deliver deeper expertise and operational support when it matters most: the early, defining stages of growth. For more information, please visit www.costanoa.vc.

SOURCE Costanoa Ventures