Readiness is the new measure of cybersecurity Most organizations are doing “the right things” in cybersecurity: buying tools, running awareness training, sending teams to certifications, and tracking activity in dashboards. And yet, the uncomfortable truth keeps showing up in boardrooms and post-incident reviews: busy doesn’t translate to ready. Readiness is different. It’s not a vibe or even a raw score. It’s the organization’s proven ability to perform under real conditions across roles, teams, and scenarios that actually happen. And the stakes are not abstract. IBM reported the global average cost of a data breach reached $4.4M (2025). The illusion of readiness Security programs often produce confidence because they produce evidence of activity: courses completed, labs run, exercises passed. But leaders don’t need proof that work occurred; they need answers to questions like: Are the right people ready for the right
Bret Fund brings over 20 years of experience in education and technology, including several executive roles at leading edtech organizations. Most recently, he served as SVP and GM of Infosec Institute at Cengage Group, where he led efforts to upskill and certify learners in cybersecurity through scalable, outcomes-driven online programs. Prior to that, he was SVP of Alternative Credential Products at 2U, where he helped build career-relevant learning experiences in partnership with top universities.
Fund is also the founder of SecureSet Academy, one of the nation's earliest immersive cybersecurity bootcamps, which was acquired by Flatiron School in 2019. At Flatiron, he served as VP of Education, overseeing programs designed to help learners pursue transformative careers in tech.
In addition to his leadership in the private sector, Fund has remained connected to the startup and academic communities as a lead mentor with Techstars and a former professor of entrepreneurship at the University of Colorado Boulder. He also founded Gogy, Inc., an edtech company behind interactive presentation software designed to transform static educational content into dynamic, social learning experiences.
-
-
September 16, 2025In a world full of AI tools and certification programs, it’s what you can do that sets you apart. CEO Bret Fund explains why QuickStart champions a skills-first approach to workforce training.
-
September 12, 2025QuickStart CEO, Bret Fund, explains how he believes training should serve learners, not trends. Discover our human-centered approach to AI, cybersecurity, and workforce transformation.
-
September 09, 2025QuickStart CEO, Bret Fund, writes about how QuickStart is closing the gap between AI adoption and workforce readiness with skills-first training that prepares learners for real-world impact.
-
June 13, 2025Discover how social psychology influences cybersecurity threats and responses, and learn how to develop smarter, behaviorally informed defenses.
