John Whaley
After earning a Ph.D. in Computer Science from Stanford University, he co-founded Moka5, where he applied his deep expertise in virtualization technology to launch enterprise security solutions as CTO. The company secured multiple funding rounds and delivered desktop virtualization and centralized cloud-based management systems adopted by major enterprises and educational institutions. In 2015, he founded UnifyID, a startup focused on automating personal authentication. He developed a proprietary machine learning technology for risk-based authentication, which led to the company’s acquisition by Prove in 2021. Recognized as a serial entrepreneur known for building groundbreaking products in the cybersecurity space, he remains active in the tech ecosystem through public speaking engagements and mentoring research at leading universities. He is currently the founder of Inception Studio, a venture studio dedicated to discovering and nurturing AI-driven startups. Known for his bold approach to technical risk and commitment to scaling seed-stage ventures globally, he is a trusted figure among a new generation of entrepreneurs.