Quantum Breakfast: A “Shor”fire Success

If there was any doubt before, it’s safe to say now that RSAC is BACK! With a whopping 45,000+ attendees (almost twice more than last year) and over 600 exhibitors, COVID’s impact on in-person events’ attendance may finally be waning. The energy in the Moscone Center was electric, and attendees were eager to learn about and discuss the latest cybersecurity technology, policy, and innovations. Of particular interest to many was the topic of quantum, and the most prominent event featuring that topic was the conference’s first Quantum Breakfast. 

Quantum Taking Center Stage

Attendees of the conference noticed that Quantum was a hot topic. They saw it referenced on booths and in exhibitor literature and heard people mentioning it in various conversations. Quantum computing–harnessing quantum properties to create machines that are orders of magnitude more powerful than today’s computers–has come to the center stage. And industry leaders believe we are in the midst of a second quantum revolution. 

Addressing that revolution was the impetus for hosting this year’s Quantum Breakfast at RSAC.

Filling the Room with Thought Leadership

While Katzcy had organized and promoted previous RSAC breakfast events, this year's Quantum Breakfast was the first to focus exclusively on quantum. Highlights of the breakfast included the opening by Vikram Sharma, Founder and CEO of QuintessenceLabs followed by Matthew Scholl, Division Manager at the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s (NIST’s) presentation on quantum standards. 

Following Scholl was a panel discussion on "What the Board Needs to Know About Quantum Science," which was moderated by Katzcy CEO Jessica Gulick. The panel included Vikram Sharma; Bob Gourley, Co-Founder and CTO, OODA; Clement Jeanjean, Senior Director, SandboxAQ; Daniel Apon, MITRE, and Peter Clay, CEO, QryptoCyber. The panelists covered various topics, from national security implications to what your board should know now to what your CISO should be asking for to prepare for a post-quantum future, better communicating quantum risks with nontechnical executives, and Shor's algorithm's attacks. Key points included:

• Understanding your data
• Conducting discovery to understand data at risk
• Understanding the scope of your challenge and the budget needed to implement your strategy

Preparing for quantum is a challenging feat. For many, it is a digital transformation project with complexities and interdependencies that will impact data applications, networks, and your workforce. However, thoughtful preparation can help make it feasible and ultimately more affordable. 

Through careful planning and effective promotion, Katzcy helped fill the room with over 100 senior leaders in cybersecurity. Katzcy Director of Events Sarah Kneip noted, "This was the largest RSAC breakfast event we had to date. It was wonderful to have such a diverse group of minds discuss important insights around quantum, network, and collaboration." 

The breakfast attendees left appearing to be energized by the conversation and networking and were excited to attend additional sessions. While next year's schedule is not confirmed, we believe that if Katzcy is given the opportunity to host the breakfast again, it will "Shor" ly be a success!

Looking to Make Your Next Event a Success?

Whether you are talking about quantum, supply chain security, preventing phishing scams, or any other topic, we can help fill the room for your next event. Katzcy’s event marketing services are available for both in-person and virtual events. Contact us today to learn more about what we can do for you.