Photo: George Kurtz / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0) Elia Zaitsev is leaving CrowdStrike after 13 years to bet big on the intersection of artificial intelligence and cybersecurity
Elia Zaitsev, the Global Chief Technology Officer at CrowdStrike, is stepping down from the cybersecurity giant to launch a $170 million fund focused on AI-driven cybersecurity. His last day at CrowdStrike is set for August 20, 2026, closing out a tenure that stretches back more than 13 years with the company.
From builder to backer #
Zaitsev took over the CTO role at CrowdStrike in February 2023, though his history with the company runs far deeper. Over 13 years, he played a central role in shaping the firm’s technology strategy, with a particular emphasis on integrating artificial intelligence into security operations.
In a LinkedIn post announcing his departure, Zaitsev framed the move as deeply personal. He described the transition as the start of something he could truly call his own, a shift from steering someone else’s ship to building one from scratch.
The fund he plans to launch is valued at $170 million. Details about its limited partners, investment thesis, or specific focus areas within the AI-cybersecurity landscape haven’t been made public yet.
A pattern at CrowdStrike #
Zaitsev isn’t the first senior leader to leave CrowdStrike and pursue something independent. Co-founder Dmitri Alperovitch stepped down from his role in 2020, eventually pivoting toward policy work.
CrowdStrike, for its part, continues to invest in AI and autonomous systems independently of Zaitsev’s departure, signaling that the strategic direction he helped set is now embedded in the organization rather than dependent on any single executive.
Why AI-cyber is attracting serious capital #
The cybersecurity industry is in the middle of a fundamental shift driven by artificial intelligence, moving in both directions: defenders are using AI to detect threats faster, while attackers are using it to create more sophisticated exploits.
Zaitsev’s operational experience gives him the ability to evaluate cybersecurity startups not just on their financial metrics, but on whether their technology actually works against real-world threats. His over a decade at CrowdStrike, where the company is known for its emphasis on AI tools for both cybersecurity defenses and offensive strategies, provides that foundation.
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