Overview

At just 14-years-old, while searching for video games online, Marcin Kleczynski infected his parents’ computer with a nasty virus. Despite having an antivirus program in place, Marcin was unable to fix the problem so he turned to the Internet for help. After multiple days of searching various forums he found a group of like-minded users that helped him solve his problem.

Inspired by this experience, Marcin decided to build an easily-accessible malware tool and became a self-taught computer programmer. By 18, he had racked up a million dollars with his new company Malwarebytes—all from his college dorm room. Fast forward to today, at 27-years-old, Marcin has grown the company to a team of 500+ employees, protecting 10,000 businesses and millions of users from malware globally.

As a young entrepreneur, Marcin uses his experience to inspire the next generation of computer scientists and cybersecurity professionals. He believes that encouraging young people to pursue careers in cybersecurity and computer science will help address the critical shortage of cybersecurity professionals in the workplace.

Marcin has delivered TEDx talks, speeches, and presentations at conferences around the world. He has been featured on CNN, CNBC, BBC Business Live and was recently included in the BBC Horizon Documentary on cybersecurity.

A rising star in the security world, Marcin has received numerous recognitions including: being named one of the 100 Most Intriguing Entrepreneurs at 2017 Goldman Sachs Builders + Innovators Summit; Bronze and Silver Stevie Awards for Executive of the Year; CEO of the Year by the Global Excellence awards; the Forbes 30 Under 30 Rising Stars of Enterprise Technology list; the Silicon Valley Business Journal’s 40 Under 40; and an Ernst & Young Entrepreneur of the Year award.