Ian Austin — Founder
As the founder of Pwned Labs, I am on a mission to help millions of people learn high-demand cybersecurity skills through gamified and interactive platforms. With my background in IT and cybersecurity and being a psychology geek, I apply the principles of user engagement, motivation, and behavior change to create immersive and effective learning experiences. Before starting Pwned Labs in April 2023, I was the head of content and innovation at Hack The Box, a leading online platform for cybersecurity training and assessment. There, I led the development and launch of several leading products, including BlackSky. I also participated in the Green Team of Locked Shields, a NATO-sponsored cyber defense exercise, where I contributed to the design and execution of realistic scenarios.
Stackforce AI infers this person is a cybersecurity education innovator with a strong focus on user engagement.
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Experience: 10 yrs 2 mos
Career Highlights
- Founder of Pwned Labs focused on cybersecurity education.
- Led innovation at Hack The Box for cybersecurity training.
- Contributed to NATO's cyber defense exercise, Locked Shields.
Work Experience
Pwned Labs
Founder (2 yrs 11 mos)
Hack The Box
Head of Innovation (6 mos)
Head of Content Innovation (1 yr 2 mos)
Head of Content Development (1 yr 9 mos)
NATO Cooperative Cyber Defence Centre of Excellence (CCDCOE)
Green Team - Locked Shields (2 yrs 10 mos)
ASHMORE GROUP PLC
Sysadmin, Security Engineer & Penetration Tester (3 yrs 9 mos)
Education
IT & Computing and Psychology (Honours) at The Open University
