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 3 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 (3 yrs 1 mo)
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
