A New Chapter at Stairwell: Welcoming Emmy Linder as CEO
When I started Stairwell, I wasn’t trying to create just another cybersecurity company. I started it because I believed defenders deserved better — better tools, better visibility, and better outcomes. After more than a decade in the field, I had seen how often attackers held the advantage, and how hard it was for defenders to truly get ahead. That imbalance didn’t sit right with me.
So in 2019, I left Google — a place I’d spent many years building security programs and learning from some of the best in the industry — to start something from scratch. I teamed up with people I trusted deeply, and we focused on one thing: giving defenders the upper hand.
We rolled up our sleeves and got to work. The result was Stairwell — a company built on the belief that defenders should be able to understand their environment fully, detect what others miss, and take action without guesswork.
We’ve come a long way since then. We’ve built a product we believe in and a team I’m incredibly proud of. But most importantly, we’ve built a foundation for something much bigger. And now, we’re ready to grow in a new way.
A New Chapter
Today, I’m excited to share that Emmy Linder is joining Stairwell as our new Chief Executive Officer. This is a huge step forward for us — not just a leadership change, but the beginning of a new phase in our journey. Handing over the CEO role is a big moment for any founder. For me, it comes with deep reflection, gratitude, and optimism.
When I started Stairwell, I wanted to build something that could genuinely shift the balance of power in cybersecurity — to give defenders the advantage. That mission hasn’t changed, but how we realize it is evolving. Emmy’s arrival is part of that evolution.
Why Emmy?
Emmy is a natural fit for Stairwell. From our first conversations, it was clear she understood what we’re building — not just the technology, but the mission behind it. Her experience in scaling high-impact teams and products makes her the right person to guide Stairwell into its next phase — and I couldn’t be more excited to support her in this role.
As the previous Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Cybereason, Emmy brings a thoughtful, grounded style of leadership, with a sharp focus on building strong teams and meaningful products. Emmy has led product and engineering teams, scaled companies through big transitions, and — most importantly — never lost sight of the people at the center of it all.
She’s someone who listens first, who leads with empathy, and who has a deep respect for what it means to build a company with purpose. I couldn’t imagine a better person to help guide Stairwell into this next stage.
What This Means for Me
I’ll be stepping into the role of Chief Technology Officer, where I’ll stay close to what I love most: building, solving tough problems, and exploring what’s next for cybersecurity. This shift lets me focus deeply on the product and innovation side of things, while giving Emmy the room to lead the company forward.
I’m not stepping away — I’m doubling down. I am proud when I consider the capabilities of the product that we’ve built including our AI-powered Stairwell Intelligent Analysis, Variant Discovery, Run-to-Ground, and Threat Report Analysis, but I still wake up thinking about new capabilities that only Stairwell could provide.
Nobody else in the industry is looking at security as a data search problem, using signals intelligence techniques to connect threat intelligence data with an enterprise’s files to reveal threats. We help enterprises detect, investigate, and outmaneuver malware in their environment, continuously.
Looking Ahead
Stairwell is in a great position. The problems we’re tackling — stopping threats before they happen, giving defenders the tools and visibility they need — aren’t going away. In fact, they’re only becoming more complex and more urgent. But that’s exactly why I’m so optimistic about what’s ahead. We’ve built a strong foundation, assembled an incredible team, and now, with Emmy stepping in as CEO, we have the right leader to guide us into the next stage of our journey.
What hasn’t changed — and never will — is our core belief: defenders deserve better. Better tools, better intelligence, better outcomes. That belief is what brought Stairwell to life, and it continues to shape every product decision, every conversation with a customer, and every person we bring into the company.
With Emmy at the helm, I truly believe we’re going to accelerate — not just in how fast we move, but in the impact we make. Her experience, leadership, and fresh perspective will help unlock the next level of what Stairwell can become.
I’m proud of what this team has accomplished. From our earliest days working out of a tiny office, to becoming a company trusted by some of the world’s most forward-thinking security teams — it’s been an incredible ride. And we’re just getting started.
Please join me in welcoming Emmy to Stairwell. I’m grateful for all we’ve built — and even more excited for what’s still to come.
Mike Wiacek
Founder & CTO, Stairwell
