Munich Startup: What is your StartupWhat problem are you solving?
Tobias Lieberum, co-founder and managing director: Cyberdesk is a rapidly growing Munich-based cybersecurity startup. Currently, there are very few European solution providers in the cybersecurity sector. We want to change that and are developing a solution to achieve this. Software solution The biggest security risk is access rights. Hackers don't usually actually hack; they simply log in.
Today, companies face the challenge of securely managing a growing number of human identities (employees, partners, customers) as well as non-human identities (machine accounts, AI agents, IoT and OT systems). This complexity makes it increasingly difficult to control access rights transparently and securely – a significant security risk: around 80 percent of all data breaches are due to compromised identities.
At the same time, over 95 percent of all access rights remain unused, creating a massive – and avoidable – attack surface. This is precisely where our identity-centric data security platform comes in. Cyberdesk brings transparency to the chaos and makes it clear who has access to which data – right down to the file level. This enables precise, identity-centric control of data access, helping companies minimize risks and effectively close security gaps. Because the use of AI without a solution like Cyberdesk is hardly justifiable, we are currently experiencing very strong growth.
Why existing solutions are insufficient – and where Cyberdesk comes in.
Munich Startup: But that's been around for a long time!
Tobias Lieberum: Access control itself is nothing new. Since the advent of the first enterprise networks, organizations have struggled with managing permissions. Since then, leading solution providers have repeatedly been overtaken by innovations, and new market leaders have emerged. For example, driven by the boom in SaaS applications, the first cloud-first identity solutions like Okta rose to prominence in the 2010s and replaced the established market leaders.
Today we stand at another such turning point: Data is now one of the fastest-growing resources. Ninety percent of all data worldwide has been created in the last two years alone. Most companies struggle with overprovisioning data access across their identities. Cyberdesk closes this gap: We bring identities and data together and answer the crucial question: "Who has access to what?"
Munich Startup: What is your founding story?
Tobias Lieberum: Cyberdesk was founded in 2022 by my co-founder Prabhakar Mishra and me. In our previous roles—he in banking, I in consulting—we dealt with highly sensitive data on a daily basis. We experienced firsthand how difficult it is to ensure secure data access. Despite numerous tools, there was no solution that truly and meaningfully united identities and data. So we decided: We would build it ourselves.
Since then, we have grown steadily. At the heart of Cyberdesk is a team of experienced software developers and cyber enthusiasts with prior experience at companies like Google, Microsoft, Cisco, and Palo Alto Networks. It's a great privilege to work with such talent. We are supported by a broad network of investors, whom we have secured in heavily oversubscribed funding rounds. What I find particularly gratifying is that our vision is actively supported by many prominent voices within the European cybersecurity ecosystem – including the CISOs from ADAC, Bilfinger, the Oetker Group, and many more.
Growing pains despite high demand
Munich Startup: What have been your biggest challenges so far?
Tobias Lieberum: A true first-world problem: Demand is there, but capacity is lacking. We have a long waiting list with exciting clients from a wide range of industries. Our challenge now is to scale our team quickly enough to handle all onboarding and feature requests promptly.
Munich Startup: Where would you like to be in one year, where in five years?
Tobias Lieberum: In one year, we aim to be the leading provider of identity-centric data security in Europe, with a clear focus on the DACH region and dozens of enterprise customers. Our goal is to help companies manage access to sensitive data in a transparent, secure, and efficient manner. By reducing unnecessary data, we also help save costs and make IT more sustainable.
In five years, we aim to be recognized worldwide as the market leader for secure data access through identity-based control. We are specifically leveraging artificial intelligence to manage permissions not only statically, but dynamically and adaptively based on context, risk, and user behavior.
Our vision is to make access management smarter: proactive, adaptive, and precise, enabling us to identify security risks early and grant or deny access at precisely the right moment. If we succeed, we can herald the end of cyberattacks.
Munich as a vibrant tech hub for cybersecurity
Munich Startup: How have you experienced Munich as a startup location so far?
Tobias Lieberum: Very positive! Munich offers a truly fantastic ecosystem of world-class talent, exciting companies, and great partners. For example, we're currently based at the Munich Urban Colab and appreciate the dynamic atmosphere and access to the inspiring network within the UnternehmerTUM community. At the same time, we also benefit from our location in Berlin and plan to become even more active in both cities in the future.
Munich Startup: Outsource or do it yourself?
Tobias Lieberum: Do it yourself. For us, people and safety are paramount. Innovation doesn't come from outsourcing tasks, but from a strong team with a shared vision. We want to surround ourselves with people who share our passion and work with us to create a safer digital world. And we're always looking for new talent – get in touch!
