2026 Excellence Awards Finalists Announced at RSA Conference 2026
Cybersecurity Excellence Awards Recognize Top Industry Players
The annual Excellence Awards, part of the SC Awards, have announced their finalists for 2026. The awards acknowledge outstanding cybersecurity companies and service providers that offer exceptional products and services to enterprises and small- to mid-sized organizations. Winners will be revealed at the RSA conference.
Best Compliance Solution
One category, Best Compliance Solution, recognizes solutions that help organizations meet regulatory requirements in various industries, including healthcare, retail, and finance. Finalists include Drata, Knox Systems, NetBrain Technologies, RegScale, and Thoropass. These solutions assist customers in meeting mandates outlined in legislation such as HIPAA, SOX, and FISMA, as well as industry guidelines like PCI Security Standards Council.
Best Customer Service
The Best Customer Service category highlights the importance of product support and service in the security investment process. Finalists Adaptiva, Allstate Identity Protection, Artic Wolf, Illumio, and NinjaOne demonstrate strong customer support, which is essential for ensuring the effective deployment, maintenance, and performance of security technologies.
Best Emerging Technology
The Best Emerging Technology category acknowledges breakthrough technologies that address rapidly evolving cybersecurity challenges. Finalists CyberRidge, Orchid Security, Silent Push, Spektrum, and Token Security delivered innovative products and services in 2025 to combat fast-moving threats.
Other Categories
Other categories include Best Enterprise Security Solution, with finalists CrowdStrike, Island, Keeper Security, Proofpoint, and Splunk; Best IT Security-Related Training Program, with finalists Abnormal AI, Hack The Box, Immersive KnowBe4, and SANS Institute; and Best Professional Certification Program, with finalists Cloud Security Alliance, ISACA, OPSWAT, and SANS Institute.
Best Security Company
The Best Security Company category recognizes established companies with a proven track record, offering products and services to customers for at least three years. Finalists include CrowdStrike, Dragos, Fortanix, Tenable, and Yubico.
Best SME Security Solution
The Best SME Security Solution category focuses on tools and services designed for small to mid-sized businesses. Finalists include ArmorPoint, LLC, Bitdefender, Coro, CrowdStrike, and Stellar Cyber.
Individual Awards
Individual awards include the Innovator (Executive or Practitioner) of the Year, with finalists Matthias Frielingsdorf, Dr. Peter Garraghan, Bo Li, HD Moore, and Michelangelo Sidagni. The Investor of the Year category recognizes venture capital or angel investors that contributed to cybersecurity startups in 2025, with finalists Acrew Capital, DataTribe, NightDragon, and YL Ventures.
Most Promising Early-Stage Startup
The Most Promising Early-Stage Startup category highlights privately held startups with strong flagship products, with finalists Geordie AI, Legion Security, Orchid Security, Smallstep, and Token Security.
Security Executive of the Year
The Security Executive of the Year award recognizes veteran leaders in the cybersecurity industry, with finalists Bo Li, Chris Rouland, Ankur Shah, Kayla Underkoffler, and Christy Wyatt.
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