Thread regarding Cisco Systems Inc. layoffs

What's with the "Zoom all over again, but with agentic AI?"

I keep hearing about some agentic AI security product that just passed its series B. Some security engineers under SS that got sc--wed over badly now running a competing company. Was this the Hypeshield team or some other group?

by
| 1391 views | | 5 replies (last May 9, 2025) | Reply
Post ID: @OP+1jtkznws2

5 replies (most recent on top)

I assume you’re referring to Theom, cofounder by Navindra Yadav. He was a principal engineer on Tetration and other projects. He is a very bright man and I’m sure his company will clean up in the space.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @nf+1jtkznws2

What in the actual f--k are you guys doing over there? Free money and the company's first legit AI product and you won't support it unless you can f--k the inventors out of all the credit and give it to some exec's cousin? Is business so good that free millions of dollars per year can be thrown away so some exec can break labor laws for sh-ts and giggles?

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @e0+1jtkznws2

Doubt it was HyperShield folks, but maybe a few were snagged up. Most of us in the company don't even bother talking about that ever since Fran went on public record saying we're gonna magically pump terrabits per second of raw encrypted traffic through an LLM and magically make everything safe and profit.

As for the project you're referencing, that was kind of hilarious. Some guys invented some pretty clever datacenter security automation that used various AI models to augment it, all on personal time and with a pre-existing COI and legal sign off in place, meaning he owns it no matter what he signed when joining Cisco. Tried to pitch it and our VP tried to claim credit and assign a literal relative of his to lead it. Our colleague departed, and gradually took a good chunk of the actual talent with him.

Last I checked they raised 60M, so if they've hit series B like you said, sounds like a VP decided to toss a good 80M/year of company money in the name of nepotism. No matter how hard or what million dollar idea you invent, some corrupt id--t is always there to undo that work and profit by 10x. Welcome to Cisco.

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @cx+1jtkznws2

I know of at least one startup of former Cisco people that basically did their recruitment and initial planning on the company dime

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @bt+1jtkznws2

Can you tell me the name of the group, I want to see if they are hiring?

by
| | Reply
Post ID: @a8+1jtkznws2

Post a reply

: