Obi Ibeto Accepted into Harvard Business School Foundry Bootcamp

October—November 2026: Leading ShieldForce Through Harvard's AI-Powered Entrepreneurship Program

Obi Ibeto, Founder and CEO of ShieldForce Corporation, has been accepted into the Harvard Business School Foundry Bootcamp, an elite AI-powered program designed to help deep tech founders transform breakthrough innovations into fundable, scalable ventures.

The bootcamp runs from Thursday, October 1, 2026 through Monday, November 30, 2026, featuring intensive mentorship from Harvard Business School faculty, AI-powered advisory tools, and direct access to investors and industry experts.

About Harvard Business School Foundry

Harvard Business School Foundry represents a new model for startup support—combining institutional expertise, faculty mentorship, and proprietary AI tools to help founders navigate the journey from early-stage idea to investment-ready venture.

The program targets deep tech founders building solutions in sectors where scientific or technological breakthroughs have the potential to reshape industries and solve critical problems. Healthcare cybersecurity—where ShieldForce operates—exemplifies exactly this kind of deep tech opportunity.

Program Highlights

AI-Powered Advisory Board: Rather than traditional consulting, founders build personalized advisory boards where they can have conversations with multiple Harvard experts simultaneously, gaining diverse perspectives quickly and making better decisions faster.

Founder Preparation: Bootcamp participants rehearse investor pitches, board meetings, and business conversations with AI avatars designed to challenge and sharpen their delivery. Founders can practice repeatedly, refining their approach before high-stakes real-world meetings.

Expert Faculty Access: Harvard professors leading the program aren't just academics—they've built and funded startups themselves. They bring real-world experience combined with institutional rigor to guide founders through the most critical strategic decisions.

Deep Tech Specialization: Unlike general entrepreneurship programs, Foundry focuses specifically on deep tech—ventures where genuine innovation in science, engineering, or technology is central to competitive advantage and market opportunity.

Why ShieldForce Fits the Foundry Mission

ShieldForce's acceptance reflects the company's position at the intersection of multiple deep tech trends:

Healthcare as Critical Infrastructure

Healthcare organizations face a unique convergence of challenges:

• Sophisticated cyber threats targeting patient data and operational systems
• Stringent regulatory requirements (HIPAA, CMS Conditions of Participation, state breach notification laws)
• Distributed workforces (field workers, remote staff) requiring secure access controls
• Limited IT budgets and cybersecurity expertise relative to risk exposure

Advanced Threat Detection Technology

ShieldForce's Mobile Field-Worker Security Protocol™ and AI-driven threat detection represent genuine technological innovation:

• Real-time monitoring across multiple EHR platforms
• Behavioral analysis and anomaly detection for field-worker access patterns
• Automated response to compromised credentials and lost devices
• Integration with existing healthcare IT infrastructure

Market Opportunity and Impact

Healthcare cybersecurity represents a significant addressable market with regulatory tailwinds driving adoption. Solutions addressing this market directly protect patient safety, organizational continuity, and the integrity of critical healthcare infrastructure.

The October Bootcamp Experience

Over the next two months, Obi and the ShieldForce team will:

• Participate in online bootcamp sessions with HBS faculty on startup strategy, product-market fit, and fundraising
• Work through Foundry's curriculum on business model validation, market sizing, and investment positioning
• Use AI-powered tools to refine pitch decks, financial models, and investor narratives
• Network with fellow deep tech founders and mentors from the Harvard ecosystem
• Prepare for post-bootcamp opportunities with investors and strategic partners

The program culminates with opportunities to present to venture capital firms, corporate investors, and strategic acquirers interested in deep tech solutions for regulated industries.

Obi Ibeto's Entrepreneurial Background

With over 16 years in enterprise cloud and cybersecurity, Obi brings deep domain expertise to healthcare challenges:

EPINEC Era (Pre-2023): Obi founded and led EPINEC, a Microsoft solutions partner focused on helping organizations design, secure, and optimize cloud environments—particularly in regulated industries like healthcare, financial services, and government.

ShieldForce Founding (2023): Recognizing that healthcare organizations lacked specialized cybersecurity solutions tailored to their unique threat landscape and regulatory environment, Obi founded ShieldForce to address this gap.

Recent Recognition: Obi was featured on the Massachusetts Business Network podcast (Episode 196) discussing proactive cyber resilience, AI security risks, and practical cybersecurity strategies for small and mid-sized businesses. He's also spoken at industry events including the Staten Island Industrial Alliance.

What Bootcamp Acceptance Means

Strategic Timing: Obi's acceptance comes as healthcare cybersecurity investment and adoption accelerate. The bootcamp provides tools and network to position ShieldForce for significant growth.

Credibility: Harvard Business School's endorsement strengthens relationships with enterprise healthcare customers, strategic partners, and institutional investors.

Network Access: HBS alumni, faculty, and Foundry's network include healthcare-focused investors, healthcare IT executives, and strategic advisors.

Fundraising Readiness: The bootcamp specifically prepares founders for venture capital and strategic investment conversations.

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About ShieldForce

ShieldForce Corporation provides managed cybersecurity specifically designed for regulated industries, particularly healthcare. The company's solutions combine advanced threat detection, endpoint protection, secure field-worker access controls, and compliance documentation tailored to HIPAA, CMS Conditions of Participation, and state cybersecurity laws.

About Harvard Business School Foundry

HBS Foundry is an AI-powered startup community combining Harvard's entrepreneurship frameworks and faculty expertise with proprietary AI tools to help deep tech founders build, fund, and launch ventures.

Program Timeline: October 1–November 30, 2026