Former NSA Director and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command Gen. Timothy D. Haugh Joins Ballistic Ventures as Strategic Advisor

SAN FRANCISCO, July 29, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Ballistic Ventures, the venture capital firm dedicated exclusively to funding and incubating entrepreneurs and innovations in cybersecurity, today announced that General Timothy D. Haugh (U.S. Air Force, Ret.), former Director of the National Security Agency (NSA) and Commander of U.S. Cyber Command (USCYBERCOM), has joined the firm as Strategic Advisor.

With over 30 years of service in the U.S. Air Force and senior roles across the national security and intelligence communities, Gen. Haugh brings deep technical insight and mission-driven leadership to Ballistic's team. As a top military commander, he drove efforts to strengthen the nation's cyber posture, enhance operational readiness, and deepen partnerships with international allies and the private sector. Under his leadership at NSA and USCYBERCOM, he confronted a wide range of emerging threats – from ransomware attacks to high-profile cyber espionage campaigns – while advancing innovation across the defense and intelligence ecosystem.

In his new advisory role at Ballistic, Gen. Haugh will focus on mentoring the firm's portfolio founders, sharing his expertise in leadership and what it takes to lead effectively in high-stakes, fast-moving environments. He will also support the firm in identifying and backing the next generation of mission-oriented cyber entrepreneurs.

"General Haugh has spent his career putting national security first, guided by an unwavering commitment to service and country," said Ted Schlein, Co‑founder and General Partner at Ballistic Ventures. "His extraordinary understanding of both adversary techniques and the U.S. government's cyber posture is a powerful asset. He's uniquely positioned to help our founders build solutions not just for today's threats, but tomorrow's as well, and we couldn't be more happy to welcome him to the firm."

"I'm honored to join Ballistic Ventures at a pivotal moment for cybersecurity innovation, as everything from AI-enabled attacks to increasingly sophisticated adversaries are rapidly reshaping the threat landscape," said Gen. Haugh. "The Ballistic team's dedication to backing mission-driven entrepreneurs who are building next-generation defenses aligns closely with my vision for a resilient and secure future."

In addition to his advisory role at Ballistic, Gen. Haugh was also recently announced as a Blue Senior Fellow at the Yale Jackson School of Global Affairs for the fall 2025 semester. Teaching a course on intelligence and the cyber domain, he will share insights from his decades of national security leadership with Yale students.

Since launching an oversubscribed second $360M fund in 2024, Ballistic's portfolio has grown to include standout startups addressing a broad range of cybersecurity challenges – from securing enterprise AI use and identity management, to automated incident response, supply chain protection, deepfake and disinformation mitigation, ransomware prevention, and more. Gen. Haugh joins Ballistic's distinguished roster of strategic federal advisors, which includes the first National Cyber Director, Chris Inglis, former NSA Director Gen. Paul Nakasone, and Kiersten Todt, former Chief of Staff of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

Learn more about the Ballistic team at https://ballisticventures.com/team/.

About Ballistic Ventures
Ballistic Ventures is a venture capital firm solely dedicated to early-stage cybersecurity and cyber-related companies. The partners have spent their entire careers defending against every cyber threat conceivable. Members of the firm have founded, operated, and funded over 100 successful cybersecurity firms – including Abnormal Security, AlienVault, ArcSight, Fortify, Mandiant, and Shape Security – led over 10,000 security professionals globally, and have 40+ years of experience in venture capital. The Ballistic portfolio includes Aembit, Alethea, ArmorCode, AuthMind, BreachRx, Codezero, Concentric AI, GetReal, Gomboc AI, Hypernative, Mimic, Noma, Nudge Security, Oligo, Pangea, Perygee, Reach, Reveal Technology, Root Evidence, SpecterOps, Talon (PANW), Veza, WitnessAI, and Zip Security. Our experience provides entrepreneurs impactful support from people focused on the same mission. Our networks and relationships open doors for our founders. Learn more at ballisticventures.com.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/former-nsa-director-and-commander-of-us-cyber-command-gen-timothy-d-haugh-joins-ballistic-ventures-as-strategic-advisor-302516348.html

SOURCE Ballistic Ventures