In this episode of the AlchemistX Innovators Inside Podcast, Ian Bergman sits down with Roey Eliyahu and Michael Nicosia, co-founders of Salt Security—the company that pioneered the API security category. Together, they break down the early decisions that helped them go from idea to industry-defining solution.

Roey shares how he went from coding at nine in Israel’s cybersecurity units to buying a one-way ticket to Silicon Valley with a bold pitch and a few thousand dollars. Michael recounts how their first four-hour meeting turned into a lasting partnership. What followed was a masterclass in customer discovery, iterative product development, and relentless market education.

Key takeaways include:

• How to pitch a complex idea with clarity and impact

• Why discovering your APIs is just the beginning of managing risk

• How to qualify early adopters and validate product-market fit

• The mindset shift required to sell innovation into large enterprises

• The critical role of posture governance in modern cybersecurity

• How Salt Security aligned internal incentives with real customer outcomes

From crawling to running in the API security space, Roey and Michael offer hard-won lessons in navigating ambiguity, building trust with enterprise buyers, and scaling a product that protects some of the world's biggest companies.

If you're building a startup or buying enterprise tech, this conversation is packed with strategy, insight, and inspiration.

For more episodes and resources, visit https://www.alchemistaccelerator.com/podcasts.