Denied US visa once, Kerala BTech dropout now runs cybersecurity firm funded by State of Connecticut

Fourteen years ago, Rahul Sasi, then a 23-year-old BTech dropout from Kerala, was denied a US visa to attend a global cybersecurity conference. It seemed silly, still he made a resolve that he wouldn't travel to the US until he could create jobs there. In early 2026, Rahul finally set foot in the United States — this time as the founder of CloudSEK, after his cybersecurity startup raised $10 million from Connecticut Innovations, the strategic venture capital arm of the State of Connecticut. 

“Back in 2012, the visa authorities questioned my salary, educational background and even how I was eligible to travel to the US, despite the fact that I had been officially invited by Black Hat Briefings to attend their conference,” Rahul, a native of Mavelikkara in Alappuzha, recalls. “Today, I am here in the US without a single question, invited again — this time to contribute to the country’s cybersecurity ecosystem.” The investment has made CloudSEK, a predictive cyber threat intelligence platform serving over 300 enterprises globally, the first Indian-origin cybersecurity company to receive backing from a US state-backed venture fund.

Rahul’s fascination with computers began during his school days. His father, V V Sasi, was a conductor with the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, and resources were limited. “I didn’t own a laptop until 2008. It was a luxury back then,” he says. During his BTech at CSI College of Engineering in Ooty, Rahul spent most of his time in computer labs and showed little interest in the prescribed curriculum. Diagnosed with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) during school, he says college helped him understand himself better. “I realised I could give complete attention to computers and cybersecurity, but not to routine classes. It wasn’t attention deficit — it was attention overflow,” he smiles. 

Once, after being pulled up for low attendance, Rahul exposed a flaw in the college’s biometric attendance system — an act that earned appreciation instead of punishment. “It was pure curiosity,” he says.

In his seventh semester in 2010, Rahul secured a cybersecurity internship with US-based iSIGHT Partners, later acquired by Google Cloud. When the college denied permission, citing academic rules, he chose the internship over the degree. He quit his B.Tech course and moved to Pune, keeping the decision from his family until 2013. They learned about it only after a newspaper report on his win at a cybersecurity competition organised by the Prime Minister’s Office.

“I never regretted dropping out,” Rahul says. “When you don’t have money, the only thing you can invest is time.” Living frugally in Pune, he devoted every spare hour to research and self-learning. “You don’t win by having more money. You win by being disciplined and creative,” he adds, noting that he still measures the value of every hour he spends.

Rahul’s research work and conference talks soon earned him international recognition. In 2012, his research led to an invitation to Black Hat Briefings. "The visa rejection was devastating, but it shaped my resolve,” he says. However, between 2010 and 2015, Rahul spoke at cybersecurity events in at least 27 countries, though the US remained out of reach.

After iSIGHT, he also briefly worked with a US-based virtualisation firm in Bengaluru. “I was their first hire without a degree,” he says, crediting a manager who fought to convince the leadership. “Sometimes, you need people who believe in you as much as you believe in yourself.”

Rahul founded CloudSEK in 2015, initially bootstrapped. Though operations began in Kerala, he later shifted the company’s headquarters to Singapore after securing its first major customer there. “It was operationally easier at the time,” he says. Today, CloudSEK has subsidiaries in India, the UAE, the UK, the US and Brazil.

A startup pitch event at IIT Madras six months ago proved decisive. CloudSEK emerged as the winner, with former PepsiCo chairperson and CEO Indra Nooyi present at the event. “Soon after, we received an invitation from the US expressing interest in investing,” Rahul says. “It aligned perfectly with our plans to enter the American market.”

Looking back, Rahul says he has always focused on outcomes rather than setbacks. “When you visualise the end goal, your actions naturally align,” he says. He credits his father as a major influence, pointing to his steady rise from KSRTC conductor to district transport officer after two decades of service. “Progress doesn’t always come early. Persistence matters.” Rahul’s brother Vipul serves in the Indian Army. His mother Girija and wife Avitha, he says, have been pillars of support throughout his journey.

CloudSEK has already begun operations in the US with a five-member team, which is expected to grow to 15 by March and around 20 over the next 12 to 18 months.