Entrepreneur Series: Kate Fateeva
February 25, 2025
As part of our Entrepreneur Series, we interviewed Kate Fateeva, CEO and Co-Founder of FastNetMon. In this conversation, we explore Kate’s unexpected journey into cybersecurity, the challenges of launching a startup, and the milestones that helped shape FastNetMon. Kate shares insights on navigating the global cybersecurity landscape, the impact of AI-driven threats, and the evolving role of automation in security solutions.
Can you share your journey into the cybersecurity industry and what inspired you to co-found FastNetMon?
I entered cybersecurity by chance. My background was in digital marketing, and I had just left my previous employer when my current co-founder reached out. He asked me to help shape and promote his open-source tool and I agreed. While I was building a website for it, developing the social media presence and content, I learned a lot about cybersecurity and its impact on our everyday life. Back in 2017, cybersecurity wasn’t as prominent as it is today. Many companies didn’t prioritize cyber resilience, and awareness of cyberattacks was relatively low. It was also a niche field especially for women. I spent a lot of time reading about different types of attacks, industry trends, and emerging threats. Some articles were difficult to grasp at first because they were quite technical, but I’ve always been passionate about how technology evolves, and how it transforms human interactions. Cybersecurity therefore naturally aligned with my interests. Later I pursued a Cyberpsychology module at university, where I studied online interactions and the human factor in cybersecurity. Today, almost everyone recognizes the importance of cybersecurity. What inspires me most is knowing that I help people stay connected. Cybersecurity professionals may work behind the scenes, but when a company is under attack and people lose access to essential services, our role becomes very noticeable.
What challenges did you face when establishing FastNetMon in the UK, and how did you overcome them?
I will be honest with you, our first challenge was opening a bank account as a young cybersecurity business in 2017. There was a time when digital banks like Monzo and Revolut didn’t offer business accounts yet, and traditional banks lacked solutions for startups. So they look at us as a business that can bring revenue to them in future. When we met with the bank manager, we had just registered the company and had a product prototype, but explaining its nature was difficult – it felt like pitching to an investor.
After our discussion, the manager said, “I know nothing about cybersecurity, but it seems like you’re going to do something good and want to help businesses.” We got our first business bank account and could onboard the first customer.
What has been the most rewarding achievement or milestone for FastNetMon so far, and why does it stand out to you?
One of our most rewarding milestones was securing a partnership with a major network security brand in our second year of the company’s existence. As a young startup with a small team, breaking into a market dominated by industry giants with solid history and expertise was a challenge. We lacked brand recognition, certifications, additional services, and the 24/7 support with a personal specialist visit that bigger companies could offer. We knew we couldn’t compete with them.
That time we were approached by an established network security company. They lacked certain features in their product that we had and we started to speak about how we can help each other. It took almost a year to arrange everything from legal perspectives to technical integrations. This partnership was a game-changer, elevating our company to the next level – we were able to reach bigger markets and bigger companies because of that.
In your experience, what are the key considerations for a UK-based company operating globally in the cybersecurity sector?
The key considerations that I can highlight are understanding the evolving geopolitical landscape and regulatory environments across different countries, such as data protection laws. Additionally, it’s important to navigate language barriers with customers from non-English speaking countries and cultural differences.
Given the rapidly evolving landscape of cybersecurity and the emergence of AI-based technologies and threats, what future developments and innovations can we anticipate from FastNetMon in the coming years?
Right now we are focused on developing more advanced threat detection and response systems. Our ongoing efforts are to further reduce response times. Our tool already detects attacks within seconds, depending on the customer’s equipment.
We are also enhancing automation to minimize human error. Our system can detect when an attack starts and autonomously determine the next course of action based on predefined settings. This not only accelerates response times but also ensures that threats are mitigated without requiring teams to work overtime, especially during late-night incidents.
What emerging trends in your industry most excite or concern you?
Currently, we’re seeing an increase in cyber threats, especially DDoS attacks on companies. This rise can be explained by the growing availability of tools that criminals can use, allowing them to experiment with different tactics and run more sophisticated attacks.
The rapid growth of IoT devices with weak security has also made running DDoS attacks and building large botnets easier, amplifying the scale and impact of attacks. AI tools are further enabling criminals to craft more advanced methods that mimic legitimate traffic, rapidly changing patterns and intensity to avoid detection. This makes it increasingly difficult to identify and block these attacks.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone starting their first business, what would it be?
Understand your customers and their pain points. Customer conversations are crucial especially when you are developing and shaping your product. Building a product in isolation, especially at the start of your business, is a major mistake. Even if you’re an industry expert, listening to your first customers and adapting your product to meet their needs is key. It will help you to avoid creating something no one actually needs.
Quick-Fire Questions:
- What’s at the top of your bucket list?
I want to learn figure skating, at least some basic moves. When I was a kid I skated a lot and I always dreamed of dancing on ice but I didn’t have an opportunity to learn it. It’s time to start.
- If you could instantly acquire one new skill, what would it be
Learning new skills overnight. I think it would be a great skill in our rapidly changing world.
- Where is your favourite place you’ve ever visited?
Montreux, Switzerland. It’s a place where you can find mountain views, lakes and cosy architecture. And of course cheese and tasty wine.
- If you could meet anybody (past or present), who would it be?
Walt Disney
