Coro, the all-in-one cyber security platform for mid-market organizations, growing businesses, and lean IT teams, today announced the launch of its unique Incubiz program. This program is designed to help entrepreneurs build and grow a successful business in one of the hottest markets today - cyber security - with zero risk, upfront costs, or experience needed.
Incubiz will debut in Chicago, Illinois, the location of Coro’s newest U.S. office. Small businesses account for 99.6% of Illinois' private enterprise, making them a vital part of the state's economy. Additionally, Illinois is the 7th largest tech employer in the country, employing over 318 thousand people. According to Zoominfo, Chicago and the surrounding suburbs are home to about 219,000 small to mid sized businesses and more than 4,000 mid-market companies. It is also one of the hottest startup markets in the U.S. With more than six thousand technology companies and 378 startups founded in the city in the past five years, these companies are all vying for cybersecurity help, making Chicago the perfect hub for the next step in Coro’s growth.
Driven by a robust talent pipeline, the state of Illinois is on the way to achieving Tier-1 tech hub status. In 2021, it had the fourth largest increase in technology job postings, and only three states added more tech jobs than Illinois over the past decade. But with the state’s employment opportunities shifting away from manufacturing and toward service- and knowledge-based work, many medium-wage jobs have been eliminated and many workers do not have the skills or education to attain higher-wage employment. A recent Illinois Future of Work report found that there is a need to create “stronger on-ramps for high wage jobs” in the state, citing that not having a bachelor’s degree is holding many back from being considered for higher-earning positions. This is further polarizing the job market, given that only 35.5% of Illinois adults have a bachelor’s degree.
In support of the state��s drive to make higher-earning jobs available for more workers, to build off Chicago’s tech momentum, and to close the cyber security skills gap our nation is facing, Coro has created an innovative, one-of-a-kind program to provide job opportunities in one of the hottest markets today, without any prior cyber security experience or college education.
The Incubiz program is open to entrepreneurs looking to start a cyber security business, buy into a franchise, or start a managed service provider/managed security service provider (MSP/MSSP) that provides outsourced security monitoring and management. Incubiz provides the potential for employees to achieve higher earnings without the prerequisite of many similar job openings. Individuals accepted into Coro’s 18-month Incubiz program will be provided with the training, support, and infrastructure needed to build a valuable skill set and ultimately launch their own cyber security business. Not only are there no costs to participants, they will be paid a competitive salary as a Coro Authorized Security Consultant. Upon completion of the program, participants will be able to operate independently, but with access to continued support and residual income from any customers brought in during the incubation period.
“Coro’s mission is to continually innovate and develop the best cyber security tools possible. We’re excited to offer our expertise and resources to help the next generation of cyber entrepreneurs through our new Incubiz program. “The Illinois job market is at a crossroad, and this program is a great opportunity for workers to attain a higher-paying job without needing a predefined skillset or degree. Chicago is the perfect market to launch IncuBiz, and we are eager to add to the city’s flourishing tech scene and offer more equitable employment opportunities within the state.”
Jim Tarantino, Chief Revenue Officer at Coro
Coro developed its powerful cyber security platform to address the noticeable cyber security gaps in the mid-market and SMB segments, making enterprise-grade security accessible to any business at a fraction of the cost of other solutions. Coro is one of the fastest growing cyber security companies today and has seen significant momentum with 300% year-over-year growth for each of the past three years and into 2022. Earlier this year, Coro announced $80M in funding and a rapid expansion in the Chicago market.
About Coro
Coro is one of the fastest growing security solutions for the mid-market, providing all-in-one protection that empowers organizations to defend against malware, ransomware, phishing, and bots across devices, users, and cloud applications. More than 5,000 businesses depend on Coro for holistic security protection, unrivaled ease of use, and unmatched affordability. Built on the principle of non-disruptive security, the Coro platform employs innovative AI technology to identify and remediate the many security threats that today's distributed businesses face, without IT teams having to worry, investigate, or fix issues themselves. Investors in Coro include Balderton Capital, JVP, MizMaa Ventures, and Ashton Kutcher’s Sound Ventures.