RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest
RSA Conference (RSAC), operated by RSA Conference LLC · San Francisco, California, USA
AG Process Grade
Grade A See the Award rubric →The RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest discloses exemplary practices across the criteria it addresses: named, independent industry-veteran judges (Morgan Stanley, JPMorganChase, Verizon, Capitol Meridian Partners, plus cryptographer Paul Kocher); a stated firewall in which 'RSAC itself plays no role in the selection'; a documented, highly selective process ('hundreds of submissions... narrowed down to only 10 finalists') with a hard 10-finalist cap; verifiable published past winners; and a 20-plus-year track record under RSA Conference LLC. Points for published judging criteria, cost/fee disclosure, entry-fee norms, and contest sponsorship are dashed because those items are not disclosed on reviewed primary sources (16.5% of points removed, below the 40% ID threshold). Every assessable criterion is met at full credit, yielding 83.5 of 83.5 assessable points.
Founded 2005 · RSA Conference (RSAC), operated by RSA Conference LLC · HQ San Francisco, California, USA · Technology & Software · Entry undisclosed
The RSAC Innovation Sandbox Contest is an annual cybersecurity startup competition run at the RSA Conference since 2005; each year hundreds of submissions are reviewed and narrowed to 10 finalists who each deliver a three-minute pitch to a judging panel of industry veterans, with one crowned 'Most Innovative Startup.'
Profile data
| Organizer | RSA Conference (RSAC), operated by RSA Conference LLC |
| Location | San Francisco, California, USA |
| Entry fee | Undisclosed |
| Cost to receive award | None |
| Winner rate | 10% |
| Selection authority | Mixed |
| Data confidence | ● Fully documented |
| Official site | https://www.rsaconference.com/rsac-programs/innovation/innovation-sandbox(nofollow) |
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Industry Alternatives
Other awards in the same industry (Technology & Software), graded A or B -- real judging, disclosed criteria, and genuine selectivity.