Renowned Cybersecurity Veteran “DARPA Dan” Joins Badge Inc.

SAN FRANCISCO, April 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Badge Inc., the award-winning privacy company enabling Identity without Secrets™, announced that Dan Kaufman, the first Director of Cybersecurity at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and longtime leader in advanced human-computer interaction, has joined the company as SVP, AI and Cybersecurity. Kaufman, known as “DARPA Dan,” brings decades of experience pushing the boundaries of technology in service of public good — a mission that closely aligns with Badge’s vision for a safer, simpler future in security and identity.

“I’ve spent my career building at the edge of technology, with a focus on protecting users and outsmarting adversaries. This included procuring the most advanced technologies in the world for the US military and Google. What the team at Badge has created surpasses everything I’ve seen—we’re finally able to deliver the secure and private internet envisioned more than 40 years ago,” said Dan Kaufman. “Badge’s breakthrough in cryptography enables the safest and most robust identity solution in internet history. I am excited to join the Badge team as we together enter a new era where biometrics protect every account from hackers, nation-states, and cyber criminals, making the internet safer for everyone.”

A seasoned technology and security executive, Dan Kaufman’s experience spans the public and private sector, including distinction at the highest level in each sphere. Before joining Badge, Kaufman was Head of the well-known Advanced Technology and Products (ATAP) group, where he led a team that shipped key technologies and capabilities as part of Google’s flagship products. Prior to that, he formed DARPA’s Information Innovation Office and served as its first Director of Cybersecurity, where he created the Cyber Grand Challenge, the first ever application of AI to real-time cybersecurity. While at DARPA, Kaufman gained widespread recognition for his cybersecurity expertise when he demonstrated security vulnerabilities by hacking Leslie Stahl’s car during a CBS News 60 Minutes segment. Earlier in his career, Kaufman helped found Dreamworks Interactive, a joint venture between Microsoft and Dreamworks SKG in collaboration with Bill Gates and Steven Spielberg. Kaufman’s work has been recognized at Google I/O, by Fast Company, and by the Wall Street Journal, among others, including in interviews with journalists like John Markoff of the New York Times, which aired on PBS. Kaufman has been the recipient of numerous awards and accolades, including the Department of Defense’s Public Service medal, multiple technical Emmys, and his product was nominated for an Oscar.

“DARPA Dan is a rare innovator who envisions what’s next and builds it — securely and at scale,” said Dr. Tina P. Srivastava, Co-Founder of Badge. “His experience leading breakthrough innovation at DARPA, the agency credited with inventing the Internet, and later at Google, makes him an asset to the team, furthering Badge’s mission to eliminate stored secrets from authentication for billions of global users. With his visionary leadership and deep understanding of the human layer of cybersecurity, DARPA Dan will help Badge lead the industry to a future where privacy and usability are no longer in tension.”

Badge emerged from stealth in 2024, Badge has been receiving unprecedented market attention. In addition to customer success, major public companies announced partnerships with Badge, including Cisco, CyberArk, Okta, Thales, and others. Badge was recently recognized in TIME’s Best Inventions of the Year and Fast Company’s Next Big Things in Tech. Badge’s market leader position has been recognized by analysts in the space. Cyber Security Industry Analyst Jack Poller, in his recent piece: “Reinventing Identity Security: The Secretless Future with Badge,” wrote, “Badge isn’t an incremental upgrade — it’s a paradigm shift.” Poller continued, “For any organization facing breach risks, compliance complexity, or biometric adoption fears, Badge isn’t just an option — it’s the blueprint for the future. Don’t ask ‘Can we afford to adopt this?’ Ask ‘Can we afford not to?'”

About Badge
Badge enables privacy-preserving authentication to every application, on any device, without storing user secrets or PII. Badge’s patented technology allows users to derive private keys on the fly using their biometrics and factors of choice without the need for hardware tokens or secrets. Badge was founded by field-tested cryptography PhDs from MIT and is venture-backed by tier 1 investors. Customers and partners include top Fortune companies across healthcare, banking, retail, and services. Learn more at www.badgeinc.com.

Media Contact
Kyle Kilcoyne
Badge Inc.
[email protected]

SOURCE Badge