One of the greatest joys of building a business that scales is watching the growth of your most talented people. It’s exhilarating to see someone you believed in based on the earliest kernels of evidence mature into a professional you’d trust with your own money, to make consequential decisions, and to take real risks. It’s watching the future of the place you’ve built unfold in front of you.
Today I’m proud to honor exactly that journey by welcoming Tobias Citron to the partnership at Primary Venture Partners. Tobias has been a key member of our investment team for nearly six years. Over the past few years he has built our cybersecurity practice from scratch, and today we’re doubling down on that sector—and on his leadership—through his promotion.
Tobias first joined us as an MBA intern from Wharton in 2019, working with us through the school year and joining full time in 2021. As Primary has grown from a NYC-focused generalist firm into a global, highly specialized seed platform, he has been central to that evolution and a critical carrier of our culture.
Cybersecurity is being reshaped by AI—both in the speed and sophistication of attacks and the new threat vectors emerging inside organizations. Tobias has focused on founders tackling these challenges with clarity and automation, partnering with teams including Etched, Teleskope, Cake AI, Jed Security, Ark, Stanza, Atero (acquired by Crusoe), SparkAI (acquired by John Deere), and others in stealth.
Beyond investing, he’s built an exceptional community of cybersecurity leaders around Primary. He’s convened security executives from GitHub, Capital One, CLEAR, Bridgewater, AlphaSense, Amplitude, Paychex, Broadridge, Datadog, and others; deepened our ties in Israel; and played a major role in strengthening our networks in Silicon Valley. Founders describe him as I would: brilliant, clear-eyed, curious, humble, and tireless—the kind of partner you want beside you as you build.
As always, we look to our founders for the definitive answer on how we’re doing. It’s here where Tobias shines. Elizabeth Nammour of Teleskope put it best: “Tobias has been the kind of partner every builder hopes for. His depth of expertise in cybersecurity is truly impressive. He’s been an invaluable thought partner on everything from GTM strategy to company building. His feedback is always thoughtful and delivered with humility, and he’s consistently shown up for us — whether it’s interviewing candidates, connecting us with CISOs, or rolling up his sleeves to help wherever needed. Tobias embodies the best kind of support: smart, committed, and deeply collaborative.”
We’re thrilled to welcome Tobias to our partnership and look forward to a long run working alongside him. His intelligence, humility, and commitment to the craft make him an important leader for Primary’s next chapters. He is someone who, simply by joining the table, makes each of us better. When you see that kind of bar-raising, you don’t let it go.
