Ballistic x Pursuit Cyber Fellows Program

The Ballistic x Pursuit Cyber Fellows Program is a cybersecurity workforce fellowship launched by Ballistic Ventures and Pursuit on April 30, 2024 to address the cyber skills gap by training adults from non-traditional and underserved backgrounds for cybersecurity careers. The program builds on Pursuit's established Fellowship model, which combines a year of intensive training with three years of career support once fellows are hired.

The program is a cybersecurity workforce-development initiative, not a startup investment program. Its thesis is that the cybersecurity skills gap and economic-opportunity gap can be addressed together by training talented adults from non-traditional backgrounds and connecting them to committed employer partners.

Designed for Students, Operators, Builders. The program is in person. Participation is generally full time.

Public materials target adults from non-traditional, underserved, or low-income backgrounds who need training and employer access to launch technology or cybersecurity careers.

Public pages invite employer partners and companies with cybersecurity hiring needs to engage with the program, but they do not publish a fellow-facing application form, deadline, eligibility checklist, or selection process for individuals.

Fellows receive cybersecurity training and support designed to help them get hired, retained, and succeed in cybersecurity roles. Pursuit's launch language says fellows begin with a year of intensive, supportive training, followed by three years of career development once they are hired.

The program consists of a 1-year intensive training followed by 3 years of on-the-job development, totaling 4 years of structured support.

Ballistic Ventures reported trial fellows working at Blackstone in April 2024, including Lili Huang in Cloud Security. In November 2024, Pursuit reported pilot placements at Blackstone and Red Canary and starting salaries above $100,000. These are dated reports, not current salary guarantees or independently audited outcomes.