Managing Director
“As cybersecurity becomes more and more foundational in a rapidly digitizing world, I am honored to partner with mission-oriented entrepreneurs redefining what is possible.”
Ernie is a Managing Director at Forgepoint and focuses on early stage investments.
Ernie serves on the Boards of Huntress, 1Kosmos, Bishop Fox, and NowSecure. Prior to Forgepoint, Ernie served as the Chief Operating Officer of the Defense Innovation Unit. In that capacity, he was responsible for executing the organization’s strategy to identify and adopt emerging commercial technologies to solve national security challenges. Ernie helped grow the organization from roughly 20 to 80 employees across 4 offices and oversaw the approval and execution of over $250 million in contracts across cybersecurity, AI/ML, autonomy and human systems. Prior to the Defense Innovation Unit, Ernie served as the Director of the U.S. Cyber Command Point of Partnership. Ernie’s team advised U.S. Cyber Command leadership on cybersecurity technologies emanating from both the east and west coasts, which led to the acquisition and deployment of several cybersecurity technologies within the U.S. Department of Defense. Ernie began his career as an Air Force fighter pilot.
Ernie holds an MBA from the NYU Leonard N. Stern School of Business and a BS from Loyola University. When not in the office or playing with his kids, Ernie can be found surfing in the cold and kelpy Pacific Ocean.
