# Option3 Ventures

Option3 Ventures is a Venture Capital based in New York, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Venture Capital
- **Headquarters:** New York, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 745 Fifth Avenue, Suite 500, New York, NY 10151, United States
- **Founded:** 2015
- **Assets under management:** $100M - $250M (Altss estimate)
- **Website:** option3.com
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/option3ltd

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Option3 is a strategic cybersecurity private equity specialist. It combines a cyber heritage from the classified world of national security with investment and M&A expertise from Wall Street to family offices, and operational C-suite experience. The firm primarily seeks control investments in mid-market cybersecurity companies, particularly in areas that are national priorities.

## Sectors

- Cybersecurity
- AI/ML
- Defense Tech
- Industrial Tech
- Mobility & Transportation

## Offices

- 1818 Library Street, Suite 500, Reston, VA 20190, United States

## People

- Manish Thakur — Managing Partner
- Karl P. Kilb III — Operating Partner
- Pravin Patil — Partner
- Abhijeet Mahajan — Principal
- Joey Baldwin — Principal

## Questions

### How does Option3 source proprietary deal flow?

Option3 sources opportunities through its Technology Board, a group of former senior officials from the CIA, NSA, and DoD who understand cybersecurity requirements years before they become commercial. This board assesses every potential investment, giving the firm early visibility into companies aligned with national security needs. The firm also draws on an Advisory Council with expertise in defense, energy cybersecurity, and global finance.

### Has Option3 shifted its investment strategy over time?

Yes. When Option3 launched in 2015, it made largely minority investments in earlier-stage cybersecurity companies through its C1 vehicle. The firm has since moved to control or joint-control investments and now focuses primarily on mid-market buyouts. This shift reflects both the maturing cybersecurity sector and the management team's preference for active board control.

### Who makes the final investment decision at Option3?

Manish Thakur, the firm's founder and Managing Partner, leads investment decisions. The Technology Board — which includes former CIA CIO Alan Wade and former DoD CIO John Stenbit — assesses each deal, but Thakur's 25 years of finance and security-sector experience anchor the final call. Operating Partner Karl Kilb and Partners Pravin Patil, Joey Baldwin, and Abhijeet Mahajan form the core investment team.

### What is the Enigma Zero Trust Platform?

Enigma is Option3's current-control vehicle, formed as a roll-up of the firm's earlier CS portfolio companies alongside other Zero Trust and mid-market cybersecurity assets. The platform buys out existing CS investors and consolidates technologies that align with national security and enterprise Zero Trust requirements. Karl Kilb serves as Chief Strategy Officer of Enigma.

### Which cybersecurity subsectors does Option3 explicitly focus on?

The firm concentrates on industrial controls security, operational technology, defense/C5ISR, automotive security, IoT and IIoT security, Zero Trust solutions, healthcare IT, and cyber insurance. These areas reflect what the Technology Board identifies as the capabilities America will most need in the next five years.

## Related profiles

- [Optio Capital](https://altss.com/profile/optio-capital)
- [Option Venture Studio](https://altss.com/profile/option-venture-studio)

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Last updated: 2026-08-11T15:07:41.444Z

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