CyberWire Daily – Chenxi Wang: Overcoming the Obstacle of Fear

Podcast: CyberWire Daily
Host: N2K Networks
Guest: Chenxi Wang (Founder & General Partner, Rain Capital)
Date: November 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode centers on the remarkable journey of Dr. Chenxi Wang, a trailblazer in cybersecurity venture capital. Wang discusses her career’s evolution from China to the U.S., academia to Silicon Valley, and eventually the founding of Rain Capital, a cyber-focused venture fund. She candidly shares her strategies for overcoming fear, her commitment to building professional communities (particularly for women in tech), and her vision for supporting underrepresented groups in the industry.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Early Life and Education Pathway

• Exposure to Rapid Change: Wang grew up in China during a time of rapid development, which fueled her early fascination with transformation and innovation (01:57).
• Initial Career Aspirations: Wanted to be an architect—reflecting an early interest in creation and structure.
• Chance and Preparation:
  • Won a scholarship for a U.S. computer science program through a contest, shifting from electrical engineering to CS.
  • Discovered her passion for applied cryptography, leveraging her math skills.

Academic and Industry Experience

• Advanced Education:

  • Held a PhD from the University of Virginia.
  • Taught and researched computer engineering at Carnegie Mellon University for six years.

• Desire for Real-World Impact:

  • “What ultimately became a little bit unsatisfactory for me at that time was I yearned for seeing the real results of my work.” (03:44)

• Industry Leap:

  • Left academia as tech giants like Google were changing daily life.
  • Gained experience through startups, large companies, and research leadership at Forrester.

Venture Capital: Role and Responsibilities

• Rain Capital: Founder and General Partner of a cyber-focused VC fund.
• Core Functions:
  • Talks to startups and evaluates alignment with Rain Capital’s vision.
  • Deep-dive due diligence: interviewing customers, partners, and assessing product viability.
  • Post-investment support: assisting portfolio companies with product development, go-to-market strategies, and networking.
  • Also responsible for fundraising to grow the fund.

Commitment to Community & Advocacy

• Women’s Executive Network:
  • Created and leads the Forte Group, a network of 70+ senior women executives—meets regularly for mutual support and collaboration.
• Networking as a Superpower:
  • “I’m a natural networker. I always network even without thinking about it because that’s my personality… I don’t think I would have gotten where I am without leaning on my network.” (07:20)
• Community-Building Ethos:
  • Builds networks to provide guidance, mentorship, and support, particularly for women and minorities in tech.

Overcoming Fear

• Personal Philosophy:
  • “One of the things I’ve been told over the years is I’m kind of fearless. I wouldn’t say I’m absolutely fearless. I still have fear in a lot of different levels, but I try not to let fear stop me from doing things.” (08:02)
  • “At some point in my career I realized a lot of times my obstacle is my own fear rather than a real obstacle. So if you can convince yourself, get over your own fear, you can probably do more things than you thought you could.” (08:23)
• Memorable Takeaway: Self-imposed barriers are often the biggest obstacles; confronting fear is essential for growth and success.

Breaking Through Barriers

• Achievements and Firsts:

  • Founded her own venture fund—rare for women and technologists without a finance background.
  • Became a digital board member on a Fortune 500 public board.
  • Advocates for being remembered as an industry glass-ceiling breaker, community-builder, and kind leader.

• On Legacy:

  • “I help women and minority grow in their careers and in their life… I actually really like the word kind because it speaks a lot about a person… I want to be remembered as a kind person.” (09:37)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

| Timestamp | Speaker | Quote | |-----------|---------------|-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------| | 03:44 | Chenxi Wang | “What ultimately became a little bit unsatisfactory for me at that time was I yearned for seeing the real results of my work.” | | 07:20 | Chenxi Wang | “I’m a natural networker. I always network even without thinking about it because that’s my personality… I don’t think I would have gotten where I am without leaning on my network.” | | 08:02 | Chenxi Wang | “One of the things I’ve been told over the years is I’m kind of fearless. I wouldn’t say I’m absolutely fearless. I still have fear in a lot of different levels, but I try not to let fear stop me from doing things.” | | 08:23 | Chenxi Wang | "At some point in my career I realized a lot of times my obstacle is my own fear rather than a real obstacle. So if you can convince yourself, get over your own fear, you can probably do more things than you thought you could." | | 09:37 | Chenxi Wang | “I help women and minority grow in their careers and in their life… I actually really like the word kind because it speaks a lot about a person… I want to be remembered as a kind person.” |

Major Segments with Timestamps

• [01:57] – [03:44]: Early life in China; scholarship and educational journey in the U.S.; transition from academics to industry.
• [03:44] – [07:20]: Academic tenure, desire for practical impact, and transition to Silicon Valley/startups/VC.
• [07:20] – [09:37]: Philosophy on networking, community-building (Forte Group), overcoming fear, breaking glass ceilings, and reflections on legacy.

Summary

Through an authentic, insightful, and empowering conversation, Chenxi Wang shares her journey from a rapidly evolving China to becoming a pivotal figure in cybersecurity venture capital. Her candid reflections on overcoming fear, the pivotal role of networking, and her dedication to uplifting underrepresented voices serve as inspiration both within and beyond the cybersecurity industry. Wang’s legacy centers on breaking barriers, fostering community, and leading with kindness—a message that resonates loudly in this episode.