EP 92: Why I Left My $500M Startup to Start Again — Shay Levi (Unframe AI)

He sold for $500M—then started all over again. Get our free investor/buyer list at thunder.vc

• Why Shay Levi left NoName Security after its $500M sale to Akamai
  

• How he built Unframe AI and raised millions at a massive valuation
  

• The mindset shift from cybersecurity to AI innovation
  

• What founders get wrong about timing their exits
  

• Lessons on capital efficiency and founder evolution after a big win
  

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Here’s what you’re in for:00:00 – Intro: From $500M exit to new beginnings

02:15 – The Akamai acquisition story: what really happened

05:40 – Why Shay left at the peak

08:20 – The “LLM moment” that sparked Unframe AI

11:10 – Founder reinvention: starting again after massive success

14:50 – Raising at a huge valuation from day one

18:30 – Cybersecurity vs AI: mindset and market lessons

22:00 – What $500M taught Shay about building the next one

25:10 – Advice to founders chasing their second act

28:00 – Jason’s recap and founder takeaways

About $100M Exits

$100M Exits is where founders and investors who’ve achieved $100M+ outcomes share raw, unfiltered lessons. Hosted by Jason Kirby, each episode dives deep into the psychology, strategy, and playbook behind 9-figure exits and the next wave of category-defining startups.

About the Guest – Shay Levi

Shay Levi is the co-founder and former CTO of NoName Security, which was acquired by Akamai for nearly $500M. After scaling one of the fastest-growing cybersecurity startups of the decade, Shay left to found Unframe AI, a new venture pushing the boundaries of AI infrastructure and reasoning systems. Known for his product-first mindset and calm precision as a technical founder, Shay is now building in one of the most competitive spaces of the decade.

You can reach out to Shay through:

Website: https://www.unframe.ai/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shaylevi2/?originalSubdomain=il

Email: leave a comment to get an intro

About the Host – Jason Kirby

Jason Kirby is the Managing Partner at Thunder and host of $100M Exits, where he shares stories and lessons from founders who’ve raised, sold, or scaled to 9-figure outcomes. He’s an active investor and advisor to high-growth startups navigating capital and acquisition strategies.

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasonrkirby/