Worklyn Partners: Merging Cybersecurity VC & MSP Roll-ups

Zack Miller began his career at The Chertoff Group, investing in cybersecurity and defense technology companies, and later worked as a consultant and buy-side advisor in the IT and cyber sectors. He developed a thesis around the fragmented MSP market and its natural connection to cybersecurity services. Meanwhile, his high school friend Johnny Lieberman was at Harvard Business School, where the Entrepreneurship Through Acquisition course taught by Royce Yudkoff and Rick Ruback inspired him to pursue an acquisition-focused entrepreneurial path. Their complementary experiences convinced them that together they could build a differentiated platform.

Zack and Johnny raised $50 million in committed capital to fund a dual-platform roll-up. For two relatively young sponsors with no long joint track record, they relied on their professional networks, sector credibility, and a clearly articulated plan. The idea was to acquire MSPs, a space well known for private equity roll-ups, and pair that with a cybersecurity monitoring company offering proprietary technology, higher margins, and stronger growth potential.

The strategic power of this combination is in the differentiation. Most MSP consolidators do not own a true cybersecurity platform, and most cyber companies lack the built-in MSP channel to market. By uniting these capabilities, Worklyn can sell advanced cyber solutions directly into the MSP customer base. While valuations in cybersecurity can reach 25x ARR, the team targeted smaller firms with proprietary IP and persuaded founders that rolling equity into Worklyn would yield greater long-term value.

Today, the MSP and cybersecurity platforms remain operationally separate, each with its own leadership team. This structure preserves flexibility: the businesses could merge for a combined exit or be sold separately to maximize valuation. In the meantime, they collaborate closely, cross-selling into shared customers, using MSP cash flow to reinvest in cyber R&D, and building a competitive position where service delivery and security converge.