# AASTF Go-To-Market Channels: Comprehensive Research (May 2026)

> **Purpose:** Prioritized GTM channel list with effort, cost, expected impact, and timeline for each channel.
> **Context:** AASTF is an OSS Python framework for agentic AI security testing. Published on PyPI and GitHub. v0.4.1 live.

---

## Executive Summary

This document catalogs **40+ distinct GTM channels** across 10 categories, ranked by a composite score of (impact x feasibility) / (cost + time). The top-5 highest-leverage channels for AASTF's current stage (pre-revenue, solo founder, OSS) are:

1. **OWASP ecosystem integration** (free, massive credibility multiplier)
2. **Hacker News / Product Hunt launch** (free, 10K+ developer eyeballs in 48h)
3. **GitHub Action marketplace listing** (low effort, continuous pipeline of users)
4. **Conference circuit -- BSides/Arsenal/OWASP AppSec** (low cost, high-trust audience)
5. **LinkedIn thought leadership + SEO content** (free, compounds over 6-12 months)

---

## Priority Tier Definitions

| Tier | Criteria | Timeline |
|------|----------|----------|
| **P0 -- Do Now** | Free/cheap, high impact, solo-founder feasible | May-Aug 2026 |
| **P1 -- Next Quarter** | Moderate effort, strong ROI, may need 1 hire | Sep-Dec 2026 |
| **P2 -- Post-Revenue** | Requires budget ($5K+), partnerships, or team | 2027 H1 |
| **P3 -- Scale Stage** | Enterprise-grade, requires $50K+ or compliance work | 2027 H2+ |

---

## 1. Cloud Marketplaces

### 1a. AWS Marketplace
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** High (8-12 weeks for Foundational Technical Review)
- **Cost:** $0 listing fee; 3% revenue share (1.5% on ISV Accelerate co-sell deals)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- enterprises burn committed AWS spend; security tools are top category
- **Requirements:**
  - SaaS listing (most common for tools like AASTF) -- FTR exempted for SaaS
  - AMI/Container listings require passing AWS Foundational Technical Review (security, reliability, performance, operational excellence audit)
  - Must be production-ready, not beta
  - Need AWS Partner Network enrollment
- **ISV Accelerate Program (2026 updates):**
  - Marketing Development Funds (MDF) available for partners enrolled after Jan 1, 2026
  - AWS Account Managers receive incentives for co-selling via Private Offers
  - 51% of partners report higher average revenue growth from co-sell motions
  - Culminates in marketplace linkage connecting co-sell opportunities to listings
- **Action items:**
  1. Enroll in AWS Partner Network (free tier)
  2. Build SaaS wrapper around AASTF (FastAPI + hosted scanning service)
  3. Apply for ISV Accelerate after first 5 paying customers
  4. Target: list by Q1 2027

### 1b. Azure Marketplace
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** High (similar to AWS)
- **Cost:** 3% marketplace service fee; Microsoft handles billing
- **Impact:** HIGH -- Azure dominates enterprise; MACC (Microsoft Azure Consumption Commitment) burn is a massive buyer motivator
- **Requirements:**
  - Must be enrolled in Microsoft Cloud Partner Program
  - Product must be production-ready, secure, stable, scalable
  - Transactable offers required for MACC eligibility
- **Action items:**
  1. Enroll in Microsoft Cloud Partner Program
  2. Build transactable SaaS offer
  3. Target: list by Q2 2027

### 1c. GCP Marketplace
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** High
- **Cost:** 3% transaction fee (1.5% on renewals under incentive programs)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- smaller enterprise footprint than AWS/Azure for security
- **Requirements:**
  - Three-tier partner system (Select, Premier, Diamond) as of Q1 2026
  - Requires team members with technical certifications and sales credentials
  - Must pass Google's validation checks
- **Action items:**
  1. Deprioritize until Azure/AWS are live
  2. Target: list by Q4 2027

---

## 2. Integration Marketplaces

### 2a. GitHub Marketplace (Actions)
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (1-2 weeks)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** HIGH -- directly in the developer workflow; CI/CD integration is the #1 adoption driver for security tools
- **Requirements:**
  - Build `aastf-action` GitHub Action
  - Runs scan, uploads SARIF to GitHub Code Scanning
  - Configurable `--fail-on` severity gate for PR checks
  - Logo, feature card, screenshots
  - Webhook events for plan changes
  - 24h security incident notification capability
- **Why this is P0:** Promptfoo's GitHub Action was a major adoption driver. Every GitHub-hosted agent project becomes a potential user. SARIF integration means results appear natively in GitHub Security tab.
- **Action items:**
  1. Build `aastf-action` (already planned for v0.4.2-g)
  2. Publish to GitHub Marketplace as free Action
  3. Add "verified creator" badge application
  4. Target: June 2026

### 2b. Snyk App / Technology Alliance Partner Program (TAPP)
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** Medium (4-6 weeks for integration + partner application)
- **Cost:** Free to apply
- **Impact:** HIGH -- Snyk acquired Invariant Labs (mid-2025); they now have AI agent security interest. Integration would position AASTF as complementary to Snyk's SCA/SAST, adding agentic AI testing.
- **Key insight:** Snyk's TAPP explores 17 integration categories including MCP (Model Context Protocol) integrations for coding assistants. AASTF's MCP security testing (v0.5.0) aligns perfectly.
- **Action items:**
  1. Build Snyk CLI plugin or IDE extension integration
  2. Apply to TAPP after MCP coverage ships (v0.5.0)
  3. Target: Q3 2026

### 2c. Atlassian Marketplace (Jira/Bitbucket)
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** Medium
- **Cost:** 25% revenue share (Atlassian's standard cut)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- enterprise security teams track findings in Jira; Bitbucket Pipelines integration expands CI/CD reach beyond GitHub
- **Note:** Cloud Security Participant badge was retired Mar 31, 2026. Bug Bounty program participation is now the highlighted security credential.
- **Action items:**
  1. Build Jira Cloud app for AASTF finding import
  2. Build Bitbucket Pipelines integration
  3. Target: Q1 2027

### 2d. ServiceNow Store
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** High (ServiceNow development expertise required)
- **Cost:** ServiceNow partner program fees + development
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH for enterprise -- ServiceNow is the dominant ITSM/SecOps platform
- **Requirements:**
  - Custom table entitlements for free apps; paid apps include embedded entitlements
  - AI Features consume "Assists" deducted from customer's account
  - Integration-type apps exempted from custom table count
- **Action items:**
  1. Build as "Integration" type (CMDB/VR integration for AASTF findings)
  2. Defer until enterprise customers request it
  3. Target: 2027 H2

---

## 3. Conference Circuit

### 3a. Black Hat USA 2026
- **Priority:** P0 (Arsenal) / P1 (Briefings)
- **Dates:** August 1-6, 2026, Mandalay Bay, Las Vegas
- **Cost:** Arsenal submission is free; attendee pass ~$2,500; booth $15K+
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- Arsenal demos are the #1 way OSS security tools get discovered
- **Status:** Main CFP closed March 20, 2026. **Arsenal may still be open -- check immediately.**
- **AI Security Summit:** August 4, 2026 -- dedicated AI security track
- **Action items:**
  1. Check Arsenal submission portal NOW
  2. If Arsenal is closed, register as attendee for networking
  3. Submit to Black Hat Asia 2027 CFP early (typically opens Oct)

### 3b. DEF CON 34 / AI Village
- **Priority:** P0
- **Dates:** August 6-9, 2026, Las Vegas Convention Center
- **Cost:** Free admission (badge purchase ~$440)
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- AI Village is ground zero for AI security research; tool demos get massive visibility
- **Status:** CFP deadline was May 1, 2026 (likely passed). Village submissions may still be open.
- **Action items:**
  1. Check AI Village CFP status immediately
  2. If closed for talks, submit for Demo Labs or open-source tool showcase
  3. Attend and network regardless -- AI Village hallway track is invaluable
  4. Prepare a Gandalf-style CTF challenge using AASTF scenarios

### 3c. BSides Las Vegas / Regional BSides
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (15-min talk or tool demo)
- **Cost:** Free to attend; travel costs only
- **Impact:** HIGH -- intimate audience, high engagement, great for early-stage tools
- **Key dates:**
  - BSidesLV: August 2026 (co-located with Black Hat/DEF CON)
  - BSidesNYC: CFP open April 15 - July 17, 2026
  - BSides SF, Seattle, London, Budapest -- each has own timeline
- **Action items:**
  1. Submit to BSidesNYC CFP (closes July 17) -- AI agent security testing talk
  2. Submit to BSidesLV if still open
  3. Target 3-4 regional BSides in 2026

### 3d. OWASP Global AppSec
- **Priority:** P0
- **Dates:**
  - **EU 2026:** June 22-26, Vienna, Austria (800+ attendees)
  - **USA 2026:** November 2-6, San Francisco (CFP open April 8 - June 29, 2026)
- **Cost:** Speaker pass is free; attendee ~$800-1,200
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- OWASP is THE credibility signal for AppSec tools; direct access to security decision-makers
- **Action items:**
  1. **SUBMIT TO OWASP APPSEC USA CFP IMMEDIATELY** (closes June 29, 2026)
  2. Talk title: "Execution-Graph Testing for Agentic AI: Aligning OWASP ASI Top 10 with Pre-Deployment Security"
  3. Reference AASTF's ASI mapping as concrete implementation of OWASP guidance
  4. Attend EU event in June for networking if feasible

### 3e. OWASP GenAI Security Summit at RSAC 2026
- **Priority:** P1
- **Dates:** RSAC 2026 (typically late April / early May -- may have passed for 2026)
- **Cost:** RSAC pass $2,500+; OWASP summit events often free with pass
- **Impact:** HIGH -- intersection of OWASP credibility and RSA enterprise buyer audience
- **Action items:**
  1. Connect with OWASP GenAI Security Project leaders
  2. Submit to RSAC 2027 CFP (typically opens September)

### 3f. AWS re:Invent 2026
- **Priority:** P2
- **Dates:** November 30 - December 4, Las Vegas
- **Cost:** Attendee $1,800; startup booth $5K-15K
- **Impact:** HIGH -- re:Inforce is merging INTO re:Invent 2026, creating the largest security + cloud event. Dedicated security tracks covering AI security governance.
- **Note:** re:Inforce no longer a standalone event in 2026.
- **Action items:**
  1. Apply for startup showcase / chalk talk session
  2. Consider after AWS Marketplace listing is live
  3. Target: November 2026 (attend) or 2027 (exhibit)

### 3g. NeurIPS / ICML / SafeAI Workshops
- **Priority:** P1 (academic credibility)
- **Dates:** NeurIPS 2026 workshops -- CFP typically August
- **Cost:** Registration ~$800; travel
- **Impact:** HIGH for hiring signal and frontier-lab credibility
- **Action items:**
  1. Submit benchmark paper to NeurIPS SafeAI/SoLaR workshop (August deadline)
  2. Benchmark 8-10 frontier models on AASTF execution-graph harness against OWASP ASI 2026

---

## 4. Content & Community Channels

### 4a. Hacker News Launch ("Show HN")
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (1 day prep)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- Hacker News is the #1 channel for developer tool discovery; 2x raw traffic vs Product Hunt for dev tools
- **Strategy:**
  - Use "Show HN:" prefix -- product must be live and usable
  - Be active in comments for 4-6 hours post-launch (increases traffic 60%)
  - Lead with the technical differentiation: execution-graph interception, not just prompt fuzzing
  - Time for a Tuesday or Wednesday morning (US Pacific)
  - Don't optimize for points -- optimize for authentic engagement
- **Action items:**
  1. Prepare concise HN post: problem statement, differentiation, live demo link
  2. Launch after v0.4.2 (README rewrite + docs site + GitHub Action)
  3. Target: July 2026

### 4b. Product Hunt Launch
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (2-3 days prep)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** HIGH -- drives more long-term users than HN despite lower initial traffic; strong for SEO backlinks
- **Strategy:**
  - Build community engagement for weeks before launch
  - Prepare maker comment explaining the journey authentically
  - Schedule for a Tuesday launch at 12:01 AM PT
  - Eventually drives more users than HN due to evergreen discovery
- **Action items:**
  1. Create Product Hunt page (teaser) now
  2. Launch same week as HN (stagger by 2-3 days)
  3. Target: July 2026

### 4c. Security Newsletters (Outbound Pitching)
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (email outreach)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** HIGH -- targeted audience of security practitioners
- **Key newsletters to pitch:**
  - **tl;dr sec** (Clint Gibler) -- the most influential AppSec newsletter
  - **The Hacker News** (daily cybersecurity news)
  - **Dark Reading** (enterprise security)
  - **SecurityWeek Daily Briefing**
  - **SANS NewsBites**
  - **AI Security Newsletter** (monthly digest on GitHub by Tal Eliyahu)
  - **Adversarial AI Digest / AISecHub** (Medium-based, AI security focused)
  - **Cybercrime Magazine**
  - **Risky Business** (podcast + newsletter)
- **Action items:**
  1. Draft pitch email template: "First OSS framework for OWASP ASI-aligned agentic AI testing"
  2. Personalize for each newsletter
  3. Send after HN/PH launch (social proof from launch metrics)

### 4d. Security Podcasts (Guest Appearances)
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW (1-2 hours per appearance)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- builds founder credibility; long-tail discovery
- **Key podcasts to pitch:**
  - **AI Security Podcast** (hosted by two former CISOs -- covers securing AI systems, MCP security)
  - **Darknet Diaries** (if there's an AI security angle with a story)
  - **Security Now** (Steve Gibson, Leo Laporte)
  - **Risky Business** (Patrick Gray)
  - **CISO Series** (for enterprise buyer audience)
  - **Application Security Podcast** (Chris Romeo, Robert Hurlbut)
  - **AI Safety Newsletter podcast** (Apple Podcasts)
- **Action items:**
  1. Prepare 3-min pitch: "Why agentic AI is the next AppSec frontier"
  2. Cold-email hosts after conference appearances for warm intro

### 4e. YouTube / Video Content
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** MEDIUM (video production)
- **Cost:** Free (self-produced) or $500-2K (sponsored content)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- YouTube is the #2 search engine; tutorial content has long shelf life
- **Key channels to target for features/collaborations:**
  - **John Hammond** (1.5M+ subs, covers security tools)
  - **The Cyber Mentor** (ethical hacking educator)
  - **NetworkChuck** (beginner-friendly security content)
  - **LiveOverflow** (technical security research)
  - **HackerSploit** (structured security training)
  - **David Bombal** (networking + security)
  - **IppSec** (HTB walkthroughs -- potential CTF crossover)
- **Self-produced content strategy:**
  1. "Red-teaming GPT-4o Agents with AASTF in 5 minutes" (quick demo)
  2. "OWASP Top 10 for AI Agents: Testing Every Risk" (educational series)
  3. "MCP Security: How Tool Poisoning Actually Works" (deep-dive)
- **Action items:**
  1. Record 3 short demo videos (screen recordings)
  2. Pitch to John Hammond or LiveOverflow for collaboration after v0.5.0

### 4f. Blog / SEO Content
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** MEDIUM (ongoing)
- **Cost:** Free (self-authored) or $200-500/post (contracted)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- compounds over time; captures high-intent search traffic
- **Target keywords (with estimated monthly search volume):**
  - "AI red teaming tools" (growing -- $1.43B market in 2024, projected $4.8B by 2029)
  - "OWASP top 10 AI agents" (rising intent)
  - "AI agent security testing" (early-stage keyword, own it now)
  - "MCP security vulnerabilities" (emerging -- low competition)
  - "EU AI Act compliance testing" (regulatory-driven intent)
  - "LangGraph security testing" / "CrewAI security" (framework-specific long tail)
  - "agentic AI penetration testing" (high intent, low competition)
- **Content strategy:**
  - Technical deep-dives that rank for long-tail queries
  - Comparison posts: "AASTF vs Garak vs PyRIT vs DeepTeam" (capture comparison shoppers)
  - OWASP ASI Top 10 walkthrough series (10 posts, one per risk)
  - EU AI Act compliance guide for AI developers
- **Publishing platforms:** aastf.dev blog, dev.to cross-posts, Medium (AI Security Hub)
- **Action items:**
  1. Set up blog on docs site (MkDocs Material has blog plugin)
  2. Publish 2 posts/month starting July 2026
  3. Cross-post to dev.to and Medium for backlinks

### 4g. LinkedIn Thought Leadership
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (3-4 posts/week)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** HIGH -- 94% of CISOs are active on LinkedIn; 95% of decision-makers say thought leadership influences purchasing
- **Strategy:**
  - 1.3B members on LinkedIn in 2026; only 12% of vendors successfully connect with CISOs
  - Employee advocacy and executive thought leadership are the primary organic B2B growth channel
  - Post about: OWASP ASI findings, MCP vulnerabilities discovered, EU AI Act compliance gaps, tool demos
  - Engage authentically in CISO and AI security discussions
  - Avoid generic messages (86% of CISOs ignore them within 5 seconds)
- **Action items:**
  1. Start posting 3x/week about AI agent security findings
  2. Comment on CISO / AI security posts daily
  3. Share HN/PH launch results as social proof

---

## 5. Partnership Channels

### 5a. MSSP / Managed Security Service Providers
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** HIGH (partner program development, training materials, margins)
- **Cost:** $5K-15K (partner enablement materials, training)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- MSSPs are the primary distribution channel for mid-market security tools
- **2026 landscape:**
  - Shift from product resale to services-led models (vCISO, fractional advisory)
  - MSPs increasingly specializing in vertical markets with deep compliance expertise
  - Partners want vendors who "understand our goals," not just sign contracts
  - Security services (including AI security) are central to MSSP differentiation
- **Strategy:**
  - Target MSSPs specializing in FinTech/HealthTech verticals (AASTF ICP alignment)
  - Offer white-label scanning capability
  - Provide strong margins on both new business and renewals
  - MSP-friendly billing and streamlined onboarding
- **Action items:**
  1. Identify 5-10 MSSPs with AI security practices
  2. Build partner enablement deck
  3. Offer free pilot program for first 3 MSSP partners
  4. Target: Q1 2027

### 5b. Consulting Firms / System Integrators
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** $2K-5K (materials, co-marketing)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- consulting firms influence enterprise tool selection
- **Targets:**
  - Big 4 (Deloitte, PwC, EY, KPMG) -- AI security/governance practices
  - Boutique AI security consultancies
  - DevSecOps consulting firms (Practical DevSecOps, etc.)
- **Action items:**
  1. Identify consultants already doing AI security assessments
  2. Offer "powered by AASTF" white-label option
  3. Target: Q2 2027

### 5c. Technology Partnerships (Complementary Tools)
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Free (open-source integration)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- ecosystem integrations drive organic discovery
- **Targets:**
  - **LangGraph / LangChain:** Native adapter already built -- co-market
  - **CrewAI:** Native adapter built -- request inclusion in CrewAI docs
  - **OpenAI Agents SDK:** Adapter built -- blog post on testing OpenAI agents
  - **PydanticAI:** Adapter built -- co-market with Pydantic ecosystem
  - **Sigstore/SLSA:** Artifact signing for AASTF releases (trust signal)
  - **Open Policy Agent (OPA):** Policy-as-code integration for scan policies
  - **Trivy / Grype:** Complementary (they do container scanning, AASTF does agent scanning)
- **Action items:**
  1. Open PRs to framework docs (LangGraph, CrewAI) adding AASTF security testing examples
  2. Blog post: "How to Security Test Your LangGraph Agent in CI/CD"
  3. Target: July-August 2026

---

## 6. Analyst Relations

### 6a. Gartner Cool Vendors
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** MEDIUM (3-6 month engagement cycle)
- **Cost:** $0 if existing Gartner client; $30K-50K/yr for Gartner subscription if not
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- Cool Vendor designation is the single highest credibility signal for enterprise buyers
- **Relevant reports:**
  - "Cool Vendors in AI Security" (2024: Robust Intelligence/Cisco; 2025: Prompt Security, Noma Security, Holistic AI)
  - "Cool Vendors in AI Cybersecurity Governance" (2025: Knostic)
  - Gartner MQ for Cyberthreat Intelligence Technologies (2026 -- inaugural edition)
- **How to get nominated (based on Norwest VC guide):**
  1. Provide real-world proof of deployed technology, not just demos
  2. Submit customer connection inquiries to analysts
  3. Submit case studies for document reviews (free with Gartner client contract)
  4. Use unlimited document reviews within standard contracts
  5. Persist through multiple submission rounds
- **Action items:**
  1. Identify the Gartner analyst covering AI security testing (likely same team as Cool Vendors in AI Security)
  2. Request an inquiry call (free with client contract)
  3. Submit AASTF for Cool Vendor consideration after 5+ enterprise deployments
  4. Target: Q2 2027

### 6b. Forrester
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Similar to Gartner ($30K-50K/yr subscription)
- **Impact:** HIGH
- **Relevant reports:**
  - Forrester Wave: AI Governance Solutions (Credo AI, IBM recognized 2025)
  - AEGIS Framework (Agentic AI Guardrails for Information Security) -- extends Zero Trust for AI agents
  - Forrester New Wave (for emerging categories) -- lower threshold than full Wave
- **Action items:**
  1. Monitor Forrester for an "AI Security Testing" or "AI Red Teaming" Wave/New Wave
  2. Submit for consideration when category emerges
  3. Target: 2027

### 6c. IDC / Other Analysts
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** LOW (reactive)
- **Cost:** Minimal
- **Impact:** MEDIUM
- **Action items:**
  1. Monitor IDC MarketScape for AI security categories
  2. Respond to analyst inquiries proactively
  3. Target: 2027+

---

## 7. Developer Relations

### 7a. CTF Challenges (Capture The Flag)
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** MEDIUM (2-4 weeks to build)
- **Cost:** $100-500/month (hosting)
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- gamified engagement is the highest-conversion DevRel strategy for security tools
- **Strategy:**
  - Build a "Gandalf-style" AI agent CTF using AASTF scenarios
  - Players try to break AI agents; AASTF validates their attacks
  - Leaderboard drives competitive engagement
  - Each challenge teaches an OWASP ASI risk category
  - Reference: OWASP-ASI/finbot-ctf-demo (already planned for v0.4.2-e)
- **Action items:**
  1. Build 5-level CTF challenge (one per ASI risk category)
  2. Host at ctf.aastf.dev
  3. Launch at BSides or DEF CON AI Village
  4. Register on CTFtime.org for visibility
  5. Target: August 2026

### 7b. Interactive Tutorials / Workshops
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Free (self-hosted)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- "time to first scan" is the critical conversion metric
- **Strategy:**
  - 5-minute quickstart: install, scan, see results
  - Framework-specific tutorials (LangGraph, CrewAI, OpenAI Agents)
  - Video + written format for different learning preferences
  - Jupyter notebook-based interactive tutorials
- **Action items:**
  1. Build quickstart guide (already planned for docs site)
  2. Create framework-specific tutorial notebooks
  3. Target: June-July 2026

### 7c. Bug Bounty / Vulnerability Research Program
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** $500-2K/quarter (bounty payouts)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- attracts security researchers; builds trust
- **Strategy:**
  - "Find a vulnerability in AI agents that AASTF doesn't detect" bounty
  - Every valid submission becomes a new AASTF scenario
  - Researchers get credited in CHANGELOG and scenario metadata
- **Action items:**
  1. Draft bug bounty policy
  2. List on HackerOne or Bugcrowd (free tier available)
  3. Target: Q4 2026

### 7d. Hackathons
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** $1K-5K (prizes, mentoring time)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- generates integrations and community content
- **Strategy:**
  - Sponsor "AI Security" track at existing hackathons (MLH, Devpost)
  - Host own hackathon: "Build the Most Secure AI Agent" using AASTF as the testing framework
  - Partner with framework communities (LangChain, CrewAI) for co-hosted events
- **Action items:**
  1. Identify 2-3 AI/security hackathons in Q3-Q4 2026
  2. Offer AASTF as a sponsored tool/challenge
  3. Target: Q4 2026

---

## 8. Academic Channels

### 8a. Research Papers
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** HIGH (but already in progress)
- **Cost:** $0-600 (arXiv free; SoftwareX ~$600 APC)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- citation-driven discovery; credibility for enterprise buyers and hires
- **Targets:**
  - arXiv cs.CR preprint (already drafted)
  - NeurIPS 2026 SafeAI/SoLaR workshop paper (August deadline)
  - SoftwareX (no dev history requirement, ~$600 APC)
  - JORS (free, fast review)
  - Computers & Security (full research paper)
  - JOSS resubmission (eligible November 2026)
- **Action items:**
  1. Submit arXiv preprint (v0.4.2-d, already planned)
  2. Submit NeurIPS workshop paper by August
  3. Resubmit to JOSS in November 2026

### 8b. University Partnerships
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Free (in-kind collaboration)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- generates research, student contributors, and long-term talent pipeline
- **Models (2026 examples):**
  - ReliaQuest + FSU: AI/cybersecurity research partnership with student training
  - USF + By Light: Trusted AI for national security
  - UC Noyce Initiative: 5 UC campuses collaborating on AI + cybersecurity
  - INSuRE Project: NSA CAE-R schools collaborate on government-sponsored security research problems
- **Strategy:**
  - Offer AASTF as teaching tool for AI security courses
  - Co-author papers with PhD students doing agentic AI security research
  - Target NSA Centers of Academic Excellence in Cybersecurity (CAE-CD, CAE-R)
- **Action items:**
  1. Identify 3-5 professors working on AI security (search recent papers citing OWASP LLM/ASI)
  2. Email offering collaboration: "Use AASTF as your research harness"
  3. Target: Q4 2026

### 8c. Student Programs
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- long-term brand awareness; contributor pipeline
- **Strategy:**
  - Google Summer of Code (GSoC) -- apply as mentoring org for 2027
  - MLH Fellowship -- offer AASTF as an open-source project
  - University CTF teams -- provide AASTF challenges
- **Action items:**
  1. Apply to GSoC 2027 as mentoring organization (deadline typically November)
  2. Create "good first issue" labels for student contributors

---

## 9. Government / Public Sector

### 9a. FedRAMP / FedRAMP 20x
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** VERY HIGH (6-18 months, $50K-200K)
- **Cost:** $50K-200K (3PAO assessment, documentation, remediation)
- **Impact:** HIGH -- unlocks entire federal market; FedRAMP is now prioritizing AI cloud services
- **2026 updates:**
  - FedRAMP 20x: focus on automated authorization, simpler/cheaper process
  - GSA prioritizing AI-based cloud services in GSA Multiple Award Schedule
  - Consolidated rules expected by end of June 2026 (rename to "FedRAMP certifications")
  - FedRAMP Ready designation being retired
- **Action items:**
  1. Monitor FedRAMP 20x consolidated rules (June 2026)
  2. Assess whether SaaS offering meets FedRAMP Low baseline
  3. Defer actual pursuit until post-Series A ($500K+ investment required)
  4. Target: 2028

### 9b. GSA Schedule
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** HIGH
- **Cost:** $10K-25K (application costs, legal)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- federal agencies prefer GSA Schedule vendors
- **Action items:**
  1. Defer until FedRAMP certification is in progress
  2. Target: 2028

### 9c. GovWin / Public Sector Marketing
- **Priority:** P3
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** GovWin subscription ~$3K-10K/yr
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- pipeline visibility into federal opportunities
- **Action items:**
  1. Monitor Deltek GovWin for AI security RFPs
  2. Defer active pursuit until FedRAMP pathway is clear

---

## 10. Online Communities

### 10a. Reddit
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (ongoing participation)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- authentic engagement drives adoption; direct access to practitioners
- **Target subreddits:**
  - r/netsec (network security -- tool announcements welcome on Mondays)
  - r/cybersecurity (general audience)
  - r/ArtificialIntelligence and r/MachineLearning (AI practitioners)
  - r/LocalLLaMA (LLM enthusiasts who care about safety)
  - r/devops and r/devsecops (CI/CD integration audience)
  - r/OpenAI, r/ClaudeAI, r/LangChain (framework-specific communities)
  - AI agent subreddits (238K+ weekly visitors in top communities)
- **Strategy:**
  - Be a genuine contributor, not a promoter
  - Answer questions about AI security testing; mention AASTF when relevant
  - Post tool announcements only in appropriate threads (r/netsec Monday thread)
- **Action items:**
  1. Start contributing to r/netsec and r/cybersecurity discussions
  2. Post "Show r/netsec" announcement after HN launch
  3. Ongoing

### 10b. Discord Communities
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- real-time engagement with builders
- **Target communities:**
  - LangChain Discord (large, active -- AASTF has native adapter)
  - CrewAI Discord
  - OWASP Slack / Discord
  - AI safety Discord servers
  - MLSecOps community
- **Strategy:**
  - Help people with AI agent security questions
  - Share AASTF as solution when genuinely relevant
  - Build own Discord community after 500+ GitHub stars
- **Action items:**
  1. Join top 5 Discord communities
  2. Be helpful for 4-6 weeks before any self-promotion
  3. Create AASTF Discord after 500+ stars

### 10c. OWASP Community (Slack + Mailing Lists)
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- OWASP is the credibility backbone for the entire AppSec market
- **Strategy:**
  - Contribute to OWASP GenAI Security Project
  - Contribute to OWASP Top 10 for Agentic Applications (100+ expert contributors)
  - Contribute to OWASP MCP Top 10 (recognition as Author/Reviewer/Top Contributor)
  - Get AASTF listed on OWASP Solutions Landscape
  - Reproduce OWASP-ASI/finbot-ctf-demo challenges with AASTF
- **Action items:**
  1. Email John Sotiropoulos for Solutions Landscape listing (already planned v0.4.2-e)
  2. Submit PR to OWASP-ASI/finbot-ctf-demo
  3. Volunteer as contributor to MCP Top 10 project
  4. Target: June 2026

---

## 11. Accelerator Programs

### 11a. CrowdStrike / AWS / NVIDIA Cybersecurity Startup Accelerator
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** MEDIUM (application + 8-week program)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- mentorship, funding, go-to-market support, RSA pitch day, potential Falcon Fund investment
- **Details:**
  - Free, 8-week program (2026 cohort ran Jan 5 - Mar 3)
  - 35 startups selected from hundreds of applicants
  - Culminates in RSA Conference pitch day for 5 finalists
  - Provides access to CrowdStrike, AWS, NVIDIA ecosystems
  - SurePath AI (AI security) was in 2026 cohort
- **Action items:**
  1. Apply to 2027 cohort (applications likely open Q4 2026)
  2. Prepare: innovation strength, market impact potential, team caliber
  3. Target: application Q4 2026

### 11b. Other Accelerators
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Equity (typically 5-7%)
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH
- **Targets:**
  - Y Combinator (general, but strong security track record -- Snyk was YC)
  - Techstars (various tracks)
  - MACH37 (cybersecurity-specific accelerator)
  - CyLon (London-based cybersecurity accelerator)
  - DataTribe (cybersecurity, near NSA/Cyber Command)
- **Action items:**
  1. Research application timelines for each
  2. Apply to 2-3 most relevant
  3. Target: Q4 2026 - Q1 2027

---

## 12. Product Distribution Channels

### 12a. PyPI (Current)
- **Priority:** P0 (DONE)
- **Status:** Live at v0.4.1 as `aastf`
- **Action:** Maintain; track download metrics via pypistats.org

### 12b. Docker Hub
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW (1-2 days)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM-HIGH -- container-first enterprises; CI/CD pipelines
- **Action items:**
  1. Create official `aastf/aastf` Docker image
  2. Multi-stage build for minimal image size
  3. Publish alongside each PyPI release
  4. Target: v0.5.0

### 12c. Homebrew
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW (1 day)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- macOS developer convenience
- **Action items:**
  1. Create Homebrew formula (tap)
  2. `brew install aastf`
  3. Target: v0.5.0

### 12d. conda-forge
- **Priority:** P2
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- data science / ML practitioner audience
- **Action items:**
  1. Submit conda-forge recipe
  2. Target: v0.6.0

### 12e. GitHub Releases + Sigstore
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** LOW
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** MEDIUM -- supply chain trust signal (Sigstore cosign + SLSA provenance)
- **Action items:**
  1. Sign releases with Sigstore
  2. Generate SLSA provenance attestations
  3. Add OpenSSF Scorecard badge
  4. Target: v0.5.0

---

## 13. EU AI Act Compliance Channel

### 13a. EU AI Act Compliance Marketing
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** MEDIUM
- **Cost:** Free (content) to $5K (compliance marketing materials)
- **Impact:** VERY HIGH -- regulatory-driven demand creates urgency
- **Market context:**
  - AI governance platform market: $492M in 2026 spending
  - AI red teaming services market: $1.43B (2024), projected $4.8B by 2029
  - Article 50 transparency obligations: August 2, 2026 deadline
  - High-risk AI system obligations: December 2, 2027 deadline
  - Penalties: up to 35M EUR or 7% of global turnover
  - Large enterprises expect $8-15M initial compliance investment
- **Strategy:**
  - Position AASTF as "the testing backbone for EU AI Act conformity evidence"
  - Conformity-evidence generator is the highest-leverage commercial feature
  - Target European FinTech/HealthTech first (high-risk AI system operators)
- **Action items:**
  1. Build EU AI Act conformity-evidence report output (v0.5.0+)
  2. Publish "EU AI Act Compliance Testing Guide for AI Agents" blog post
  3. Present at European conferences (OWASP AppSec EU Vienna, June 2026)
  4. Target: June-August 2026

---

## 14. Monetization-Adjacent Channels

### 14a. GitHub Sponsors
- **Priority:** P0
- **Effort:** LOW (30 min setup)
- **Cost:** Free
- **Impact:** LOW-MEDIUM for revenue, HIGH for signaling
- **Context:**
  - $33M+ invested through GitHub Sponsors since 2019
  - Organization sponsorships worth 15x more than individual (avg)
  - Invoice payments and dashboards available for corporate sponsors
  - 40% of funding comes from organizations
- **Action items:**
  1. Enable GitHub Sponsors on the repo
  2. Create sponsor tiers: $5/mo (supporter), $50/mo (backer), $500/mo (enterprise)
  3. Target: June 2026

### 14b. Open Core Model
- **Priority:** P1
- **Effort:** HIGH (product development)
- **Cost:** Development time
- **Impact:** HIGH -- the dominant monetization model for OSS security tools
- **Strategy (based on Promptfoo's proven playbook):**
  - OSS core: CLI scanning, all scenarios, SARIF/JSON/HTML output, GitHub Action
  - Commercial: hosted dashboard, team collaboration, trend tracking over time, SSO/SAML, SLA support, compliance report generation, API access, custom scenario packs
- **Action items:**
  1. Define open core boundary
  2. Build hosted SaaS wrapper
  3. Target: v1.0 (Q3 2026)

---

## Prioritized Execution Timeline

### May-June 2026 (P0 -- Zero Budget)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| OWASP AppSec USA | Submit CFP (deadline June 29) | Free |
| OWASP Community | Email John Sotiropoulos; contribute to MCP Top 10 | Free |
| LinkedIn | Start 3x/week posting cadence | Free |
| Reddit | Begin contributing to r/netsec, r/cybersecurity | Free |
| GitHub Sponsors | Enable on repo | Free |
| Blog/SEO | Set up docs site blog; first 2 posts | Free |

### July 2026 (P0 -- Launch Month)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| Hacker News | "Show HN" launch (after v0.4.2) | Free |
| Product Hunt | Launch (stagger 2-3 days after HN) | Free |
| GitHub Marketplace | Publish aastf-action | Free |
| Newsletter outreach | Pitch tl;dr sec, SecurityWeek, etc. | Free |
| BSidesNYC | Submit CFP (deadline July 17) | Free |

### August 2026 (P0/P1 -- Conference Season)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| DEF CON / AI Village | Attend, demo, network | ~$1,500 (travel + badge) |
| BSides LV | Attend/present | ~$0 (co-located) |
| Black Hat Arsenal | Present if accepted | ~$0 (speaker) |
| CTF | Launch ctf.aastf.dev | ~$100/mo hosting |
| NeurIPS paper | Submit workshop paper | Free |
| EU AI Act content | Publish compliance guide (Article 50 deadline Aug 2) | Free |

### September-December 2026 (P1)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| Snyk TAPP | Apply for partner integration | Free |
| Docker Hub | Publish official image | Free |
| Homebrew | Submit formula | Free |
| Podcast appearances | Pitch AI Security Podcast, Risky Business | Free |
| YouTube | 3 demo videos | Free |
| OWASP AppSec USA | Present (November 2-6 SF) | ~$1,500 (travel) |
| AWS re:Invent | Attend (Nov 30-Dec 4) | ~$3,500 (pass + travel) |
| CrowdStrike Accelerator | Apply for 2027 cohort | Free |
| Gartner inquiry | First analyst call | $0 (if client) |
| JOSS resubmission | Submit (eligible November) | Free |

### Q1-Q2 2027 (P2)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| AWS Marketplace | List SaaS offering | ~$5K (integration dev) |
| Azure Marketplace | List SaaS offering | ~$5K (integration dev) |
| MSSP partnerships | First 3 partners | ~$10K (enablement) |
| Atlassian Marketplace | Jira integration | ~$3K (dev) |
| University partnerships | 3-5 research collaborations | Free |
| GSoC 2027 | Apply as mentoring org | Free |

### Q3-Q4 2027 (P3)
| Channel | Action | Cost |
|---------|--------|------|
| GCP Marketplace | List | ~$5K |
| ServiceNow Store | Integration app | ~$10K |
| FedRAMP 20x | Begin assessment | ~$50K+ |
| Gartner Cool Vendor | Submit nomination | $30K+/yr subscription |
| Forrester | Engage for New Wave | $30K+/yr |

---

## Key Metrics to Track

| Channel | Primary Metric | Target (6mo) |
|---------|---------------|--------------|
| GitHub | Stars | 1,000 |
| PyPI | Monthly downloads | 5,000 |
| GitHub Action | Marketplace installs | 200 |
| Blog/SEO | Monthly organic visits | 3,000 |
| HN Launch | Upvotes / comments | 100+ / 30+ |
| Product Hunt | Upvotes | 300+ |
| Conference talks | Accepted | 3+ |
| Newsletter features | Publications | 5+ |
| CTF | Participants | 500+ |
| LinkedIn | Followers | 1,000 |
| OWASP listing | Solutions Landscape | Listed |
| Docker Hub | Pulls | 1,000 |

---

## Sources

### Cloud Marketplaces
- [AWS Marketplace Listing Fees](https://docs.aws.amazon.com/marketplace/latest/userguide/listing-fees.html)
- [Complete Guide to AWS Marketplace 2026](https://clazar.io/guides/aws-marketplace)
- [How to List on AWS Marketplace 2026](https://www.automatum.io/blog-posts/how-to-list-on-aws-marketplace-2026)
- [AWS ISV Accelerate Program](https://aws.amazon.com/partners/programs/isv-accelerate/)
- [AWS ISV Accelerate Benefits](https://aws.amazon.com/blogs/apn/new-aws-isv-accelerate-benefits-unlock-the-co-sell-advantage/)
- [Sell on Azure Marketplace 2026](https://clazar.io/guides/azure-marketplace)
- [Complete Guide to GCP Marketplace 2026](https://clazar.io/guides/google-marketplace)
- [Cloud Marketplace Fees 2025](https://labra.io/cloud-marketplace-fees-2025-aws-microsoft-azure-google-cloud-platform-revenue-shares-and-cost-saving-tips/)

### Integration Marketplaces
- [GitHub Marketplace Listing Requirements](https://docs.github.com/en/apps/github-marketplace/creating-apps-for-github-marketplace/requirements-for-listing-an-app)
- [Snyk Partner Integrations](https://docs.snyk.io/integrations/partner-integrations)
- [Snyk Partner Solutions Directory](https://snyk.io/blog/snyk-partner-solutions-directory/)
- [Atlassian Marketplace Security Requirements](https://go.atlassian.com/security-requirements-for-cloud-apps)

### Conferences
- [Top 30 Global Cybersecurity Events 2026](https://journeybee.io/resources/top-30-global-cybersecurity-events)
- [How to Submit CFPs to Black Hat, DEF CON, BSides](https://netguardia.com/learning-development/briefings-events/how-to-submit-a-cfp-to-black-hat-def-con-or-bsides-and-actually-get-accepted/)
- [OWASP Global AppSec USA 2026 CFP](https://sessionize.com/owasp-global-appsec-USA-SF-2026-c/)
- [OWASP GenAI Security Summit at RSAC 2026](https://genai.owasp.org/event/rsac-conference-2026-owasp-ai-security-summit-safeguarding-genai-agents-autonomous-ai-risk-2026/)
- [AWS re:Invent 2026](https://aws.amazon.com/events/reinvent/)
- [Black Hat Asia 2026 AI Security Summit](https://blackhat.com/asia-26/ai-security-summit.html)
- [Top Cybersecurity Conferences 2026](https://www.cybersecuritydive.com/news/top-cybersecurity-conferences-2026/802238/)

### Content & Community
- [Top Cybersecurity Newsletters 2026](https://gracker.ai/cybersecurity-marketing-library/cybersecurity-newsletters-daily-news)
- [Top AI/Cybersecurity Podcasts 2026](https://securityboulevard.com/2026/01/top-ai-technology-cybersecurity-podcasts-to-follow-in-2026/)
- [AI Security Newsletter](https://github.com/TalEliyahu/AI-Security-Newsletter)
- [100 Cybersecurity YouTubers 2026](https://videos.feedspot.com/cyber_security_youtube_channels/)
- [Cybersecurity SEO Guide](https://gracker.ai/blog/cybersecurity-seo-a-comprehensive-guide-for-organizations)
- [LinkedIn Thought Leadership 2026](https://blog.linkboost.co/linkedin-thought-leadership-2026/)
- [LinkedIn Lead Gen for Cybersecurity](https://gracker.ai/cybersecurity-marketing-library/linkedin-cybersecurity-lead-gen)

### Partnerships
- [MSSP Blueprint 2026](https://www.msspalert.com/native/the-2026-mssp-blueprint-a-look-forward)
- [Partner Program Trends for MSPs 2026](https://www.channelpronetwork.com/2026/05/13/partner-program-trends-for-msps-in-2026/)
- [MSP Vendor Growth 2026](https://www.channelinsider.com/channel-business/channel-analysis/msp-vendor-growth-2026-trends/)

### Analyst Relations
- [Gartner 101 for Cybersecurity Startups](https://www.norwest.com/blog/gartner-101-cybersecurity-startups-category-choice-cool-vendor/)
- [Cool Vendors in AI Security (Gartner)](https://www.gartner.com/en/documents/6989866)
- [Prompt Security -- Gartner Cool Vendor](https://prompt.security/blog/prompt-security-named-as-a-2025-gartner-cool-vendor-in-ai-security)

### DevRel & GTM Strategy
- [Product-Led Growth in Cybersecurity](https://ventureinsecurity.net/p/caveat-emptor-product-led-growth)
- [Open Source to PLG Strategy](https://www.productmarketingalliance.com/developer-marketing/open-source-to-plg/)
- [Lessons Launching on HN vs Product Hunt](https://medium.com/@baristaGeek/lessons-launching-a-developer-tool-on-hacker-news-vs-product-hunt-and-other-channels-27be8784338b)
- [Bug Bounty Programs 2026](https://www.darkreading.com/cybersecurity-operations/bug-bounty-programs-rise-as-key-strategic-security-solutions)

### Accelerators
- [CrowdStrike/AWS/NVIDIA Accelerator 2026](https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/press-releases/crowdstrike-aws-nvidia-2026-cybersecurity-startup-accelerator/)
- [Top 43 Cybersecurity Accelerators 2026](https://www.failory.com/startups/cyber-security-accelerators-incubators)

### Government
- [FedRAMP](https://www.fedramp.gov/)
- [FedRAMP 20x](https://www.gsa.gov/about-gsa/newsroom/news-releases/gsa-announces-fedramp-20x-03242025)
- [FedRAMP AI Prioritization](https://www.fedramp.gov/ai/)
- [GSA FedRAMP Consolidated Rules June 2026](https://info.winvale.com/blog/gsa-plans-release-consolidated-fedramp-program-certification-rules-june-2026)

### EU AI Act
- [EU AI Act Compliance Guide](https://www.tredence.com/blog/eu-ai-act-compliance-guide-us-companies)
- [EU AI Act Implementation Timeline](https://www.kennedyslaw.com/en/thought-leadership/article/2026/the-eu-ai-act-implementation-timeline-understanding-the-next-deadline-for-compliance/)
- [EU AI Act 2026 Updates](https://www.legalnodes.com/article/eu-ai-act-2026-updates-compliance-requirements-and-business-risks)

### Competitive Intelligence
- [OpenAI Acquires Promptfoo](https://openai.com/index/openai-to-acquire-promptfoo/)
- [Best AI Pentesting Tools 2026](https://mindgard.ai/blog/top-ai-pentesting-tools)
- [Best AI Red Teaming Tools 2026](https://generalanalysis.com/guides/best-ai-red-teaming-tools)
- [AI Red Teaming Tools Compared](https://mindgard.ai/blog/best-tools-for-red-teaming)

### OWASP Projects
- [OWASP Top 10 for Agentic Applications 2026](https://genai.owasp.org/resource/owasp-top-10-for-agentic-applications-for-2026/)
- [OWASP MCP Top 10](https://owasp.org/www-project-mcp-top-10/)
- [OWASP GenAI Security Project](https://genai.owasp.org/)

### Open Source Funding
- [GitHub Sponsors](https://github.com/open-source/sponsors)
- [GitHub Secure Open Source Fund](https://github.com/open-source/github-secure-open-source-fund)
