A Cybersecurity Founder’s Bootstrapped Rise
Ankita Dhakar - Capture The Bug
Hamilton
As the founder of Capture The Bug, Ankita Dhakar has built a cybersecurity testing platform that has grown from nothing to serving NZX-listed enterprises—all without taking on external funding.
This story is about resilience, community, and carving out a space in a new country while building something that matters.
Breaking the mould of traditional testing
Traditional cybersecurity testing—also known as penetration testing or “pentesting”—has long been an expensive, outdated approach. Most businesses spend between $20K to $60K per engagement for a single pentest-often with outdated methods and delayed pentest reporting.
“Security testing should match the speed of product development. If you’re shipping weekly, your pentest cycle can’t be yearly.” Ankita explains.
Capture The Bug flips that model. Their software-as-a-service platform gives businesses continuous security coverage throughout the year, for only slightly more than the cost of a single annual test. Clients get access to real-time dashboards, can collaborate with testers, and receive transparent reporting.
What began as a tool for fast-moving startups now supports NZX-listed companies like EROAD, Paysauce, Blackpearl Group and many more. Getting there wasn’t easy—but Ankita’s journey from bootstrapped founder to trusted enterprise partner is a testament to grit, vision, and product-market fit.
“Enterprise sales is hard,” she says. “But we’ve cracked it. We’re now working with companies I wouldn’t have even imagined two years ago.”
That growth came from embracing failure. Year two was rough, but the team learnt fast, refining their model and listening to client feedback. Today, those enterprise clients aren’t just users—they’re champions, referring Capture The Bug to others in their networks.
“These big brands took a leap of faith on us,” Ankita says. “The fact that they’re now promoting us to their customers? That says everything.”
The community behind the climb
Ankita is quick to credit the support network that helped fuel the company’s rise. “It takes a village to grow a startup, and for us, that village was Ministry of Awesome.”
Through the Founder Catalyst programme, she met other founders who became collaborators, friends, and sounding boards. More than just connections, the mentors she found through Ministry of Awesome helped her reimagine how she approached the business.
“Spending time with them changed how I think. It pushed us to look outside the box.”
Moments that matter
At this year’s Electrify Aotearoa, Ankita walked away not only inspired, but also connected.
She was especially moved by Nicole Retter’s talk on “messy action,” and loved the practical workshops with seasoned founders. But the most impactful moments came in the side conversations—like the one she had with Wendy, a fellow cybersecurity founder she met during a role-playing session.
Despite being in the same field, their paths might never have crossed. Now, they’re exploring ways to collaborate.
She also connected with Kiwibank following their announcement of new founder initiatives. After repeated dead ends trying to engage with major banks, Ankita found their openness refreshing.
“I’ve been trying to get a foot in the door with the major banks—just to even start a conversation about a pilot. Nothing. But Kiwibank said, ‘We’re listening,’ and for a growing startup, that means everything.”
Representation—and giving back
As a migrant founder, Ankita knows how much it matters to see people who look and sound like you succeeding.
“When I first came to New Zealand, I couldn’t find anyone like me to look up to. That affects your confidence. Representation isn’t just visibility, it’s about viability. I want more founders to see cybersecurity as a space they can lead in, not just work in.”
She’s determined to change that. She’s already volunteered to speak at future events about bootstrapping, enterprise sales, and the realities of building a tech company without venture backing.
“If even one person sees me and thinks, ‘I could do that too,’ I’ll feel like I’ve made a difference.”
Capture The Bug is showing what’s possible when a SaaS company is built with focus, discipline, and deep customer insight. Without raising external funding, they’ve earned the trust of some of New Zealand’s most respected companies, proven product-market fit, and built a platform ready to scale globally. In a landscape often defined by funding rounds, they’re quietly defining themselves by traction.
Learn more about Capture The Bug or connect with Ankita via LinkedIn.
Thank you to the Ministry for Women for supporting Ankita's Journey.
Rebecca Lindsay
Christchurch
From salsa class to startup, Rebecca Lindsay and her co‑founders are turning a chance conversation into a breakthrough for women’s health. Their reusable digital pregnancy test is still in proof‑of‑concept, but with mentorship from Startup Aotearoa and inspiration from Electrify Aotearoa, they’re moving fast from idea to impact.
If you’re looking to embark on your own startup journey, check out these programmes to see if they are right for you:
Startup Aotearoa - free one-to-one coaching for early-stage founders.
Founder Catalyst - a nine-month founder capability building programme.