The Hacken Federation Network is the idea of building a global network of independent, partner-led cybersecurity and advisory firms. By creating joint ventures with exceptional individuals and entrepreneurs, we’re boosting expertise and growing united under one trusted brand. Today we proudly announce our first General Partners and the launch of Hacken Advisory and Hacken GCC.
A New Era of Decentralized Trust and Global Scale
The digital assets market has surpassed $2 trillion — and continues to grow fast. Yet the cybersecurity and compliance landscape remains fragmented. Regulators demand more transparency, institutions seek trusted multidisciplinary partners, but there’s still no global leader trusted across domains. The Hacken Federation Network is here to change that.
The vision: “Crypto Deloitte” for the new digital frontier
HAI Group is building the first federation-style network of decentralized cybersecurity and advisory firms. Our idea is to unite exceptional individuals and entrepreneurs from around the world under one global brand.
It’s the same scaling model used by Deloitte, Accenture, and McKinsey, but reimagined for the onchain world, with Hacken’s reputation at the core of trust, transparency, and performance.
As a result, the Hacken Federation Network blends global scale with local specialization: each partner firm operates independently while upholding unified quality standards.
First Partners Join Hacken Federation Network
Since our first announcement at the 8th Hackenversary, we now proudly unveil our first partners:
- Christopher Cousins (Ventus BCV OÜ) joins as Managing Partner of Hacken Advisory, strengthening Hacken’s global advisory and compliance expertise.
- Mohammed Alkhyeli joins as Hacken General Partner GCC, expanding Hacken’s presence across the Middle East with a focus on Web3 and fintech.
The addition of our first General Partners marks a defining moment for the Hacken Federation Network, expanding our global footprint and strengthening regional presence, local specialization, and legal leadership across emerging markets. This expansion sets a new vector for Hacken — blending global security standards with local expertise to serve clients with precision and trust.
Let’s see what it means for us.
Hacken Advisory: Bridging Finance, Compliance and Digital Assets
With Christopher Cousins joining as Managing Partner, our Federation Network officially expands its ecosystem with a new advisory and compliance arm — Hacken Advisory.
It builds on the foundation of Ventus, the boutique advisory firm Christopher founded in 2021, which served over 100 founders, protocols, and funds driving Web3 innovation worldwide. With offices in Estonia, Spain, and the United States, Ventus delivers tailored, high-impact solutions in offshore structuring, regulatory strategy, tokenomics, and cross-border compliance.
Now, Hacken Advisory carries forward Ventus’s capabilities, scaling them globally under one trusted brand to help clients build secure, compliant digital-finance operations.
Hacken GCC: Unlocking Regional Leadership
The addition of Mohammed Alkhyeli as General Partner MENA marks the launch of Hacken GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) — our regional hub for the Middle East and North Africa. Hacken has been active in the region for years, but this step formalizes our presence and expands cooperation with key regulators and institutions.
A UAE native with strong ties across business and government, Mohammed brings the local insight and credibility needed to connect global cybersecurity standards with regional innovation. His appointment strengthens Hacken’s collaboration with all major UAE authorities:
- SCA, the Securities and Commodities Authority
- VARA, Dubai’s Virtual Assets Regulatory Authority
- ADGM, the Abu Dhabi Global Market
At the same time, Hacken GCC will deepen partnerships with the UAE Federal Cybersecurity Council, leading banks, and HUB71, driving the secure adoption of digital assets across the region.
The Federation Model: Shared Reputation, Local Ownership
When choosing the model, we declined another popular expansion path, the franchise, as it limits flexibility and innovation. Instead, the federation-style network best reflects our vision: enabling joint ventures and local entities to operate under one global brand while maintaining autonomy, specialization, and shared accountability.
Partners retain high independence and local ownership, while Hacken provides access to its global reputation, product offerings, pipeline, and client base. This structure aligns incentives and fosters collaboration — not control.
Key partner benefits include:
- Global partner network and client acquisition support
- Brand trust and go-to-market assistance
- Joint revenue and equity growth opportunities
- Access to Hacken’s operational systems, HR, and training
- Participation in governance through the Federation Council and Annual Assembly
Our financial mechanisms — including joint venture and equity options — are designed to reward performance and long-term growth, ensuring every partner shares in the success they help create.
Governance and quality assurance
Each partner is certified and integrated through a 7-step onboarding process, covering due diligence, licensing, training, and performance alignment. We maintain unified standards through:
- Real-time partner scorecards to track progress and results
- Continuous support and collaboration from Hacken’s Partner Success team
- Ongoing education and compliance refreshers to stay ahead of evolving frameworks
- DualDefense security reports ensuring consistent quality across all Web3 audits
This approach guarantees that every partner operates with the same commitment to excellence, accountability, and trust that defines the Hacken brand.
Join Hacken Federation Network
Reaching global scale is impossible without trusted partners who understand their local markets. The Hacken Federation Network grows through collaboration with entrepreneurs and firms who share our values of trust, security, and fairness, and who want to unite and shape the future of digital innovation together.
Ideal partner profiles
- Existing Web3 cybersecurity firms seeking to expand through collaboration and global exposure
- Financial and legal advisory or audit firms exploring new opportunities within the Web3 industry
- Cybersecurity spin-offs from leading blockchain exchanges, L1s, or L2s
- Local entrepreneurs with strong ties to regulators, industry associations, or key enterprise clients
- Web2 security companies ready to transition into the blockchain and digital asset space
Together, we can build the most powerful Web3 advisory and assurance network. If you share our passion for sustainable growth, Hacken Federation Network is now open for applications.
Learn more: Hacken Partnership Deck | Contact to join: [email protected]
