Former GitHub chief Thomas Dohmke has stepped into a new chapter, and it’s one that pulls him right back into the world he knows best. After stepping down as GitHub CEO earlier this year, he is returning to the tech arena with a fresh mission and a company that wants to fix one of the biggest problems rising inside software teams today.
Apiiro, a fast-growing application-security startup, has brought in Thomas Dohmke as a strategic advisor. His new role centers on a challenge almost every engineering team now faces as AI code generation becomes the norm. With more developers relying on multiple AI coding agents to speed up their work, the risk of hidden vulnerabilities has exploded. Dohmke is joining Apiiro to help build stronger safeguards for this new reality.
He said many developers now jump between different AI coding tools without thinking about how each one fits with the company’s internal rules, compliance requirements, or security policies. These tools can be brilliant at writing code fast, but they don’t naturally understand the wider context behind a company’s architecture or risk standards. That missing layer can create blind spots and open doors for hackers, especially as codebases grow more complex.
Apiiro’s platform plugs directly into an organization’s code management systems, giving AI agents the missing context they need. Dohmke believes this is the piece that brings everything together. Instead of letting risky code slip into production, Apiiro spots the issues early, flags the right alerts, and can even fix certain problems automatically. It gives engineering teams a safety net without slowing them down or adding extra work during already tight sprint cycles.
He pointed out that developers today are under pressure to ship features faster than ever, which pushes teams to rely more heavily on AI tools. But without checks in place, teams may unintentionally introduce insecure patterns or expose sensitive data. Apiiro’s value, he said, is that it helps developers stay compliant while still moving with speed. It becomes a security partner that works in the background instead of a blocker that complicates workflows.
The startup itself has built serious momentum. Apiiro has raised over $100 million from some of the top names in venture capital, including General Catalyst, Greylock, and Kleiner Perkins. CEO Idan Plotnik already has a track record of building and selling companies, and he previously led cybersecurity efforts at Microsoft. His deep background in the security world is part of what convinced Dohmke to come onboard.
Although Dohmke had plenty of options for what to do after leaving GitHub, he said his decision came down to the mission. He met Plotnik around three years ago and said he was pulled in by the energy, the clarity, and the long-term vision behind Apiiro. That impression stuck with him, and when he finally stepped away from GitHub, he saw an opportunity to return to a problem he cares about: securing the next generation of software.
He also pointed out that AI-generated code isn’t just a niche trend anymore. More employees across many industries are now using AI tools to build digital products, mockups, prototypes, and internal tools. The rise of AI development means the volume of generated code is growing at a pace traditional security tools can’t keep up with. As teams become more dependent on rapid code generation, the need for automated and context-aware security becomes impossible to ignore.
Dohmke believes Apiiro is one of the few startups positioned to handle this shift. He said the company isn’t just trying to secure code; it’s trying to secure the entire process. That means understanding how code is created, which tools are involved, what rules need to be applied, and how to prevent vulnerabilities before they spread. This kind of end-to-end visibility is becoming essential as AI agents take on more responsibility inside tech teams.
Despite receiving equity for his advisory role, he said the decision wasn’t driven by ownership. His motivation is tied more to the technology and the potential impact on how teams build software in the AI era. After several years leading GitHub, he has seen firsthand how AI coding agents reshape workflows. Now he wants to help ensure those tools don’t create more risk than value.
His move also highlights a broader shift happening across the industry. As AI development ramps up, security concerns are no longer an afterthought. Companies are realizing that scaling AI means scaling security alongside it. That requires new layers of intelligence, context, and automation, the kind of layers Apiiro is aiming to deliver.
And while Dohmke is not returning to a full-time executive role, his involvement signals a strong belief in the direction Apiiro is taking. He is stepping into the advisory position at a moment when companies worldwide are rethinking how they protect their digital assets. His experience running GitHub, one of the largest developer platforms on the planet, gives him a clear view of what modern software teams need.
Apiiro sees this moment as a turning point. As AI becomes baked into development from day one, security must evolve with it. The company positions itself not just as another code-scanning tool but as a platform that helps organizations build secure software from the ground up. That means understanding developers, their workflows, and their tools, a perspective Dohmke brings firsthand.
As teams embrace AI to move faster, the risks and rewards grow in equal measure. Dohmke’s new role suggests he believes the right mix of context, automation, and intelligent oversight can help developers enjoy the benefits of AI without taking on unnecessary risk. And if he’s right, the next wave of secure, AI-built software might look very different from what companies are used to today.
