John and Josiah Hardaway have always moved through life side by side.
Now college seniors, the Hardaways are among five finalists in Cedarville University’s Shark Tank-style competition, The Pitch, presenting Twin Sentries Security, their cybersecurity startup concept designed to help churches and nonprofits protect their digital assets. Cedarville University is an evangelical Christian institution located in southwest Ohio.
The twin brothers from Atoka, Tenn., have shared the same classrooms, the same curiosity and now the same mission — helping vulnerable community institutions defend themselves in an increasingly dangerous digital world.
“We are twin brothers with a passion for tech and serving others,” John Hardaway said. “Our business idea is an affordable information security solution for churches, smaller private schools and small businesses and nonprofits.”
The Pitch will bring together five finalist teams presenting faith-driven business ideas to a panel of judges on Friday, Feb. 6. The winning team will receive $1,000 to help launch its concept, with additional prizes awarded to second- and third-place finishers.
For the Hardaways, the competition is a milestone, but the vision began long before the spotlight.
Their interest in cybersecurity took shape through a collegiate cyber competition and a course they took during the same semester.
“We saw cybersecurity as a great way to pursue this passion in our careers,” Joshiah Hardaway said.
While many young entrepreneurs gravitate toward apps or consumer technology, the Hardaways chose a less visible but increasingly urgent challenge — digital protection for churches and nonprofits.
“These organizations matter to us because they often store sensitive donor and member information,” John said. “They don’t have a dedicated IT or cybersecurity team to educate staff and ensure that information is being handled properly.”
Their concept became real when they discovered that a church they had attended was using an insecure protocol for its website.
That discovery sparked deeper research.
“Approximately 43% of cyberattacks target ministries and nonprofits,” said Josiah. “We knew that we could use the knowledge and training we have gained to better equip churches and organizations.”
Twin Sentries Security is rooted not only in technology but also in faith and stewardship.
For the Hardaway’s, cybersecurity is not just about systems. It is about people, trust and responsibility.
“This means that we would do our best to prioritize people and relationships,” John said. “We would also strive to treat our clients’ systems as if they were our own.”
That mindset, they say, comes directly from the way they were raised.
The brothers are two of seven siblings born to Christopher and LaCreasia Hardaway, parents they describe as faithful examples of biblical principles and integrity.
“Our parents were the ones who played a major part in shaping us into who we are today,” Josiah said. “They didn’t just teach it. They lived it out.”
Building a business concept together as twin brothers comes with rare advantages.
“We have always been very like-minded,” Josiah stated. “We think and understand each other better than most partners in a business.”
The only challenge, they added with humor, is that people still struggle to tell them apart. “So much so that even our grandparents may not always tell us apart,” he said.
The Hardaways believe cybersecurity should matter to everyday church members, not just corporate executives.
“They should care because it is their information that is at risk of compromise,” John said. “Threat actors are no longer targeting ‘that company’ but everyday people.”
They emphasize that many cyberattacks are not sophisticated Hollywood-style hacks, but social engineering attempts such as suspicious emails, fake refund calls or messages that appear to come from trusted sources.
“When a security breach happens and personal information is compromised, trust in that organization is also compromised,” John said.
The consequences can be devastating with identities stolen, donor data leaked or ransomware attacks that lock an organization out of its own records unless a costly ransom is paid.
“Sensitive member and staff data can be stolen,” Josiah said. “Ransomware attacks can also be the result of online targeting.”
Understanding the financial limitations of nonprofits, Twin Sentries Security is structured as an affordable subscription-based service with three pricing tiers designed to meet organizations where they are.
“We have designed our services to be an affordable subscription-based model,” John explained. “We hope to offer more complete services as the company scales.”
While Cedarville is the current stage, Tennessee is the long-term focus.
“Whether we win the competition or not, we plan to continue developing our business,” Josiah said.
The brothers say they plan to begin by serving organizations they already know in Memphis and surrounding communities.
“Absolutely,” Josiah said. “Tennessee, our home state, is where we plan on starting.”
Their startup concept reflects a belief that entrepreneurship can be both mission-driven and sustainable, offering real protection to organizations that cannot afford to be vulnerable.
“It is very rewarding knowing that we are able to play a part in protecting the vulnerable,” Josiah said. “Ultimately, we seek to provide others with the knowledge and tools needed to better steward their resources and prevent harm from cyberattacks.”
And to young people back in Tennessee with an idea but uncertainty about whether it can become real, John offers simple advice:
“Go for it,” he said. “However, first validate the need.”
