Investments and exits.
$143M RAISED | 8 DEALS | 4 COUNTRIES
- Harmonic Security has secured $50 million in a Series B round led by Crosspoint Capital Partners.
- Pluto Security has emerged from stealth with $42 million.
- Rein Security has raised $25 million in Series A funding led by Glilot Capital and Sienna Venture Capital.
- Netsec has raised $10 million in equity funding led by Partech.
- Fleuret AI has secured €4 million (US$4.5 million) in pre-seed funding led by RAISE Ventures.
- Hilt has raised $4.2 million in seed funding led by Array Ventures.
- CodeWall has emerged from stealth with $4 million in pre-seed funding led by Osney Capital.
- Guardrail Technologies has closed two seed rounds totaling $3 million, led by Filter Fund Venture Capital.
San Francisco-based AI governance company Harmonic Security has secured $50 million in a Series B round led by Crosspoint Capital Partners, with participation from existing investors. The company stated, “Harmonic has grown to more than 90 people across the United States and the United Kingdom and will use the new capital to expand engineering and go-to-market on both sides of the Atlantic.”
Israeli AI security company Pluto Security has emerged from stealth with $42 million in funding from TLV Partners, Jump Capital, Skinos Ventures, AlphaDrive Ventures, and others.
Israeli AI-focused runtime security platform Rein Security has raised $25 million in Series A funding led by Glilot Capital and Sienna Venture Capital, with participation from Corner Ventures, Atlacle and RNP Capital Advisors. The company says it “will use the new capital to accelerate product innovation, advance agentic research and support global hiring.”
French MSSP Netsec has raised $10 million in equity funding led by Partech, with participation from Primo Capital and View Different. The company’s founder and CEO, Gianluca Varisco, stated, “[T]he capital raised in this round will fund the build-out of our automation and integration layer, alongside expansion of our operations and continued growth across both markets.”
French autonomous penetration testing platform Fleuret AI has secured €4 million (US$4.5 million) in pre-seed funding led by RAISE Ventures, with participation from Auriga Cyber Ventures, Wind, Better Angle, and angel investors. The funding will allow the company to “expand its teams with specialists in AI, software development, and offensive cybersecurity, while accelerating the development of its platform.”
Tennessee-based data governance startup Hilt has raised $4.2 million in seed funding led by Array Ventures, with participation from Verdict Capital, Base10 Partners, Brickyard, Liquid 2 Ventures, Sequel, the Sarah Smith Fund and Alumni Ventures. According to Crunchbase News, the funding “will primarily support hiring and building a market presence.”
London-based autonomous offensive security firm CodeWall has emerged from stealth with $4 million in pre-seed funding led by Osney Capital, with participation from InReach Ventures, Antler and angel investors. The company stated, “CodeWall will use the funding to expand where its autonomous attack agents can operate across the enterprise and develop the platform for sustained testing, verification, and remediation workflows. The company will grow its offensive security, engineering, customer success, and go-to-market teams in London.”
Utah-based AI security and control company Guardrail Technologies has closed two seed rounds totaling $3 million, led by Filter Fund Venture Capital with participation from angel investors. The company stated, “With Australian operations now up and running, the funding supports expansion into Asia and Europe and staffing across every aspect of operations.”
Mergers and acquisitions.
4 DEALS | 3 COUNTRIES
- IonQ has agreed to acquire San Jose, California-based zero-trust security firm Elisity in an all-stock transaction valued at up to $1.3 billion.
- CrowdStrike is reportedly in advanced talks to acquire Israeli data loss prevention startup Orion Security for approximately $500 million.
- Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has acquired Illinois-based cryptographic software provider Information Security Corporation.
- V-Key has announced a majority investment in AI cybersecurity and web integrity protection firm CloudsineAI.
Maryland-based quantum computing firm IonQ has agreed to acquire San Jose, California-based zero-trust security firm Elisity in an all-stock transaction valued at up to $1.3 billion. IonQ stated, “The acquisition brings together IonQ's post-quantum cryptography (PQC) and quantum key distribution (QKD) capabilities with Elisity's enterprise Zero Trust technology platform. On a combined basis, IonQ will benefit from an expanded cybersecurity platform that both uncovers and protects against present LLM and emerging quantum threats.”
Calcalist reports that CrowdStrike is in advanced talks to acquire Israeli data loss prevention startup Orion Security for approximately $500 million. Orion has raised $38 million to date, and is expanding operations in New York and Israel.
Virginia-based government contractor Science Applications International Corp. (SAIC) has acquired Illinois-based cryptographic software provider Information Security Corporation (ISC). SAIC’s CEO Jim Reagan stated, “Integrating ISC’s mission-proven cryptographic technologies with SAIC’s pedigree of delivering and operating robust zero-trust architectures, provides our intelligence and defense customers with the security and scalability to protect against rapidly evolving threats.”
Singapore-based digital security and mobile app identity company V-Key has announced a majority investment in AI cybersecurity and web integrity protection firm CloudsineAI (also based in Singapore). V-Key stated, “By integrating V-Key's expertise in trusted digital identity and cryptographic protection with CloudsineAI's AI cybersecurity capabilities, already adopted by private and public sector organisations, the companies aim to provide trusted infrastructure for secure AI adoption and the next generation of digital interactions.”
Executive moves.
Ambient Security has named Armen Najarian as Chief Operating Officer. Najarian previously served as Chief Commercial Officer at EasyDMARC.
GoSecure has promoted Julien Turcot to Chief Revenue Officer. Turcot most recently served as the company’s SVP of Sales Worldwide.
Loyal Source Government Services has named Heath Starr as its new Chief Revenue Officer. Starr previously served as the company’s Chief Growth Officer.
Nike has appointed Adam Zoller as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO). Zoller previously served as CISO at CrowdStrike.
Zip Co has named Megan Baker as Deputy CISO and Head of AI Trust & Safety. Baker most recently served as CISO at Georgian.
Mariner Finance has hired Diaa Abu-Shaqra as Vice President of Cybersecurity & Information Security. Abu-Shaqra has previously held security leadership roles at Wells Fargo, the City of Minneapolis, and Sunrise Banks
Nardello & Co. has named Austin Berglas as Head of Cyber Operations. Berglas most recently served as Head of Professional Services at BlueVoyant.
Kroll has hired Eileen Keenan as Managing Director of its Complex Digital Events team within the National Security Advisory practice. Keenan most recently served as Attorney Advisor in the Department of Justice's National Security Division, Foreign Investment Review Section.
Bloo has added Michael Lashlee, Chief Security Officer at Mastercard, to its advisory board.
Andesite AI has hired Aida Kamber as Chief Marketing Officer. Kamber most recently served as SVP of Revenue Marketing at Mimecast.
Vega has named Scott Simkin as Chief Marketing Officer. Simkin previously served as Vice President of Marketing at Palo Alto Networks.
Horizon3 has promoted Ellen Sundra to Chief Customer Officer. Sundra previously served as Vice President of Customers.
Sysdig has hired Teri Harrell as Chief Human Resources Officer. Harrell most recently served as Chief Human Resources Officer VitalEdge Technologies.
ThinkLabs AI has added Dragos co-founder and CEO Robert M. Lee to its board.