Alex Paunic’s Post

$23 billion – that’s the jaw-dropping amount Google is looking to spend on acquiring cybersecurity startup Wiz! Have any of you been part of an acquisition process or seen such hefty investments in your industry? What were your thoughts? This move not only displays Google’s serious commitment to cybersecurity but also sets a new high watermark for startup valuations. It really makes one ponder on how fast the landscape of cybersecurity is evolving and the immense potential investors see in it. The value proposition of a startup like Wiz must be incredibly compelling for an acquisition of this magnitude! For those of you steering your own startups or heading up innovation teams, here are a few takeaways: 1. 𝗙𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗲𝗹𝘆 𝗼𝗻 𝗬𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗡𝗶𝗰𝗵𝗲: Wiz’s appeal lies in its specialized solutions. Are you mastering a niche or spreading too thin? 2. 𝗕𝘂𝗶𝗹𝗱 𝗥𝗲𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽𝘀 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝘀: Wiz raised $1 billion in a prior round, showcasing strong investor confidence. How are you nurturing your investor relations? 3. 𝗜𝗻𝘃𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝗘𝗺𝗲𝗿𝗴𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗧𝗿𝗲𝗻𝗱𝘀: Cybersecurity is red-hot right now. Are you tapping into current and future trends that can position you for major opportunities? 4. 𝗣𝗿𝗲𝗽𝗮𝗿𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗮𝗹𝗮𝗯𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘆: A big ticket acquisition means Wiz has the infrastructure to scale. Is your business ready to grow exponentially if an opportunity arises? Here's to dreaming big and aiming high! ? #cybersecurity #startup #acquisition #investment #innovation #niche #investorrelations #emergingtrends #scalability #dreambig

US Corporate-backed startup funding deals rose in the US for the first time since April 2022, GCV data shows. It's a notable change from the steep declines the US market has had over the past two years. 📈The number of corporate backed deals overall is slowly creeping upwards globally. 🔐Cybersecurity and the care provision sectors saw an increase in CVC activity. Explore the full data and analysis of corporate venturing activity in May 2024 ➡️ https://lnkd.in/eetgYNQE

🚀 Exciting Opportunity for Investors! Join the Future of Innovation! 🌐 Hello #linkedin #community ! 👋 I am thrilled to announce the launch of my new startup that's set to revolutionize Cyber Security Software. We have a groundbreaking concept and innovative ideas that are poised to make a significant impact. We're on the lookout for visionary investors who are passionate about supporting cutting-edge ventures. If you're interested in being part of the next big thing, we invite you to join our Google Meet presentation. 🌟 Why #invest in Our #startup ? Here's the Winning Formula: 🌟 - Innovative Solutions: Our startup is at the forefront of innovation in Cyber Security, offering game-changing solutions that address current challenges and redefine standards. We're not just following trends; we're setting them! - Proven Market Demand: Extensive market research has confirmed the high demand for our products/services. We have conducted pilot programs, securing positive feedback and early adopters, indicating a strong market appetite for what we're offering. - Scalability: Our business model is designed for scalability. With a solid foundation, we are poised to expand rapidly, capturing new markets and maximizing returns for our investors. -Strategic Partnerships: We've strategically aligned with key partners in the industry, forming alliances that enhance our capabilities, provide access to crucial resources, and open doors to new opportunities. - Experienced and Committed Team: Our team comprises seasoned professionals with a track record of success in relevant domains. We are committed to driving the company's success, bringing a wealth of expertise to navigate challenges and capitalize on opportunities. - Customer-Centric Approach: Our focus on understanding and meeting customer needs sets us apart. By prioritizing customer satisfaction, we build long-lasting relationships and ensure a loyal customer base. - Tech-Driven Advantage: Leveraging cutting-edge technologies, we maintain a technological edge over competitors, ensuring that our offerings remain at the forefront of industry standards. How to express interest: 📧 Email your interest to: raoanveeksh@gmail.com 📧 Or reach out to us at: info@anveekshmrao.com 📧 For inquiries related to our association with the Cyber Tech Association: anveekshmrao@cybertechassociation.org Let's shape the future together! 🚀✨ #StartupOpportunity #InvestmentOpportunity #Innovation #Entrepreneurship #VentureCapital #TechRevolution #FutureLeadership

❄️ It's been a cold but exciting week in London. Apart from meeting some excellent people, my main goal was to take a look at Black Hat Europe. I'm told it's a pale shadow of the Las Vegas edition, but it's still a good introduction. As a company based in France, many of the events we attend still have a local focus. We often see the same names, a mix of the big multinationals and local start-ups. I was curious to see how different this event would be. Would I see any of those startups from France? I was delighted to come across companies I hadn't seen before in France, such as the new cyber process mining startup Gutsy (nice to meet you John Morello), the friendly playbook and automation company Tines (a pleasure talking Rob Walsh), and I finally bumped into Maltego Technologies, the graph-based investigation platform specialising in open source intelligence (greetings, Steffen Iwan). Now, there are exceptions! It was fun to bump into YesWeHack (Hi there James Terry), a bug bounty company from our hometown of Rennes. We're often asked by investors what our international plans are. The implicit question is when we plan to enter the North American market. When I see so few French companies in the country next door, I wonder if it's the same in other European countries. It seems to me that we have enough difficulty leaving our borders and entering Europe, let alone expanding to other continents. I was once told by an investor that the market is global by definition anyway. Some startups like BforeAI and NANO Corp. have simply ignored the local market and gone global from the start. This seems easier said than done, but it makes me wonder. 🤔 #CyberSecurityInnovation #GlobalTechEvents #StartupInsights

Michelle Zatlyn, co-founder and chief operating officer of #Cloudflare, reaffirmed this in a recent interview with Qualcomm Ventures. She discussed her journey from raising a seed round at Harvard University to raising over $300 million, creating a $33 billion initial public offering (IPO), and overseeing sustainable growth over the previous 12 years. Cloudflare, a Qualcomm Ventures portfolio company, is a global network that offers dependable, quick, and safe internet access. #Michelle had held a variety of positions and worked on numerous projects for international corporations like Google and #Toshiba before launching her own business. She thinks that these encounters enabled her to broaden her knowledge, generate fresh concepts, and produce something worthwhile. However, our experience in the industry was limited. It's crucial that we sought out candidates who would strive to enhance our skill sets. We still think that having a broad team with a range of skill sets that are familiar with the problem area is beneficial, even with a 2,000-person team today," she continues. Michelle emphasizes that, in her opinion, it is more better to share a story during a conversation rather than offering precise answers, particularly during early-stage #funding rounds. An early tale can have a lot of impact. We didn't have many sources of income at first. Therefore, I believe that the trajectory we're taking, along with additional measures to support it, and the value we were providing from the beginning, was incredibly potent. www.tycoonstory.com #Cloudflare #MichelleZatlyn #TechLeadership #CoFounder #InternetSecurity #WebPerformance #Cybersecurity #TechInnovation #WomenInTech #Entrepreneurship Cloudflare Michelle Zatlyn ARULPRAKASH SATHIYAMOORTHI Ajay Sasikumar Juhi Bhagwat Ashwin Rao Roopal Shah Prajwal Ramesh Jagdish Bagade

The latest data from Crunchbase shows both progress and challenges when it comes to cybersecurity startup funding. Their new article states that in Q3 2023, cybersecurity startups raised nearly $1.9 billion, which marks a 12% increase from the previous quarter. However, compared to the same quarter last year, there was a significant 30% decline in funding. Here are a few key takeaways: ⏺ Late-stage funding is still facing challenges, with investors exhibiting caution when it comes to investing at these stages. ⏺ Big funding rounds are decreasing, with only one exceeding $200 million in Q3 2023. The number of growth rounds is also on the decline, but this may indicate a post-COVID return to normal. ⏺ Israeli cybersecurity startups saw funding plummet in recent quarters. Regional tensions may impact future investments as well. However, Tel Aviv-based Cato Networks did snag a $238 billion round last month. ⏺ Geopolitical factors and higher interest rates are having an effect on venture funding in the cybersecurity sector. ⏺ The total number of deals is the lowest amount in years, which highlights the funding difficulties some startups are facing. ⏺ Many experts believe this is simply a return to a more normal state for the industry, with fewer investors chasing deals. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, it's crucial for startups to adapt and present realistic business plans. Investors are seeking promising opportunities while simultaneously maintaining a level of caution. Let's keep a close eye on these trends and stay vigilant. Check out the full article here - https://lnkd.in/gPqxejBE #cybersecurity #startupfunding #techlaw #venturecapital #startupbusiness #businessstrategy #siliconvalley Foley & Lardner LLP

Eyal Drami, CFO of Perception Point, shares insights on their 2024 strategy amidst evolving challenges: "In light of recent global financial changes and local instability, fundraising has become more challenging across the startup ecosystem. The environment has intensified in Israel since October 7th. This has had an understandable emotional effect on our staff and has influenced our operations due to reserve duties. Despite these challenges, we've seen an uptick in demand for our cybersecurity solutions across the globe, and our customers, though cautious, continue to not only trust our services but grow their business with us. As a result, Perception Point has maintained a steady rise in performance. Our team has demonstrated remarkable resilience during this period. For 2024, our focus is on harnessing these experiences to accelerate the company's growth and ensure that we continue to deliver market leading cybersecurity solutions to our customers.” #CyberResilience #Strategy #startups

Cato Networks overcame what 70% of Israeli startups could not accomplish in the first half of 2023: secure large financing and increased valuation. What will Cato do with its newest round of funding? Check out what Steven Scheer reports for Reuters. #sase #networksecurity #catonetworks

I’m excited to share that I’m starting a new position as Partner at 10D Looking forward to joining the amazing team Rotem Eldar, Yahal Zilka, Itay Rand and Adi Dangot Zukovsky and lead investments in #early-stage Israeli #startups across various sectors, with a focus on #cyber and #defensetech sectors. Check out the full press release in the link below

📣 Just Released 📣 We’re excited to share Sifted’s Rising 100: The software-savvy startups scaling fast in 2024 across Europe and Israel! As the sponsor of the Rising 100 ranking and accompanying report, now in its third year, Sapphire Ventures is proud to congratulate the founders, CEOs, and companies listed for their strength and ability to innovate, affirming the market’s resilience and reinforcing our conviction in the boundless opportunities ahead. 🚀 The startups featured are working on diverse apps, sites, and platforms designed to kill repetitive tasks, train artificial intelligence, improve automation, combat cybersecurity threats to businesses, and more. See who made the Rising 100 B2B SaaS startup ranking and download the report to uncover the trends shaping these startups and the region: (Links in Comments). CC: Andreas Weiskam, Imogen M., & Georgie Davies #venturecapital #B2BSaaS #B2BSaaSRising100