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Cybersecurity startup focuses on tackling cloud infrastructure vulnerabilities and reducing alert fatigue with innovative solutions
Cybersecurity remains a top priority for enterprises seeking robust defenses against increasingly sophisticated cyber threats, and venture capitalists are eager to capitalize on this growing demand. In the latest development, Upwind a company specializing in securing and assessing cloud infrastructure, is nearing the close of a $100 million Series B funding round, which will bring its valuation to an estimated $850-$900 million post-money.
TechCrunch has confirmed the details of the deal, which includes both new and existing investors. Among them are prominent venture firms like **Craft Ventures**, **Greylock**, **CyberStarts**, **Leaders Fund**, and **Omri Casspi’s Sheva Fund**. In addition, **Steph Curry’s investment firm Penny Jar** is also backing Upwind. The Series B round is in its final stages and is expected to close in the coming days, potentially with additional investors joining in.
A Rapid Rise in Valuation and Client Acquisition
This Series B round marks a significant milestone for Upwind, which has experienced rapid growth in both its client base and workforce. The company has secured **dozens of Fortune 500 companies** as clients, a noteworthy achievement that highlights its growing influence in the cloud security space. Additionally, Upwind has expanded its team to around **160 employees**, demonstrating its ongoing investment in talent to scale its platform.
Upwind’s impressive trajectory follows its previous funding rounds, including a **$50 million round in September 2023**, which pushed its valuation to just **$300 million**. Since then, the company has seen a dramatic increase in its market value, nearly tripling in less than a year. The latest round of funding will be allocated toward **research and development**, as well as expanding the company’s headcount, with plans to add **100 new employees** across its offices in **Israel**, **San Francisco**, and **Iceland**.
The Rise of Upwind’s Cybersecurity Platform
Upwind was founded by Amiram Shachar, a serial entrepreneur with a track record of successful ventures. Shachar previously sold his cloud spend management startup Spot.io to NetApp for $450 million, bringing valuable experience and expertise to Upwind’s cybersecurity efforts. Much like many other cybersecurity startups emerging from Israel, Upwind draws on its founders’ deep backgrounds in military intelligence and security, which is becoming a hallmark of Israeli cybersecurity innovation.
Upwind focuses on one of the most pressing issues in the cloud security space: vulnerabilities in cloud infrastructure. In particular, the company aims to address the overwhelming volume of security alerts that businesses often face from threat detection tools. Traditional security tools tend to generate a large number of alerts, many of which are false positives or irrelevant, leading to alert fatigue for security teams. Upwind’s platform addresses this by reducing false alerts by up to 90%, enabling security operations teams to focus on real, actionable threats and respond to them more effectively and efficiently.
This approach is particularly important in the cloud, where businesses often rely on a mix of third-party services, APIs, and internal infrastructure. Upwind’s platform covers a wide range of security areas, including vulnerability management, identity security, workload protection , container security, and API vulnerability management. By providing an integrated, platform-based solution, Upwind is able to deliver a more cohesive and streamlined approach to securing cloud-based environments, minimizing the complexity that often comes with managing multiple point solutions.
A Platform Approach to Cloud Security
The need for cloud security has never been more urgent, especially as businesses continue to shift operations to cloud-based environments. Upwind’s platform approach stands out because it tackles the complexity of modern cloud infrastructures in a unified way. Rather than relying on siloed solutions for different aspects of security, Upwind integrates security measures across cloud services, workloads, and applications, ensuring that companies can better protect their entire tech stack from vulnerabilities.
The platform’s ability to provide visibility and control over identity management, vulnerabilities , and workloads is crucial for businesses looking to manage risk and stay ahead of evolving threats. Furthermore, its focus on API security ensures that one of the most common attack vectors in the cloud is closely monitored and mitigated, especially as companies increasingly adopt API-driven services.
Upwind’s Growing Influence in the Cybersecurity Space
As Upwind continues to expand its client base and enhance its platform, it is positioning itself as a key player in the evolving cloud security landscape. With its deep expertise, strong investor backing, and a unique platform approach, Upwind is well on its way to becoming a major force in the cybersecurity industry.
The company’s focus on reducing alert fatigue and simplifying cloud security management aligns with broader trends in the cybersecurity space, where businesses are increasingly looking for more intelligent, automated, and integrated solutions. Upwind’s ability to balance cutting-edge technology with a focus on user-friendly, actionable insights could make it an essential partner for enterprises looking to bolster their cloud security posture.
