Application Security
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Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning
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Next-Generation Technologies & Secure Development
New Funding Fuels Growth and AI Security Advancements for U.S. Government
A Tel Aviv-based startup specializing in agentic AI security, Zenity, has successfully secured $38 million in funding aimed at enhancing the security of low-code, no-code, and generative AI development platforms.
For reference, consider how crucial it is to establish a solid security framework around AI applications; without it, organizations are exposed to various risks.
Zenity, co-founded by former Microsoft product manager Ben Kliger in 2021, plans to utilize this Series B funding to ramp up research and development, expand its product offerings to both secure and transform digital processes, and strengthen partnerships with key platforms like Microsoft and Salesforce. Kliger emphasized the need to focus on safeguarding AI-driven solutions used by non-technical staff within large organizations.
“With the current evolution in technology, we need to significantly accelerate our efforts across all departments at Zenity to meet the increasing demand we’ve observed,” Kliger remarked in an interview with Information Security Media Group. “It’s clear we’re experiencing an unusual spike in market interest.”
Since its inception, Zenity has raised over $55 million, which also includes a $16.5 million Series A round led by Intel Capital in September 2023. Kliger, who spearheaded product initiatives for Microsoft’s cloud workload protection platform for nearly three years, has been instrumental in Zenity’s vision of ensuring application security.
Applying Application Security to Generative AI
This latest funding round was backed by Third Point Ventures and DTCP, firms Kliger regards as strategic partners vital for penetrating the North American and European markets. Their experience in nurturing category-creating companies aligns perfectly with Zenity’s mission to bolster security in emerging tech environments.
“Third Point Ventures has significant connections within the North American market, focusing on sectors like financial services and healthcare, which are ideal targets for our services,” Kliger explained.
Zenity’s future plans include expanding support for AI agents and Copilot development across platforms such as Microsoft, Salesforce, and ServiceNow. The company aims to enhance its platform to accommodate enterprise systems including OpenAI, Google, SAP, and Oracle, while also tailoring deployment models to meet the unique requirements of heavily regulated sectors.
“Our objective is to cater to the entire organization, not just the security teams, particularly in light of ongoing digital transformation initiatives,” said Kliger. “This entails broadening our platform’s features and capabilities.”
Zenity stands out by applying traditional application security principles to generative AI, targeting users with little technical expertise who are developing or using applications devoid of standard development safeguards. Kliger pointed out the shift toward non-developers accessing and leveraging these technologies without any security training, illuminating Zenity’s unique position within the market.
Meeting the Security Demands of the U.S. Government
To adapt to the increasing demand for generative AI in the public sector, Zenity is set to broaden its reach within the U.S. federal government by offering hybrid and on-premise deployment options meticulously tailored to conform to regulatory frameworks.
“Federal organizations often require more than a simple SaaS solution; they look for dedicated federal deployments which necessitate transforming how our product is structured, particularly regarding data sharing,” Kliger noted.
Besides utilizing the $38 million to enhance its North American market presence, Zenity will actively forge strategic alliances with major technology ecosystems, targeting synchronization of its security solutions with platforms like Microsoft and Salesforce. Kliger underscored the importance of partnering with leading tech suppliers to refine Zenity’s offerings.
“Seizing the opportunity to collaborate with the industry’s giants, we aim to present ourselves as the security backbone for their offerings to both their organizations and their clients,” Kliger stated.
To gauge its success, Zenity has set qualitative targets focused on acquiring clients in vital sectors like financial services and healthcare while also emphasizing the growth and operational metrics required to sustain healthy business practices. Kliger shared that ambitious growth plans will necessitate targeted hiring in sales, marketing, product development, and security research.
“We’re committed to closely monitoring our growth KPIs to ensure we maintain a balance between rapid expansion and responsible business practices,” he concluded.
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