Our Investment in Cequence Security: Bringing Visibility to API Security
As companies go digital, the use of application programming interfaces (APIs) is exploding. Companies use APIs for everything from web and mobile applications to internal business processes. However, API development is widely distributed in most organizations and they are quickly becoming the number one attack vector for cybersecurity breaches.
As many industry folks would agree, you can’t protect what you can’t see. Traditional API management solutions lack the visibility required to analyze and protect APIs in real time. Because of this, vulnerability to malicious bot attacks remain likely as other cybersecurity solutions require the deployment of outside applications to observe and resolve any cyber attacks.
Cequence Security, our latest investment in cybersecurity, protects APIs from coding errors that introduce security gaps and stops malicious bot attacks through its open and scalable end-to-end API Security Platform at a time when security is more critical than ever. Cequence functions at a record breaking rate, protecting over 2 billion API transactions per day. Its unique inline architecture natively tracks API inventory, managing risk assessments and performing threat prevention at runtime. Cequence is unique in that it can detect API vulnerabilities but also block them in real time. With this new Series C round led by Menlo, Cequence will expand its global footprint, team and product offerings. Additional products will include multiple iterations of security service modules for ASP, all designed to work together and leverage a simplified product architecture and strong security DNA.
Cequence offers a differentiated approach, with an intense focus on applications and data, “Multi-Cloud Native” DNA and simple product architecture. Currently, Cequence supports Global 2000 and Fortune 500 enterprise companies such as T-Mobile, American Express and Ulta Beauty among others. The customer love for this company is very strong and they have suffered no churn in customers since inception.
The company has impressive leadership at the helm. Cyber industry veterans Ameya Talwalkar (co-founder and CPO) and Shreyans Mehta (co-founder and CTO) are excellent product leaders, coming from technical roles at Symantec. I’ve known President and CEO Larry Link for more than 15 years and jumped at the chance to back him at Cequence. Larry has deep experience in the cyber industry from both his board work and operating experience. He joined Palo Alto Networks as the first VP of Sales and grew them to $350M in revenue. He’s a fantastic leader and I’m delighted to partner with him and the entire Cequence team as they continue to build and grow the platform.
Cybersecurity continues to be a major focus for Menlo and Cequence checks many boxes for what we look for in making a cybersecurity investment. (See our Cybersecurity checklist.)
Today we welcome Cequence Security to the Menlo portfolio; they are in great company, joining a roster of leading cybersecurity companies that includes Sonrai Security, Appdome, BitSight, Dedrone, StackRox, Abnormal Security, Strata, and Immersive Labs. We will continue to grow that portfolio and are actively investing in security solutions that will guard our future. If you are a founder of a cybersecurity company, we’d love to hear from you.
