Cylake

Cylake

AI-powered on-prem security platform for government

Overview

Cylake builds an AI-native security platform designed for government agencies and highly regulated enterprises that cannot use public cloud. It provides on-premises and private-cloud appliances that collect enterprise data into a single data lake to support detection, investigation, and AI-powered workflows without phoning home. The platform is operated entirely within customers’ environments, using local data storage and processing to maintain control and compliance. Cylake differentiates itself through deep government/regulated focus, a leadership team with experience from Palo Alto Networks and SentinelOne, and a cloud-free approach that keeps data and analytics inside customer premises. The company aims to reach beta in late 2026 and general availability in 2027, backed by significant venture funding to develop the platform and expand the team.

Funded Recently
Launched Recently

About Cylake

Simplify's Rating
Why Cylake is rated
B-
Rated B on Competitive Edge
Rated B on Growth Potential
Rated C on Differentiation

Industries

Government & Public Sector

Enterprise Software

Cybersecurity

AI & Machine Learning

Company Size

11-50

Company Stage

N/A

Total Funding

$290M

Headquarters

Sunnyvale, California

Founded

2026

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Simplify's Take

What believers are saying

  • On September 8, 2026, Cylake raised $245 million, totaling $290 million.
  • On September 16, 2026, Cylake said well over 10 organizations joined design partners.
  • Beta is targeted for late 2026, giving customers a near-term evaluation window.

What critics are saying

  • Cylake ships no public product yet, so design partner enthusiasm remains unproven revenue.
  • Palo Alto Networks, CrowdStrike, and SentinelOne already own budgets Cylake needs in 2027.
  • If beta slips past 2026, Cylake burns cash before proving sovereign AI security demand.

What makes Cylake unique

  • Cylake runs entirely on-premises or private cloud, serving sovereignty-bound agencies and banks.
  • Nir Zuk, Udi Shamir, and Wilson Xu bring Palo Alto Networks and SentinelOne credibility.
  • In-Q-Tel and Lightspeed board support aligns Cylake with U.S. national-security buyers.

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Funding

Total Funding

$290M

Above

Industry Average

Funded Over

2 Rounds

Convertible funding comparison data is currently unavailable. We're working to provide this information soon!
Convertible Funding Comparison
Coming Soon

Growth & Insights and Company News

Headcount

6 month growth

↑ 2%

1 year growth

↑ 0%

2 year growth

↑ 0%
Tech in Asia
Sep 9th, 2026
Lightspeed joins $245m raise for cybersecurity startup Cylake.

Lightspeed joins $245m raise for cybersecurity startup Cylake. Israeli cybersecurity startup Cylake, which builds AI-native security software for large organizations, has raised US$245 million through a convertible note, bringing its total funding to US$290 million. The round included Lightspeed Venture Partners, Picture Capital, and Redpoint Ventures. It followed Cylake's March launch with a US$45 million seed round led by Greylock Partners. Lightspeed's Ravi Mhatre joined the board, while Picture Capital's Rakesh Loonkar became a board observer. Founded in early 2026 by Palo Alto Networks founder Nir Zuk, Wilson Xu, and Ehud (Udi) Shamir, Cylake is developing a cybersecurity platform for organizations with strict regulatory and security needs, including government agencies, critical infrastructure operators, and financial institutions. The platform is designed to run entirely on-premises or in private-cloud environments. Cylake has more than 40 employees and expects a beta release toward the end of 2026, before general availability in 2027. That focus reflects data-sovereignty and compliance requirements that affect where financial institutions decide data is stored and processed and how governments approach using public cloud. Stay updated on the go with our mobile app. Get latest insights with smoother, more personalized experience through TIA mobile app. How would you feel if you could no longer use Tech in Asia? Share, tag us, and land on our Wall of!

CloudLink Tech
Sep 8th, 2026
Cylake raises $245M for sovereign, on-premises AI security.

Cylake raises $245M for sovereign, on-premises AI security. Cylake raised $245 million via a convertible note to build an AI-native cybersecurity platform for on-premises and private cloud use; beta is planned for end of 2026, GA in 2027. Cylake has raised $245 million through a convertible note to develop an AI-native cybersecurity platform that runs on customer premises and in private cloud environments. The company plans a beta release by the end of 2026 and general availability in 2027. The financing brings Cylake's total funding to $290 million after a $45 million seed round led by Greylock Partners when the company emerged from stealth in March 2026. Investors in the latest round include Lightspeed Venture Partners, Picture Capital and Redpoint Ventures. Lightspeed partner and co-founder Ravi Mhatre will join Cylake's board of directors. Picture Capital partner Rakesh Loonkar will serve as a board observer. Cylake was founded by Nir Zuk, Wilson Xu and Ehud "Udi" Shamir. Zuk founded Palo Alto Networks and served more than two decades as its chief technology officer. Xu held engineering leadership roles at Palo Alto Networks. Shamir co-founded SentinelOne and later worked at Palo Alto Networks as a senior developer and security researcher. René Bonvanie, formerly chief marketing officer at Palo Alto Networks, has also joined the startup. The company says the platform will aggregate data and context from across an organization's systems into a single foundation to support protection and AI-driven security workflows. Cylake built the product to operate entirely on customer premises or in private clouds to meet data sovereignty requirements and to address visibility gaps that arise when multiple security tools each see only part of an organization's data. Since emerging from stealth, Cylake has grown to more than 40 employees and plans to expand hiring across engineering, product and other functions. The company intends to use the new funding to accelerate product development and scale its team ahead of the beta and public release. In the company's funding announcement, Zuk wrote that Cylake targets organizations that must combine advanced cybersecurity technology with control over their data and infrastructure. He added that for those customers public cloud is not the right operating model and that architecture needs to be rebuilt around complete data, sovereignty and control for an AI-native world. Cylake positions its offering for government agencies and highly regulated enterprises that restrict use of third-party cloud services. The startup differentiates itself from security vendors that operate primarily from public cloud platforms.

Asianet-Pakistan (Pvt.) Ltd.
Sep 8th, 2026
Cylake closes $245 million funding round ahead of beta release for next-generation cybersecurity product.

Cylake closes $245 million funding round ahead of beta release for next-generation cybersecurity product. 5 hours ago Funding will support continued team growth and accelerate development of Cylake's complete, AI-native, data-driven cybersecurity platform for the world's largest and most regulated institutions. SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Cylake, the complete cybersecurity platform for operational sovereignty, announced today it has raised $245 million through a convertible note, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Picture Capital, and Redpoint Ventures. This latest funding brings Cylake's total raised to $290 million, following a $45 million seed round in March 2026 led by Greylock Partners. The new capital will support continued product development for Cylake's complete, AI-native, fully sovereign cybersecurity platform, as well as ongoing team growth. The company is currently working with a cohort of industry-leading design partners to deliver a cyber platform for highly regulated commercial and government organizations, with a beta product expected by the end of 2026 and full general availability in 2027. "Most of the market has been slow to realize how AI and SaaS shifted the goalposts for enterprise cybersecurity. Cylake identified that gap early and is building the answer," said Ravi Mhatre, Partner and Co-founder at Lightspeed Venture Partners, who joins Cylake's Board of Directors. "Highly regulated organizations have requirements around data sovereignty and control that existing approaches were not designed to address, and Cylake has assembled an exceptional team to take on that opportunity." End-to-end protection without sacrificing control Cylake is developing its platform for organizations that require complete cybersecurity capabilities with full data sovereignty. The product will operate entirely on premises or in private cloud environments, enabling organizations to maintain full control over their data, infrastructure, and operations. This holistic approach also enables Cylake to operate on a single, complete data foundation, avoiding coverage gaps that create vulnerabilities while empowering AI workflows with an end-to-end view. "Having worked with Nir for more than 30 years, I've seen firsthand his ability to anticipate where the market is going and build the anchor products that will define the next generation of cybersecurity," said Rakesh Loonkar, Partner at Picture Capital, who joins as a Board Observer. "Cylake is already partnering with some of the top organizations across industries on product development, and I'm confident demand will only accelerate as the team moves toward general availability." Strong momentum and continued growth Since emerging from stealth in March, Cylake has expanded its engineering and product teams and deepened its work with design partners ahead of beta. The company has grown to more than 40 employees and plans to continue hiring across engineering, product, and other key functions. "We are building Cylake for organizations that cannot compromise between adopting advanced cybersecurity technology and maintaining control of their data and infrastructure," said Nir Zuk, CEO and Founder of Cylake. "In those cases, the public cloud is not the right operating model. The architecture needs to be rebuilt around complete data, sovereignty, and control for an AI-native world. This investment lets us accelerate that work." Cylake's cybersecurity platform is centered on a unified data foundation for highly regulated organizations that require greater sovereignty, control, and visibility. Rather than relying on fragmented security tools that operate on partial information, the platform gives organizations a holistic view of data and context across their infrastructure while maintaining full operational control. About Cylake Cylake is a cybersecurity company built for the world's largest and most regulated institutions. Co-founded by Nir Zuk, Wilson Xu, and Ehud (Udi) Shamir, Cylake is led by a team of experienced security engineers and operators. The company is developing a complete cybersecurity platform designed for full data sovereignty and intended for on-premises and private environments that require operational control and accountability. Cylake is focused on helping organizations that operate under strict constraints maintain security at scale. For more information, visit cylake.com or LinkedIn, X, Substack, and YouTube. Media contact: [email protected] GlobeNewswire Distribution ID 9822072

Business Insider
Sep 8th, 2026
Cylake closes $245M funding round for AI-native cybersecurity platform

Cylake, a cybersecurity platform company, has raised $245 million in a convertible note round led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Picture Capital, and Redpoint Ventures. This brings the Sunnyvale-based startup's total funding to $290 million, following a $45 million seed round in March 2026. The company is developing an AI-native cybersecurity platform designed for highly regulated organisations requiring full data sovereignty. The platform operates entirely on premises or in private cloud environments, enabling organisations to maintain complete control over their data and infrastructure. Cylake plans to release a beta product by the end of 2026, with general availability expected in 2027. The company has grown to over 40 employees since emerging from stealth in March and will use the funding to support product development and team expansion.

GlobeNewswire
Sep 8th, 2026
Cylake closes $245 million funding round ahead of beta release for next-generation cybersecurity product.

Cylake closes $245 million funding round ahead of beta release for next-generation cybersecurity product. Funding will support continued team growth and accelerate development of Cylake's complete, AI-native, data-driven cybersecurity platform for the world's largest and most regulated institutions. September 08, 2026 10:00 ET | Source: Cylake SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 08, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) - Cylake, the complete cybersecurity platform for operational sovereignty, announced today it has raised $245 million through a convertible note, with participation from Lightspeed Venture Partners, Picture Capital, and Redpoint Ventures. This latest funding brings Cylake's total raised to $290 million, following a $45 million seed round in March 2026 led by Greylock Partners. The new capital will support continued product development for Cylake's complete, AI-native, fully sovereign cybersecurity platform, as well as ongoing team growth. The company is currently working with a cohort of industry-leading design partners to deliver a cyber platform for highly regulated commercial and government organizations, with a beta product expected by the end of 2026 and full general availability in 2027. "Most of the market has been slow to realize how AI and SaaS shifted the goalposts for enterprise cybersecurity. Cylake identified that gap early and is building the answer," said Ravi Mhatre, Partner and Co-founder at Lightspeed Venture Partners, who joins Cylake's Board of Directors. "Highly regulated organizations have requirements around data sovereignty and control that existing approaches were not designed to address, and Cylake has assembled an exceptional team to take on that opportunity." End-to-end protection without sacrificing control Cylake is developing its platform for organizations that require complete cybersecurity capabilities with full data sovereignty. The product will operate entirely on premises or in private cloud environments, enabling organizations to maintain full control over their data, infrastructure, and operations. This holistic approach also enables Cylake to operate on a single, complete data foundation, avoiding coverage gaps that create vulnerabilities while empowering AI workflows with an end-to-end view. "Having worked with Nir for more than 30 years, I've seen firsthand his ability to anticipate where the market is going and build the anchor products that will define the next generation of cybersecurity," said Rakesh Loonkar, Partner at Picture Capital, who joins as a Board Observer. "Cylake is already partnering with some of the top organizations across industries on product development, and I'm confident demand will only accelerate as the team moves toward general availability." Strong momentum and continued growth Since emerging from stealth in March, Cylake has expanded its engineering and product teams and deepened its work with design partners ahead of beta. The company has grown to more than 40 employees and plans to continue hiring across engineering, product, and other key functions. "We are building Cylake for organizations that cannot compromise between adopting advanced cybersecurity technology and maintaining control of their data and infrastructure," said Nir Zuk, CEO and Founder of Cylake. "In those cases, the public cloud is not the right operating model. The architecture needs to be rebuilt around complete data, sovereignty, and control for an AI-native world. This investment lets us accelerate that work." Cylake's cybersecurity platform is centered on a unified data foundation for highly regulated organizations that require greater sovereignty, control, and visibility. Rather than relying on fragmented security tools that operate on partial information, the platform gives organizations a holistic view of data and context across their infrastructure while maintaining full operational control. About Cylake Cylake is a cybersecurity company built for the world's largest and most regulated institutions. Co-founded by Nir Zuk, Wilson Xu, and Ehud (Udi) Shamir, Cylake is led by a team of experienced security engineers and operators. The company is developing a complete cybersecurity platform designed for full data sovereignty and intended for on-premises and private environments that require operational control and accountability. Cylake is focused on helping organizations that operate under strict constraints maintain security at scale. For more information, visit cylake.com or LinkedIn, X, Substack, and YouTube. Media contact: [email protected] Release Summary Cylake, the complete cybersecurity platform for operational sovereignty, announced it has raised $245 million ahead of beta release

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