NetBird, a Berlin-based open-source Zero Trust platform, has raised $10 million in a Series A round led by Pace Capital, with participation from Nauta Capital, InReach Ventures and Antler. The company positions itself as a European alternative to traditional SSL VPNs for enterprise network security. Founded by Mikhail Bragin and Maycon Santos, NetBird began in 2020 as a side project building a privacy-first Dropbox alternative. The founders discovered the real challenge was making secure networking simpler for modern teams. NetBird's platform uses peer-to-peer encrypted networking with WireGuard, eliminating gateways and complex configurations. The company emphasises product-led growth and community-driven development, offering organisations a transparent alternative to legacy VPN solutions that require constant patching and closed-source complexity.

netgo relies on modern ZTNA with NetBird. Discover how netgo modernized secure access by replacing legacy VPNs with NetBird's ZTNA, reducing latency and simplifying operation. About netgo How netgo Uses NetBird Starting Point and the Challenge Industry-Specific Requirements The Solution: NetBird at netgo Results and Business Impact Conclusion and Outlook Company: netgo group GmbH Headquarters: Germany Industry: IT service provider / IT consultancy * Fragmented legacy SSL VPNs and multiple access entry points. * Slow, multi-hour policy rollouts with no real-time enforcement. * Lack of tight integration with Windows Defender and SOC for immediate access revocation. * Complex MSP environment requiring secure access across heterogeneous customer networks. * Limited segmentation and insufficient visibility using traditional VPN models. * Near - real-time access updates (1 - 2 minutes instead of hours). * Zero connection drops and reduced latency through WireGuard P2P architecture. * Strong security posture with automatic access blocking for non-compliant endpoints. * Lower operational overhead by eliminating multiple VPNs and Windows-based routing nodes. * Seamless user experience with transparent, always-on Zero Trust network access. About netgo. With over 1,400 employees at more than 20 locations, netgo is one of the leading IT service providers in Germany, offering a holistic service portfolio as a central IT partner for a wide range of companies and organizations. Thanks to comprehensive expertise along the entire value chain, netgo creates innovative IT architecture, building the foundation for digitally shaped business models. With services across cloud, managed services, IT security, IT infrastructure, and custom software solutions, netgo supports customers in planning, implementing, and operating future-oriented IT landscapes - allowing companies to focus entirely on their core business. More than 20 locations and broad cross-industry expertise ensure close, cooperative, and competent collaboration throughout Germany. The goal: to jointly develop IT concepts that optimally meet individual needs and contribute to business success. How netgo Uses NetBird. * NetBird's integration with Microsoft 365 Entra ID * Event streaming connected to the security monitoring environment * NetBird to securely provide access to critical internal resources Additionally, netgo applies its own architectural concepts and uses several automations to operate and scale NetBird efficiently. Starting Point and the Challenge. netgo selected a Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA) approach as its central access model to: * Create a unified, secure, modern method of accessing critical corporate resources * Move away from traditional client-based VPN solutions that no longer met modern standards * Ensure users only access resources needed for their daily work (Least Privilege by Design) * Integrate tightly with Microsoft Defender and the security monitoring environment Before choosing NetBird, several ZTNA products were evaluated but failed to meet requirements regarding flexibility, functionality, and architectural fit. "We were looking for a modern, integrated zero trust approach - not just another VPN replacement." - Internal stakeholder, netgo Industry-Specific Requirements. As an MSP and IT service provider, netgo operates in a highly complex environment with internal resources, heterogeneous customer networks, VPNs, and strict tenant boundaries. This goes beyond the typical enterprise scenario. Key industry challenges. * Regulatory & Audit Requirements: Need for verifiable access controls, documented least privilege, and clear segmentation. * High Data Security: Internal systems must not be publicly exposed; legacy SSL VPNs insufficient. * Parallel Stacks: Internal ZTNA must coexist with numerous customer VPNs/ZTNAs. * Real-Time Policy Enforcement: Multi-hour policy rollouts are unacceptable. * SOC Integration: Endpoints with critical Defender status must be denied access immediately. "In our industry, delayed policy rollouts and missing integration with our security processes are not a 'nice-to-have' - they're a blocker." - Internal stakeholder, netgo * Fragmented SSL VPNs * Multiple entry points * Limited segmentation * No central transparency * Higher operational overhead The Solution: NetBird at netgo. After extensive evaluation, netgo selected NetBird for its optimal match of architecture, control, cost efficiency, and operational alignment. Why NetBird? * Modern P2P architecture based on WireGuard | eliminates gateway bottlenecks and reduces latency * True network-segment routing, not just host-based access * Native integration with Microsoft Entra ID & Defender | near real-time policy enforcement * Cross-platform peers (Windows, macOS, Linux, iOS, Android) with no Windows-based routing nodes required * Distributed, resilient, segment-per-peer architecture Proof of concept (PoC). * 250 users, 150 systems * Segment-wise high-availability routing peers * Integrated with Entra ID, Defender, and security event streaming * Connected with Microsoft PIM for time-limited ZTNA access requests PoC Results. * Near-instant policy updates * Stable latency and performance * Zero connection drops * Transparent control with no vendor "black box" Results and Business Impact. By adopting NetBird, netgo achieved a significant simplification of secure internal access while removing the operational burdens of legacy SSL VPN and Sophos ZTNA environments. Key outcomes. * Reduced latency via peer-to-peer communication * No dependence on central gateway bottlenecks * Policy updates applied within seconds to minutes * True Conditional Access enabled through Defender compliance * Clear SOC visibility via event streaming Quantifiable improvements. * ~1 - 2 min average access assignment (formerly hours with Sophos ZTNA) * 0 connection drops during PoC * Lower OPEX thanks to Linux-based routing peers * Reduced operational effort by eliminating outdated VPN entry points Internal feedback. "Transparent usage. It just works. No more switching between legacy VPNs." "Since NetBird, I don't have to think about connectivity anymore - It just runs in the background." "The login experience is much faster and more modern." Conclusion and Outlook. NetBird fundamentally improved how netgo provides secure access to internal resources: * Lower operational complexity * Reduced latency * Near-real-time policy updates * Seamless user experience By combining WireGuard-based P2P connectivity, Entra integration, Defender compliance, and SOC telemetry, NetBird delivers the modern zero trust model netgo requires. Today, netgo operates a scalable, modern ZTNA platform that fulfills all security and operational requirements. Next steps. netgo plans to expand NetBird as a central service within the organization and its portfolio. The successful PoC confirmed NetBird as the strategic choice for future access architecture.

NetBird, graduate of Nauta Labs, increases accessibility of network security through zero trust and open-source platform. The round was co-led by Nauta and InReach Ventures, with participation from Antler and a grant from the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research.