2023 SC Awards Finalists: Investor of the Year  

Venture capital firm Ballistic Ventures, dedicated to investing in early-stage cybersecurity startups, has become a finalist for Investor of the Year. Launched just over a year ago, the firm has invested in a dozen cybersecurity startups, with nine announcing their investment publicly. Some of these startups include Alethea, ArmorCode, Concentric AI, Nudge Security, Oligo Security, Pangea, Perygee, Talon Cyber Security, and Veza. Ballistic Ventures closed its first fund in May 2022, capped at $300 million, which is exclusively allocated to cybersecurity startups. The founding partners of Ballistic Ventures have a combined experience of over 40 years in the cybersecurity industry and have founded, funded, and operated over 90 successful cybersecurity firms.

Paladin Capital Group, a leading multi-stage cyber and advanced technology investor, has been named a finalist for Investor of the Year. In 2022, the firm invested $80 million in security startups and closed its $372 million Cyber Fund II, dedicated to high-priority cybersecurity sectors. Among the companies Paladin has supported are Expel, FireTail, IriusRisk, Nisos, Hubble Technology, GreyNoise, Semperis, Sandbox AQ, and Decentriq. These businesses offer innovative solutions in areas such as threat detection, API security, secure software development, and quantum computing. Founded in 2001, Paladin has a strong focus on cybersecurity investments, with over $1.5 billion in assets managed across multiple funds since its inception. The firm is committed to creating value for modern society by investing in digital solutions that protect critical infrastructure, build cyber resilience, and facilitate innovation.

Rain Capital, a women-founded and managed venture capital firm based in Silicon Valley, is a finalist for Investor of the Year. The firm specializes in early-stage investments in cybersecurity and modern infrastructure startups. Since its inception, 54% of funded startups have had a woman or diverse founder. Rain Capital has invested over $15 million in cybersecurity startups across its Fund I and II. Notable investments include JupiterOne, Claroty, SOC Prime, Living Security, and Project Discovery. Rain Capital brings industry and technical expertise to its investments, along with go-to-market support. The firm also released the Open Source Security Index, a free resource for the cybersecurity industry. Dr. Chenxi Wang, Rain Capital’s founder, has extensive experience in cybersecurity, having worked in academia, market research, and various executive roles.

Investor of the Year finalist Ten Eleven Ventures supported 12 cybersecurity start-ups in 2022, with investments totaling $117 million. Notable investments include Vulcan, Vaultree, Immersive Labs, and Eclypsium. Since 2015, Ten Eleven has invested $458 million in cybersecurity companies in the US, Europe, and beyond. Their investments are used to advance sales, marketing, and product development, helping start-ups grow and achieve success. Beyond financial support, Ten Eleven offers resources, personal networks, and sector-specific expertise to assist partner companies in their growth.

YL Ventures, a firm specializing in Israeli B2B enterprise cybersecurity solutions, has invested $65M in cybersecurity companies in the past year and $280M over its 15-year history. The firm currently has over $800M under management, including a recently raised $400M Fund V. Its investments, which begin at the seed stage, include companies such as Opus, Eureka, Piiano, Valence, Grip, Enso, Satori, Cycode, Orca Security, Hunters, Vulcan, Karamba, Medigate, Axonius, Twistlock, Build Security, Hexadite, and FireLayers. YL Ventures supports its portfolio companies from their earliest stages, providing the necessary financial foundation to promote growth and longevity in the global market. The firm’s interest in the cybersecurity market stems from the exceptional talent and close-knit community in the Israeli cybersecurity industry.