Israeli Cybersecurity Firm Upwind Acquires AI Security Startup Aegis

Israeli cybersecurity company Upwind has acquired fellow Israeli startup Aegis in a stock deal valued at tens of millions of dollars. The acquisition will lead to the establishment of Upwind AI Security Labs, a new research and development center focused on emerging cyber threats targeting AI systems and developing defenses for organizations utilizing AI agents and workflows.

This move follows Upwind's recent announcement of a $300 million funding round, which boosted its valuation to approximately $4 billion. Upwind, founded in 2022, specializes in real-time threat analysis within cloud environments. Aegis, founded by former Unit 8200 intelligence officers Omri Limor and Saar Ankoni, was established to address the security challenges posed by AI infrastructure, particularly AI agents.

The two companies had already entered into a strategic partnership, and after several months of collaboration, Upwind decided to integrate Aegis's team and technology. Limor and Ankoni will lead the new Upwind AI Security Labs, which will combine Aegis's research with Upwind's existing cloud security capabilities. The lab's initial team of 12 researchers and developers is expected to grow to around 35 employees within a few months.

Upwind has raised a total of approximately $700 million since its inception. Notable investors include Bessemer, TCV, Cyberstarts, Sarca, Swish Ventures, Picture Capital, Greylock, Craft Ventures, Salesforce Ventures, and Penny Jar Capital, which is owned by NBA star Steph Curry. The company was co-founded by CEO Amiram Shachar, who previously co-founded Spot.io, which was sold to NetApp for $450 million.