Guardz Raises $56M to Expand AI-Driven Cybersecurity Platform for MSPs
Guardz, a Miami-based startup led by former IntSights executive Dor Eisner, secured $56 million in Series B funding to enhance its unified automation cybersecurity platform tailored for Managed Service Providers (MSPs). The company plans to use the new capital to develop proprietary AI systems powered by large language models, simplifying security management for MSPs that often juggle multiple disconnected tools.
Eisner explained that this funding supports Guardz’s growth strategy over the next two to three years, focusing on scaling engineering, sales, and marketing efforts. Founded in 2022, Guardz currently employs 118 people and has raised a total of $118 million, including an $18 million Series A round led by Glilot+ in December 2023.
Leveraging AI to Improve Detection and Response
As cybercriminals increasingly utilize generative AI for sophisticated attacks, Guardz is accelerating its product development to stay ahead. The Series B round was led by ClearSky, known for its investments in MSP-focused cybersecurity, bringing valuable market insight and operational support.
"AI is empowering us to build better automation for detection and response," Eisner said. Guardz trains its proprietary AI models using data from thousands of protected businesses. These models are built on Google’s infrastructure and enhanced with Guardz’s own data pipelines and security training.
The funding will expand Guardz’s AI engineering team, improve model precision, and advance automated response capabilities. Guardz’s platform integrates native AI detection and response across identity, email, endpoints, data, and user awareness, supported by a normalized data lake that aggregates and correlates threat data across users and devices.
This centralized approach enables MSPs to manage client security from a single interface, reducing the workload on technicians and enabling automated remediation actions.
Focus on North American Market and MSP Partnerships
Guardz plans to double its workforce from 85 to 170 within the next year, hiring across engineering, marketing, sales, operations, and customer support. Currently, 80% of its customers are in North America, and while Eisner expects a shift to a 70/30 US-to-international customer ratio over time, the U.S. will remain the primary focus.
Eisner emphasized that North America’s small business market is more likely to adopt cybersecurity solutions faster than other regions, such as Japan. Guardz competes with point-solution providers like Huntress, Blackpoint, and Coro but differentiates itself by offering an end-to-end platform that can replace four to seven separate tools per deployment.
Rather than selling directly to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), Guardz empowers MSPs to white-label its platform. This lets MSPs maintain brand control and customer relationships while delivering enterprise-grade security without the complexity of managing multiple tools.
"We want to reach more MSPs, engage in industry events, and invest in community support to enhance the MSP ecosystem," Eisner said. The company plans to allocate significant capital toward MSP community empowerment and related activities.
Why Guardz’s Approach Matters
- Unified Security Platform: Combines identity, email, endpoint, data, and awareness security in one solution.
- AI-Powered Automation: Uses custom-trained AI models to improve threat detection and automate responses.
- MSP-Centric Design: Enables MSPs to offer seamless, white-labeled security services to SMB clients.
- Data-Driven Insights: Aggregates and correlates threat data across users and devices through a normalized data lake.
- Market Focus: Concentrates on the North American small business sector, with plans for gradual international expansion.
Guardz’s approach helps MSPs reduce complexity and improve operational efficiency by consolidating multiple security functions into a single platform. For MSPs and IT professionals interested in AI-driven cybersecurity solutions, Guardz’s progress is worth watching.
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