Strike raises $13.5M to expand its AI-driven continuous penetration testing platform – News

Continuous penetration testing startup Strike Strike LLC today announced that it had raised $13.5 million in early-stage funding to scale up in the U.S. and Brazil and to launch Strike360, an artificial intelligence-powered pentesting engine that automates security testing.

Founded in 2021 and based in Uruguay, Strike connects ethical hackers with over 100 companies to deliver AI-powered continuous pentesting at scale. Penetration testing involves ethical hackers mounting attacks against a company’s security infrastructure to find vulnerabilities that need to be patched.

Strike’s core offering is its continuous penetration testing service, which is designed to help organizations identify and remediate security vulnerabilities proactively. The use of ethical hackers allows Strike to provide real-time alerts for each discovered vulnerability, accompanied by actionable remediation suggestions, allowing clients to address security issues and enhance their overall security posture.

Customers have the ability to modify the scope of their tests even after initiation, ensuring that the assessments remain aligned with current priorities. Through Strike’s self-service platform, customers can interact directly with their assigned ethical hackers, fostering clear communication and ensuring that testing efforts are tailored to organizational objectives.

The company’s platform also delivers real-time reporting capabilities that allow customers to receive immediate notifications upon the discovery of vulnerabilities. Additionally, customers can download ready-for-compliance reports at any stage of the pentesting process, aiding in meeting various regulatory requirements and streamlining the compliance process.

Using hackers can sometimes raise alarms, but Strike’s ethical hackers all ​possess globally recognized certifications such as ​Offensive Security Certified Professional, Offensive Security Certified Expert and Offensive Security Web Expert. Many of the hacking professionals used by Strike are also active on prominent bug bounty platforms, often ranking within the top 100 on leaderboards. The expertise ensures that clients receive thorough and effective security assessments tailored to their specific technologies and industries.

The Series A round was led by FinTech Collective Inc., with Galicia Ventures SA and existing investors, including Greyhound Capital Management LLP, FJ Labs, Canary Ventures and Carao Ventures also participating.

Also announced alongside the new funding was Strike’s debut of Strike360, an AI-powered platform designed to automate security testing. The service leverages AI and machine learning to enhance vulnerability detection, automate retesting and streamline compliance processes for enterprises.

The platform introduces AI-powered attack simulations to uncover hidden vulnerabilities that traditional tools often miss. It also features automated retesting, which reduces detection times from months to seconds and compliance automation, making security certification processes more efficient.

“Companies are spending millions on security, yet hackers still breach them before they are aware of their vulnerabilities and can react,” said Santiago Rosenblatt, chief executive officer and founder of Strike. “Strike is already flipping the script – and our AI-driven platform will accelerate vulnerability detection, retesting, and compliance reporting even more, at an unprecedented scale.”

Image: Strike