Welcome to our first monthly roundup!
To all our new readers, this is our monthly snapshot, giving you the biggest deals, hiring trends we are seeing this month and of course our predictions for the next month.
August was absolutely crazy. Let's dive in.
August Overview
Mega-deal mania: KKR drops $230M on Ontic while Thoma Bravo goes big with $2B Verint acquisition
AI security gold rush: SentinelOne grabs Prompt Security for $250M as GenAI protection becomes table stakes
Identity consolidation accelerates: Okta scoops up Israeli startup Axiom, 1Kosmos raises $47M Series B
Platform warfare intensifies: Zscaler acquires Red Canary to complete their security stack
Tel Aviv stays hot: Multiple Israeli exits and funding rounds prove the ecosystem isn't slowing down
The GenAI security reality: Enterprise adoption creating massive demand for AI governance platforms
Deals of the Month
Ontic - $230M Series C (KKR leading)
Seemplicity - $50M Series B (Sienna Venture Capital)
1Kosmos - $47M Series B (Forgepoint Capital & Oquirrh Ventures)
Dream Security - $45M Secondary Market
Vali Cyber - $4.6M Venture Round
Our Take: Protective intelligence breaks out; identity remains investable; Israeli execution continues to outperform.
Major M&A
Thoma Bravo acquires Verint Systems - $2B
SentinelOne acquires Prompt Security - $250M
Zscaler acquires Red Canary - Undisclosed
Okta acquires Axiom - Undisclosed
Our Take: Platforms are buying capabilities (MDR, AI governance, IAM workflows) rather than point features.
Market Intelligence Deep Dive
The Early Stage Pipeline
While headlines focus on mega-deals, 38.7% of August's 31 cybersecurity funding rounds were early stage (Seed/Pre-Seed/Angel). This is actually very healthy market behavior - it means innovation isn't being crowded out and the little guys still have a voice!
VC’s are showing us time and time again, if you have a winning idea, no matter how small, they will back it!
The 10 seed deals in August alone prove we are still finding fresh angles on security problems, from hypervisor protection (Vali Cyber) to GenAI governance (the space Prompt Security just exited from).
Israeli Cybersecurity Continues to Shine
Will they ever stop?!
No of course not and we think its fantastic. For a country with 9 million people, Israel's cybersecurity output is statistically impossible unless you factor in the Unit 8200 military intelligence training pipeline.
Tel Aviv companies captured multiple major funding rounds this month - Seemplicity ($50M), Dream Security ($45M), HUB Security, plus the Axiom acquisition by Okta.
Israel doesn’t care about local markets anymore. They are the global GTM net powerhouse, continue to open US offices even before they have finished their Series A rounds!!
August Hiring Trends
The Founding AE Wave
We've brought on 12 new Account Executive roles this month, with a notable surge in Founding AE positions. This is an expected shift coming from the end of summer. Companies are putting their early stage funding to use and are asking us for the best builders in the business.
Salaries are ranging from $150k to $225k, with Founding AE roles typically sitting at the higher end of this range given the additional responsibility of building the entire sales function.
Geographic distribution shows healthy market diversification
Our 25 roles this month are are split across East and West Coast USA, Europe, and Israel - giving us a inkling that the market is very health right now. Local market knowledge is HOT right now, with all our Israeli teams looking to grow into the East Coast with new hires.
And while this is just a monthly snapshot, it’s worth noting that over three quarters of all open roles are still US-based. The market hasn’t consolidated into a single hub — yet.
Hot Jobs
Account Executive, £160K OTE | Cyber Theft Protection | France
Early-stage cybersecurity vendor building presence in Europe. Need French-speaking AE with SaaS/enterprise sales background.
Contact: [email protected]
Founding Account Executive, $400K OTE | Identity Threat Detection | US
Seed-stage cyber startup hiring its first GTM hire. Looking for a builder AE who can open doors and shape process. Fast path to leadership as sales team scales.
Contact: [email protected]
Senior Enterprise AE, $300K OTE | API Security | Remote US
API security vendor scaling aggressively in North America. Strategic accounts focus with high visibility to leadership.
Contact: [email protected]
VP of Sales, $400–500K + Equity | Identity | Tri-State / NYC
High-growth identity vendor seeking proven GTM exec. Must bring repeatable playbook and ability to scale teams.
Contact: [email protected]
Account Manager, $260–280K OTE | Cyber Solutions | US, Charlotte (Hybrid)
Global cybersecurity leader hiring a territory account manager for the Carolinas. Must be Charlotte-based with enterprise account experience. Role focuses on managing strategic accounts, growing revenue, and partnering with C-suite stakeholders.
Contact: [email protected]
Ready to make your next move? These roles won't stay open long.
September Predictions
Jobs surge as summer seasonality ends; Q3 close + Q4 pipeline pressure = more AE/SE/RevOps openings.
Left-field IAM move. Expect an enterprise buyer to snap up an IAM/IAG asset; watch mid-tier identity/data firms at $50M–$300M ARR with thin AI depth.
Series B validation wave. July–August B-round winners will announce tier-1 customer wins/partnerships → sets up accelerated Series C timelines.
What are your thoughts? Email me directly! [email protected]
📥 Inbox Intel
Have market intelligence to share? Our network sees deals before they're announced, hiring freezes before they're public, and technology shifts before they hit the headlines.
Send us your tips:
Funding rounds in stealth mode
Executive movements and reorganizations
Customer wins/losses that signal market shifts
Technology partnerships before they're announced
Hiring sprees or freezes at specific companies
Email: [email protected]
All sources protected. We verify before we publish.
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Editor: Ryan Keeley | London