Exclusive: Guardz locks up $56M Series B for cybersecurity

Guardz raised a $56 million Series B led by ClearSky to help managed service providers (MSPs) better secure small and medium-sized businesses, co-founder and CEO Dor Eisner tells Axios Pro.
Why it matters: MSPs struggle with the proliferation of security tools as SMBs face even more attacks.
How it works: Guardz's detection and response platform is designed to streamline MSPs' active protection of small businesses' digital assets into a single engine using both AI agents and human expertise.
Zoom in: The round also included new investor Phoenix Financial and existing investors Glilot Capital Partners, SentinelOne, Hanaco Ventures, iAngels, GKFF Ventures, and Lumir Ventures.
Catch up quick: The new round brings Miami-based Guardz's total funding to $84 million in just more than two years.
What they're saying:"What we are seeing is a shift in how bad guys attack," Eisner said. "It used to be they would just attack big companies. Now they are selling attack-as-a-service so other people can use these tools against small businesses."

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Yahoo

42 minutes ago

• Yahoo

British Airways trials removing individual water bottles from flights

British Airways is trialling removing water bottles from in-flight drinks services as part of 'efforts to reduce plastic waste'. Economy passengers on long-haul flights connecting London Heathrow with three US cities – Miami, Boston, and Los Angeles – will instead be served cups of water as part of the new sustainability trial. Paper cups provided by cabin crew have temporarily replaced individual plastic water bottles on these select routes for travellers in BA's economy and premium economy cabins. On a FlyerTalk forum, a passenger flying from Miami to Heathrow said: 'There were no bottles of water they could give me as BA is trialling not offering any bottles of water for two weeks now.' They added that the individual water cuts were 'obviously a cost-saving exercise under the guise of saving the polar bears'. The airline confirmed that a one-week trial reducing single-use plastic onboard is running between 16 and 22 June. BA's Club World and first class passengers are not currently impacted by the experimental plastic bottle ban. A spokesperson for British Airways told The Independent: 'This is a one-week trial on three routes as part of efforts to reduce plastic waste. The views of our customers are very important to us, and we'll be listening very carefully to their feedback.' In October 2024, BA was accused of scrambling to cut costs by frequent flyers after introducing a new brunch service on long-haul flights. The extended breakfast for lunch meals are served on flights that depart between 8.30am and 11.29am. Menu items for the primary inflight meal across seat categories now include cheese frittatas, Belgian waffles and poached eggs on sourdough, rather than a full meal. Several frequent flyers said they considered the changes 'cheap' and a 'major downgrade' of the service. BA said the new brunch service was implemented in line with positive customer feedback on classic brunch dishes and lighter lunch options.

Business Upturn

an hour ago

• Business Upturn

GroomYourGram: The Profit-First Influencer Agency Rewriting India's Marketing Playbook

In a space often defined by vanity metrics and unpredictability, GroomYourGram has emerged as a refreshingly grounded and profitable force in influencer marketing. Founded five years ago, this Mumbai-based agency has worked with over 300 brands and powered more than 1,000 campaigns—ranging from beauty and skincare to automobile and finance. With a team of 32 operating out of its Lokhandwala office, GroomYourGram delivers not only scale but results. A core strength lies in its unparalleled access to India's creator economy. With a curated community of over 400,000 influencers and 10,000+ active campaign participants monthly, GroomYourGram helps brands like Juicy Chemistry, Tira Beauty, Pilgrim, and Dot & Key craft meaningful narratives. On the corporate front, the agency has driven HDFC Bank's LinkedIn growth strategy and supported pharma giants such as Cipla Health and Glenmark in awareness initiatives. From pioneering Instagram Reels marketing to being among the top 4 agencies for Moj, GroomYourGram has always anticipated trends before they broke mainstream. It has led campaigns with celebrities like Kiara Advani, Janhvi Kapoor, and Ranveer Singh for brands including Mercedes-Benz, Renault, Skoda Kylak, Pepe Jeans, Snitch, and Spykar. Spearheaded by Palak Tannaa, who commands a LinkedIn audience of over 62,000 professionals, the team combines creative ingenuity with data intelligence. Despite multiple investment offers, the agency continues to be self-funded—prioritizing vision over valuation. As a brand that has been profitable since Day One, GroomYourGram exemplifies what happens when influence meets intention. What sets the agency apart is its refusal to follow a one-size-fits-all strategy. Each campaign is customized—whether it's for a youth-centric fashion brand like Freakins or a global skincare label entering Tier II cities. Their campaigns aren't just viral—they're valuable. The agency's model blends strategy with scale. In a world saturated by content, it doesn't just amplify messages—it aligns them with audiences that matter. Fashion clients like Libas, Spykar, and Pepe Jeans see tailored influencer-led storytelling campaigns that go beyond 'likes' and drive brand lift. Healthcare and pharma clients get compliance-ready creativity, while finance brands benefit from thought leadership-led influencer models. Internally, the company operates like a startup but performs like an enterprise. Its operational agility allows quick campaign turnaround, while its in-house tech stack and talent pipeline ensure scalability without compromise. The company is in the process of rolling out an AI-powered influencer analytics tool to further help brands measure ROI and sentiment in real time. With its finger firmly on the cultural pulse, GroomYourGram is not just building campaigns—it's building a new marketing DNA for India's digital-first brands. As brands in India increasingly seek partners who can combine storytelling, performance, and trust, GroomYourGram is becoming the agency of choice—not just for creators and companies, but for the future of digital India. For Business Upturn readers who track growth-focused stories and high-ROI ventures, this isn't just about numbers. It's about sustainable scale, high-value execution, and the future of profitable digital innovation. FOR MORE INFORMATION: Ahmedabad Plane Crash

3 hours ago

Conservation group makes $60M land deal to end mining threat outside Okefenokee Swamp

SAVANNAH, Ga. -- A conservation group said Friday it has reached a $60 million deal to buy land outside the Okefenokee Swamp from a mining company that environmentalists spent years battling over a proposed mine that opponents feared could irreparably damage an ecological treasure. The Conservation Fund said it will buy all 7,700 acres (31.16 square kilometers) that Alabama-based Twin Pines Minerals owns outside the Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge in southeast Georgia, halting the company's mining plans. 'It's a big undertaking, but it was also an existential threat to the entire refuge," said Stacy Funderburke, the Conservation Fund's vice president for the central Southeast. 'We've done larger deals for larger acres, but dollar-wise this is the largest deal we've ever done in Georgia." Twin Pines President Steven Ingle confirmed the sale through a spokesman, but declined to comment further. Twin Pines of Birmingham, Alabama, had worked since 2019 to obtain permits to mine titanium dioxide, a pigment used to whiten products from paint to toothpaste, less than 3 miles (5 kilometers) from the southeastern boundary of the Okefenokee refuge near the Georgia-Florida line. The Okefenokee is the largest U.S. refuge east of the Mississippi River, covering nearly 630 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) in southeast Georgia. It is home to abundant alligators, stilt-legged wood storks and more than 400 other animal species. The mine appeared to be on the cusp of winning final approval early last year. Georgia regulators issued draft permits in February 2024 despite warnings from scientists that mining near the Okefenokee's bowl-like rim could damage its ability to hold water and increase the frequency of withering droughts. Twin Pines insisted it could mine without damaging the swamp. Regulators with the Georgia Environmental Protection Division agreed, concluding last year that mining should have a 'minimal impact' on the refuge. The decisions by Georgia regulators played an outsize role in the Twin Pines project after environmental rollbacks during President Donald Trump's first term stripped the federal government of any oversight. Advocates battling Twin Pines said there is still a potential threat to the Okefenokee, with thousands of acres of privately owned land remaining unprotected. Georgia lawmakers have batted aside multiple attempts in recent years to prohibit mining near the refuge. 'There's maybe 30,000 acres that's still vulnerable outside the Okefenokee on Trail Ridge that needs to be conserved,' said Rena Ann Peck of the Georgia River Network. Josh Marks, an Atlanta environmental attorney who fought the mining project, called the land sale 'a huge victory.' But he also called on conservationists to redouble efforts for a state law protecting the Okefenokee and to keep pressure on other companies to refrain from mining near the refuge. Funderburke said the steep purchase price for Twin Pines' land was driven largely by its mineral-rich soils that would have been highly valued by other mining operations. Reaching a deal became more urgent with the company so close to obtaining its final permits. 'It became pretty clear once a draft permit was issued last year that this was the final exit ramp' to stopping the project, Funderburke said. He said his group was closing Friday on about 40% of the property that includes the 820-acre (332-hectare) site for which Twin Pines' had sought its mining permit. The Conservation Fund plans to close on the rest by the end of July. Funderburke said he hopes there is eventually a deal for the land to pass into government ownership and protection. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, which oversees the Okefenokee refuge, in January approved a plan to expand the refuge by buying up to 22,000 acres (8,900) along its perimeter from private owners. The proposal included land owned by Twin Pines. Negotiations with the Conservation Fund might explain why Twin Pines had yet to follow through on a financial commitment required before Georgia regulators could make a final decision on its mining permit. The Environmental Protection Division recently confirmed Twin Pines had been notified in February 2024 that it needed to set aside $2 million for future restoration of the mining site. The company never followed through in the 16 months before the sale was announced.