The Challenge of Cloud App Permissions

Throughout their professional journeys, Alex Bovee and Paul Querna observed a significant disparity. While the adoption of Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) applications and cloud infrastructure was rapidly increasing, the procedures for granting employees access to these tools were failing to evolve at the same pace.

Zero Trust and the Privilege Control Gap

Having previously spearheaded Zero Trust initiatives and product development at Okta, both Bovee and Querna directly witnessed this issue. For those unfamiliar, Zero Trust is a fundamental security model. It operates on the principle that no user or device, whether located within or outside an organization’s network, should be automatically trusted.

Instead, every access request must be thoroughly verified before being granted.

Identifying a Critical Need

Despite the growing implementation of Zero Trust strategies, Bovee and Querna noted a consistent lack of effective privilege controls. This resulted in either prolonged delays in employee access to necessary applications or, conversely, the granting of excessive permissions from the outset.

The Genesis of ConductorOne

Last year, Bovee transitioned from Okta to assume the role of the inaugural virtual entrepreneur-in-residence at the venture capital firm Accel. During this time, discussions with Accel partner Ping Li revealed a shared interest in resolving the challenge of expediting and securing user permissions for cloud applications.

A Fortuitous Connection

Li remembers the situation as a stroke of luck. They were actively investigating this problem and sought expert insight. It quickly became apparent that Alex Bovee possessed the precise knowledge they needed.

Bovee then shared with Li his intention to establish a company dedicated to addressing this very issue, and subsequently did so. Months later, Querna departed from Okta to collaborate with him in launching the startup.

Seed Funding Announcement

Today, ConductorOne has announced the successful completion of a $5 million seed funding round. This round was led by Accel, with additional participation from Fuel Capital, Fathom Capital, and Active Capital.

Building an Identity Orchestration Platform

The newly acquired capital will be allocated towards the development of what the company describes as “the first-ever identity orchestration and automation platform.” The primary objective is to empower IT and identity administrators to automate and delegate employee access to cloud applications and infrastructure, all while upholding the principle of least-privilege permissions.

The Complexity of Modern Access Management

“The core of the issue lies in the multitude of identities – employees and contractors – and the vast array of SaaS infrastructure available,” explained Bovee. “These systems present an almost limitless number of roles and permissions, dictating what users can accomplish within those environments.”

The Burden on IT Help Desks

Organizations frequently manage hundreds of applications and infrastructure providers. According to Bovee, access requests often comprise over 20% of an IT helpdesk’s workload. Individuals require immediate access to critical resources such as Salesforce, AWS, or GitHub.

However, each request undergoes manual review to ensure appropriate permission levels are assigned.

The Problem of Persistent Permissions

“Critically, this access often remains active even when it’s no longer needed,” Bovee pointed out. “Without a centralized system to orchestrate and automate authorization, effectively managing permissions, entitlements, and user lifecycle management – including auditing and analytics – becomes impossible.”

ConductorOne’s Vision

ConductorOne is focused on creating “the world’s best access request experience,” with automation serving as its foundational element.

The Future of Cloud Identity

“Automation that addresses privilege management and governance represents the next significant advancement in cloud identity,” stated Li of Accel.

Experienced Leadership

Bovee and Querna bring substantial expertise to this endeavor. Before joining Okta, Bovee spearheaded enterprise mobile security product development at Lookout. Querna previously co-founded and served as CTO of ScaleFT, which Okta acquired in 2018.

He also held leadership positions in technology and strategy at Rackspace and Cloudkick, and is a dedicated advocate for open-source software.

Remote-First Approach

Although the company is headquartered in Portland, Oregon, ConductorOne operates as a remote-first organization, currently employing 10 individuals.

Focus on Product Development and Customer Engagement

“We are currently deeply engaged in product development and conducting extensive customer research to gain a thorough understanding of the challenges,” Bovee said. “Our subsequent focus will be on onboarding early adopters.”