ketch Raises $20M to Fuel Privacy Data Control Platform Growth

Ketch Secures $20 Million in A1 Funding

Following a successful $23 million Series A funding round six months prior, Ketch, a company specializing in online privacy regulation and data compliance, has announced a further $20 million in A1 funding. This latest investment round was spearheaded by Acrew Capital.

Continued Investor Confidence

CRV, super{set} – the venture studio established by Ketch’s co-founders, CEO Tom Chavez and CTO Vivek Vaidya – Ridge Ventures, and Silicon Valley Bank all participated in this second round of funding, demonstrating continued support for Ketch’s vision. This brings the total funding raised by the company to $43 million since its emergence from stealth mode earlier in the year.

Automating Data Control and Consent

Ketch initially unveiled its data control platform in 2020, designed to automate privacy, governance, and security processes. The platform’s core function is to ensure that consumer privacy preferences are both respected and consistently applied.

Meeting Consumer and Business Needs

Companies are increasingly focused on satisfying consumer demands regarding data rights and obtaining explicit consent. Simultaneously, businesses recognize the importance of leveraging data to drive growth and build consumer trust, as Chavez explained to TechCrunch.

Expanding the Scope of Security

While significant resources are dedicated to combating threats like ransomware and malware, Chavez believes a substantial opportunity lies in extending security measures to the data itself, regardless of its location. He emphasized that once a data control infrastructure is established, it must operate at a granular level, encompassing individual data entries.

The Challenge of Data Location

“Locating a specific data record when a deletion request is received presents a considerable challenge,” Chavez stated. “Effectively addressing this requires robust data control capabilities.”

Rapid Customer Growth

Since the announcement of its Series A funding in March, Ketch has experienced over 300% growth in its customer base. The newly acquired funding will be allocated to expanding the company’s sales and go-to-market teams, according to Chavez.

Ketch OTC and API Integration

This year saw the launch of Ketch OTC, a freely available privacy tool intended to simplify all facets of privacy management, fostering trust and reducing friction within enterprise compliance programs. Customer acquisition through OTC has increased fivefold within six months. Furthermore, Qonsent, a company focused on consent user experience, is currently utilizing Ketch’s APIs and infrastructure, Chavez noted.

Strategic Partnerships and Expertise

Chavez and Vaidya prioritized partnerships with individuals possessing a thorough understanding of their work and capable of providing valuable guidance during product development. They found this expertise in Acrew founding partner Theresia Gouw, whom Chavez described as “a pioneer in privacy and security.”

Acrew’s Increased Investment

Gouw, with over two decades of experience investing in security and privacy, believes Ketch is fundamentally changing the approach to data privacy and security by empowering developers. The rise in remote work and the increasing frequency of data breaches prompted Acrew to increase and reaffirm its initial investment.

Differentiating Through Developer Empowerment

Gouw highlighted that Ketch distinguishes itself from competitors by integrating data privacy and security directly with the data itself, thereby enabling software developers. The OTC tool, likened to installing security systems in a home, allows developers to download an API and apply rules to all user data.

“Ketch’s innovation lies in its ability to embed security and governance rules with both the software and the data itself,” Gouw concluded.