Sola Raises $30M to Revolutionize Security Payments

The Rise of Customizable Cybersecurity: Introducing Sola

Modern businesses are presented with a vast selection of applications and services designed to fortify their networks, data, and valuable assets. However, this often results in a corresponding increase in alerts and administrative overhead. What if organizations could develop their own applications, specifically tailored to their unique operational requirements, to simplify security management?

Sola: A New Approach to Security

Sola, a recently launched Israeli startup, proposes a solution with its low/no-code platform. This platform empowers users to create bespoke cybersecurity applications aligned with their particular needs, even integrating with existing security tools. The company is now publicly emerging from its initial development phase, backed by $30 million in seed funding, with the goal of making security more accessible and adaptable.

Co-founder Guy Flechter emphasizes that Sola isn't aiming to replicate existing cybersecurity posture management solutions. Instead, the intention is to fundamentally alter the perspective on security practices – mirroring the impact Stripe had on payments or Canva on graphic design.

Investment and Founding Team

The seed round is co-led by S Capital, established by the team behind Sequoia Israel, and veteran venture capitalist Mike Moritz. Additional investors include S32, Glilot Capital Partners, and several undisclosed angel investors. Sola has been under development for approximately one year, with details of the funding round previously surfacing before the official product announcement.

The foundation of Sola lies in the combined expertise of two seasoned cybersecurity professionals. Flechter previously co-founded and led Cider Security, an application security firm acquired by Palo Alto Networks in 2022 for $300 million. His co-founder, Ron Peled, brings experience as a former chief information security officer for AI commerce company LivePerson and as a security advisor to multiple organizations.

Addressing the Current Security Landscape

Flechter identifies two primary approaches to tackling security challenges currently available to businesses.

The first involves purchasing comprehensive, commercial solutions, often at a substantial cost. However, he notes that these solutions can be complex and frequently include features that are ultimately unused.

The second option is to construct solutions in-house using open-source components. This, however, demands a high degree of technical proficiency.

Sola aims to present a third alternative.

Leveraging AI and Big Data

The platform utilizes advancements in artificial intelligence and big data management, designed for organizations lacking extensive security teams or specialized technical skills.

Sola’s interface allows users to define objectives or pose questions in natural language, then integrate data from various sources. This process facilitates the creation of customized “apps” tailored to the company’s specific assets and tracking requirements.

The platform can query data from existing security applications, and also incorporates its own security tooling to supplement or replace certain functionalities. Sola also provides pre-built applications for users who prefer not to develop their own.

The ultimate goal is to deliver more efficient and targeted security services, precisely aligned with organizational needs, and at a reduced cost.

Sola’s Application Gallery

The available applications demonstrate the breadth of Sola’s capabilities. For instance, the AWS Network Security app provides a comprehensive overview of key AWS network security metrics, including potential vulnerabilities.

This app can answer critical questions such as: “Which security groups have overly permissive rules?”, “Which network protocols are enabled across my environment?”, “Are there any unprotected open ports that could expose critical services?”, and “What’s the status of my VPC flow logs?”

Dozens of additional pre-written applications support various cloud environments, developer tools like GitHub, and prominent security solutions like Okta and Wiz.

Industry Perspective

Mike Moritz, in his first security startup investment as a solo investor, highlighted the Sola team’s focus on simplifying user interfaces while maintaining complex functionality in the backend. He noted this approach, coupled with the integration of technological innovations, mirrors successful patterns observed in companies like Stripe and Canva.

Moritz also acknowledged that the platform is continually evolving, benefiting significantly from the rapid advancements in artificial intelligence. He observed a substantial improvement in Sola’s interface over the past 18 months, directly attributable to recent breakthroughs in AI technology.