Valence Raises $7M to Secure the Business Application Mesh

Valence Secures $7 Million Seed Funding to Secure the Business Application Mesh

Valence, a Tel Aviv-based cybersecurity startup, has announced the completion of a $7 million seed funding round. The investment was spearheaded by YL Ventures, with participation from Stonemill Ventures, the St. Louis Cyber Interest Group (STLCIG), and several angel investors, including leading Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs).

Addressing the Challenges of Application Integration

Founded by Yoni Shohet, previously a co-founder of SCADAfence, and CTO Shlomi Matichin, Valence focuses on enhancing security within the complex network of enterprise applications. Businesses increasingly rely on integrations – utilizing APIs, automation platforms like Workato and Zapier, and SaaS marketplaces – to maximize the utility of their software investments.

However, this interconnectedness, termed the “business application mesh” by Valence, frequently develops without sufficient oversight. This lack of governance can introduce vulnerabilities stemming from shadow connectivity, excessive permissions, and poorly managed third-party access points.

Image Credits: Valence

The Unseen Risks of Machine-to-Machine Connections

“Our conversations with security professionals and CISOs revealed a largely unmanaged and ungoverned landscape of application integrations,” explained Shohet. “Current security solutions primarily concentrate on human access to applications.”

Shohet contends that existing tools often fall short in securing machine-to-machine communication, a growing concern with the proliferation of automation and cloud adoption. These connections are often established and then left unattended, sometimes without any formal security review.

This situation can expose companies to the risk of unverified third parties gaining privileged access to sensitive corporate applications and data.

Valence's Approach to Risk Reduction

Valence’s strategy centers on the observation that many of these application networks are relatively centralized. By scanning connections to a limited number of core systems, the platform can efficiently identify potential risks, such as unauthorized vendors.

The system facilitates the disconnection of these risky connections, and can even automate this process. Early Valence customers have reportedly reduced their attack surface by dozens, and in some cases, hundreds of applications within days of implementation.

Investor Perspective on Valence’s Innovation

“Defining a unique and holistic approach to security is exceptionally challenging today,” stated John Brennan, partner at YL Ventures. “Many security companies address only a small piece of a larger problem.”

Brennan highlighted that Shohet and Matichin successfully articulated a comprehensive platform capable of resolving numerous security challenges with a novel methodology. He further noted the company’s rapid early progress, attributing it to the leadership of its founders.

The platform aims to provide a more comprehensive security posture for organizations navigating the complexities of modern application ecosystems.