Italian embedded cybersecurity company Exein has announced the close of a €70 million Series C funding round, led by Balderton Capital, with participation from Lakestar, Partech, Supernova, and existing investors 33N and United Ventures.
Founded in 2018 by Giovanni Falcione, Gianni Cuozzo, and Gerardo Gagliardo, Exein is pioneering real-time cybersecurity solutions for IoT and smart devices, which are often the entry points for cyberattacks. According to the company, one in three data breaches involves an IoT device, with increasing links to state-sponsored actors.
“Exein’s extraordinary growth is a testament to the urgent demand to secure devices which are ubiquitous in our everyday lives,” said Gianni Cuozzo, founder and CEO. “Embedded security at the device level is fundamental.”
A new approach to cybersecurity — from the inside out
Rather than securing networks from the outside, Exein’s platform is embedded directly into devices, operating like a “digital immune system” that monitors, learns, and reacts in real time. This approach helps manufacturers align with strict global standards like the EU’s NIS2 directive, the Cyber Resilience Act, and the US Cyber Trust Mark.
The company’s AI-powered solutions already secure over one billion devices worldwide, across sectors including infrastructure, automotive, healthcare, robotics, and semiconductors. Major partners include MediaTek, SECO, Supermicro, and AAEON.
“We are immensely proud to be partnering with Gianni and team as they build the cybersecurity foundation for the AI-powered, hyper-connected world ahead,” said Elena Moneta, Principal at Balderton.
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Next stop: the U.S., Asia, and AI infrastructure
With a 450% year-over-year growth rate, Exein is now scaling operations across Europe, the U.S., Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea. Part of the funding will also go toward M&A opportunities and expanding into runtime security for AI infrastructure, including large language models (LLMs) operating directly on devices.
Cuozzo added:
“I’m extremely proud to be fortifying the foundations of European tech innovation. With the trust of our partners, we’re building the digital immune system for the connected world.”
