Empirical, a cybersecurity startup, has successfully closed a Series A funding round, securing $25 million. This latest investment elevates the company’s total funding to $37 million.
The funding round was spearheaded by Brightmind Partners, with significant contributions from Costanoa Ventures and Hyde Park Angels, among other investors. Founded in 2024, Empirical, based in Chicago, plans to utilize the new capital to expedite the development of its primary cybersecurity products.
Strategic Use of New Capital
Empirical’s vision for the funds is to enhance its flagship products designed to foresee and detect threats in the era of agentic AI. Their products, Foundation and Radiant, offer cutting-edge solutions for cybersecurity threats. Foundation acts as a global cybersecurity model, keeping track of over 18,000 exploited CVEs for predictive threat analysis, while Radiant identifies threats specific to an organization’s environment.
The company emphasizes that their predictive models provide crucial intelligence needed to discern risks amidst the vast amount of background noise. Their solutions are particularly beneficial for security teams in sectors like technology, healthcare, and financial services, offering transparent, data-driven insights to manage and mitigate cyber risks effectively.
Innovative AI-Driven Solutions
Empirical’s AI-enhanced tools are tailored to fit the unique environments of various organizations, aiding in prioritizing remediation efforts through advanced forecasting, evidence-based risk assessment, and actionable intelligence. This innovative approach helps organizations stay ahead of potential cyber threats.
The company was co-founded by CEO Ed Bellis, CTO Michael Roytman, and Chief Data Scientist Jay Jacobs. All three have a rich history in cybersecurity innovation, having previously worked on risk-based vulnerability management at Kenna Security and developing the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS).
Empirical’s Future in Cybersecurity
CEO Ed Bellis noted that while they pioneered risk-based vulnerability management at Kenna, addressing AI-driven threats requires a novel approach. With the latest technological advancements, Empirical aims to equip security teams with predictive capabilities previously deemed impossible.
The funding will allow Empirical to continue building on this vision and further develop their solutions, positioning them as a significant player in the evolving cybersecurity landscape.
This investment comes amidst a broader trend of increased funding for cybersecurity firms, as industries worldwide recognize the critical need for advanced threat detection and prevention solutions.
