MECHANICSBURG, Pa. and NEW DELHI, June 30, 2025 — Emerge Education, a leading U.S.-based provider of enrollment, marketing, and international education services, has formed a strategic partnership with Shiftzzy, a smart student integration and support platform, to enhance the experience of international students coming to the United States.

Through this collaboration, universities and student service providers can now offer Shiftzzy’s all-in-one app to streamline key transition points such as housing, community-building, mentorship, student visas, education loans, and ongoing support. The partnership helps institutions meet student needs more efficiently—ultimately improving satisfaction and retention outcomes.

Shiftzzy is available globally on iOS and Android and is designed to support the full student lifecycle—from pre-arrival and orientation through graduation and beyond. The platform connects incoming, current, short-term, and alumni students, reducing the institutional workload typically managed by housing offices, orientation teams, International Student and Scholar Services (ISSS), student life departments, and career services.

“Universities are under increasing pressure to support international students with limited resources,” said James M. Hunter, PhD, CEO of Emerge Education. “Our partnership with Shiftzzy introduces a technology solution designed to help institutions deliver more effective support while focusing their efforts on improving engagement and long-term student success.”

Addressing a Critical Market Demand

Research indicates that while international students prefer digital support tools, they often find existing platforms fragmented or insufficient. In a 2024 survey of U.S. international students, 33% reported experiencing social and academic challenges—such as homesickness and difficulty making friends—and 29% expressed a need for more support in those areas. These findings underscore the importance of platforms like Shiftzzy, which provide centralized housing guidance, peer networking, mentorship, and administrative support to help students feel welcomed, connected, and set up for success.

Shiftzzy aims to address these challenges through the following features:

• Smart Roommate Matching, using unique filters to reduce conflict and housing stress
• Personalized Housing Concierge Services, assisting with leases, budgeting, and relocation
• Mentorship and Career Support, including job search guidance, mental health resources, visa advising, and alumni networking
• Global Peer Networking prior to arrival, to build belonging and early engagement
• Student Saver Deals offering discounts on essentials like banking, mobile plans, and local services

“Shiftzzy was created to simplify the study-abroad journey through accessible and scalable support,” said Adarsh Kakarania, Shiftzzy co-founder. “This partnership with Emerge allows us to extend that support to institutions that are seeking more efficient, student-centered integration tools.”

“Students face considerable uncertainty when moving abroad,” added Tanya Wadhwa Kakarania, co-founder of Shiftzzy. “Our platform helps ease that transition by offering centralized access to the resources and connections they need—while reducing the institutional workload.”

Proven Results with Scalable Impact

Shiftzzy already serves over 500 active users in just five months, has formalized a partnership with SUNY Oswego, and is currently in discussions with several other universities. They were also selected for the prestigious Startup Nexus program by the U.S. Embassy in India and the University of Connecticut.

With Emerge’s expertise in recruitment, marketing, and international enrollment, the platform is well-positioned to help institutions respond to digital engagement expectations while improving integration, retention, and student well-being.

To explore a university partnership or request a Shiftzzy demo, visit Shiftzzy.com or download the app today.

About Emerge Education

Emerge Education is one of the nation’s leading higher education services companies, dedicated to delivering strategic enrollment, marketing, and consulting solutions. Through its international division, Emerge supports institutions in maximizing enrollment, enhancing global brand recognition, and launching new academic pathways. Learn more at emergeedu.com.

About Shiftzzy

Shiftzzy is a dynamic student experience platform designed to simplify the study-abroad journey and strengthen campus integration. With features spanning recruitment, housing, community-building, mentorship, and student savings, Shiftzzy empowers international students while supporting universities and service providers in achieving retention, satisfaction, and engagement goals. Visit shiftzzy.com for more information.

Media Contact:
Christopher Wilford
Senior Vice President of Marketing
Emerge Education
Phone: 717-214-1631
Email: [email protected]

SOURCE Emerge Education

• Fund II advances Recognize’s strategy of accelerating the growth of next-generation Digital Services companies seeking to deliver transformative solutions
• Strong participation from existing LPs and significant demand from new blue-chip investors
• Oversubscribed fund reached its hard cap in under five months

NEW YORK, June 30, 2025 — Recognize, a proven investor in and builder of next-generation Digital Services companies, today announced the final close of its second fund, Recognize Partners II/II-A, L.P. (“Recognize II”), with over $1.7 billion in total commitments. Co-founded by Managing Partners Francisco D’Souza, Charles Phillips, and David Wasserman, Recognize has quickly established itself as a notable investor-operator and trusted partner to digital services innovators.

Recognize seeks to back visionary founders and management teams who are building differentiated businesses that leverage AI, software, and digital platforms to deliver transformative outcomes to enterprises. With Recognize II, the firm continues to focus on investing in companies with enterprise values between approximately $50 million and $500 million – businesses that Recognize believes offer strong potential for accelerated growth with the support of Recognize’s partnership-driven value creation approach.

Recognize II was oversubscribed and closed less than five months from launch, with strong support from existing investors, including a significant GP commitment, and a curated group of new investors. The LP base includes leading global institutions such as endowments, foundations, pensions, insurers, family offices, outsourced CIOs and fund-of-funds across the U.S., Europe, Asia, and Latin America.

Over the last six months, Recognize has made four new platform investments: SDG Corporation (cybersecurity services), Sprout (Digital Infrastructure Services), TRANZACT (insurance services), and HealthEdge (SaaS for healthcare payers).

The firm also completed two realization events earlier this year: the exit of AST, sold to IBM, and a partial exit of 2X through a strategic investment by Insight Partners. In 2024, Recognize also sold Torc, an AI-powered talent platform, to a subsidiary of Randstad. These realizations, in Recognize’s view, further reinforce the firm’s thesis that next-generation Digital Services firms are increasingly attractive to strategic buyers.

“We are incredibly grateful for the continued support of our partners,” said Debbie Park Munfa, Partner and Head of Investor Relations at Recognize. “We remain focused on building Digital Services businesses for the future and partnering with excellent management teams to deliver long-term value for our investors.”

Recognize was advised on the fundraise by Rede Partners Americas LLC, with Goodwin Procter LLP serving as legal and tax counsel.

About Recognize

Recognize is a distinguished investor and business builder focused on next-generation Digital Services companies. Headquartered in New York, the firm seeks to back visionary founders, entrepreneurs, and management teams who are building innovative businesses that leverage AI, software, and digital platforms to deliver transformative outcomes to enterprises. Recognize provides deep operational expertise, industry relationships, and strategic capital to drive accelerated growth of these specialized businesses. To learn more, visit www.recognize.com. 

Contact
Debbie Park Munfa
Recognize
[email protected]

SOURCE Recognize

MIAMI LAKES, Fla., June 30, 2025 — USpharma Ltd., a pharmaceutical development and manufacturing company commercializing several novel delivery platforms, today announced a significant growth equity investment by 1315 Capital, a Philadelphia-based healthcare growth equity firm.

USpharma leverages advanced and patented formulation technologies, including its next generation soft chewable dosage forms and the unique capabilities of its 150,000 square foot US-based GMP facility, to develop and manufacture innovative products across multiple pharmaceutical and supplement markets. This capital infusion will enable USpharma to accelerate the development and commercialization of its pipeline and scale operations to meet growing market demand.

“We are thrilled to partner with 1315 Capital as we enter this pivotal stage of growth,” said Manesh Dixit, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of USpharma Ltd. “This investment allows us to advance our mission to deliver science-backed, high-quality health solutions that improve patient access and adherence. We’re excited to bring our next-generation products to a broader audience with the support of such an experienced partner.”

“Consumers are increasingly focused on health and wellness solutions that are not only efficacious but delivered in a format that fits with their preferences and lifestyle.” said Matthew Reber, Partner at 1315 Capital. “We are proud to partner with USpharma as they expand their commercial reach and provide compelling product formulations in numerous large and growing healthcare markets,”

About USpharma Ltd.
USpharma Ltd. is a privately held healthcare company focused on the innovation, development, licensing, and commercialization of healthcare products. Driven by science and patient need, USpharma delivers accessible, high-quality solutions that improve health and wellness. For more information, please visit www.uspharmaltd.com.

About 1315 Capital
1315 Capital is a private investment firm with over $1 billion of assets under management that provides growth capital to commercial-stage healthcare services, pharmaceutical & medtech outsourced services, pharmaceutical & medtech products, and health & wellness companies. 1315 Capital targets both minority and majority investments in companies where high-quality management teams can rapidly scale platform companies into large and important businesses that positively impact patients, physicians, and the broader healthcare system. For more information, please visit www.1315capital.com.

SOURCE USpharma Ltd.

Backing From Sterling Select to Fuel Electrolyte Boost’s Strategic Growth Across Sports, Health, and Consumer Markets

LOS ANGELES, June 30, 2025 — Electrolyte Boost, a leader in innovative hydration and electrolyte support products, today announced the closing of a venture development deal with Sterling Select Group LLC (“Sterling Select”), and a simultaneous closing of its seed round from Sterling Select’s partners.

“Electrolyte Boost’s ground-breaking waterless electrolyte replenishment and functional nutrition solutions are not just category-defining, they fit perfectly across many market segments where the consumer seeks both physical and mental performance, as well as incredible recovery.  We have already tested the products with athletes of all ages and levels, military and first responders, as well as the medical profession, where carrying bulky liquid containers is just not feasible.  The response has been overwhelmingly positive,” said Christopher J. Steele, Managing Partner at Sterling Select and former NCAA Division I swimmer at Cornell University. 

Sterling Select operates at the intersection of capital and capability, offering early-stage companies like Electrolyte Boost a venture development approach that goes beyond funding to provide a full-service platform for market traction, brand development, and long-term success.

The partnership enables Electrolyte Boost to expand its retail and direct-to-consumer footprint, pursue high-impact partnerships, and further introduce its clinically proven waterless electrolyte replenishment products into performance-focused markets, including in sports, gaming, healthcare and the defense industry.

“Partnering with Sterling Select helps us unlock and ‘boost’ incredible equity value with their operational involvement and corporate development.  Sterling Select’s powerful network, including corporate, strategic and capital partners, will also propel our growth and amplify our impact,” explained Gary Kleinman, Founder and CEO of Electrolyte Boost. “This closing marks the beginning of a broader initiative to accelerate Electrolyte Boost’s growth through corporate development expertise, financial backing, and deep industry relationships across sports, media, healthcare, entertainment, and technology.”

About Electrolyte Boost
Electrolyte Boost, founded by Gary Kleinman, is a doctor-formulated powder that supports performance and hydration without the need for water. By eliminating water as the primary delivery mechanism, Electrolyte Boost offers a simple, fast, and great-tasting way to support overall hydration and activity. Focused on quality and customer satisfaction, Electrolyte Boost provides innovative health and wellness solutions for a variety of lifestyles and activities. For more information, visit www.electrolyteboost.com.

About Sterling Select Group LLC
Sterling Select is a venture development platform associated with Sterling Equities and is focused on early-stage and growth companies. With strategic reach across real estate, sports, entertainment, media, technology, and financial services, Sterling Select partners with entrepreneurs on the one hand, and established companies, organizations and family offices on the other to accelerate growth and create value through strategic capital, ecosystem access, and operating expertise. For more, visit www.sterlingequities.com/ventures

SOURCE Electrolyte Boost

CRED blends business systems, predictive intelligence, and real-world signals to generate contextual insights that drive revenue and operational efficiency.

SAN FRANCISCO, June 30, 2025 — CRED, the AI-powered predictive intelligence platform, today announced it has raised a $15 million seed round led by defy.vc with participation from HOF Capital, Alumni Ventures, LDV Partners, Streamlined Ventures, SilverCircle Ventures, Octopus Ventures, BAM Ventures, Gaingels, alongside the leader of one of the largest PE firms. The company exits stealth with a bold mission: to give every business the predictive advantage once reserved for hedge funds, and turning fragmented systems and signals into intelligent actions, at scale.

CRED transforms how companies harness their data, unifying internal systems with real-time market signals and predictive AI models to deliver intelligent, ranked recommendations & actions tailored to each use case. CRED tells organizations what to do, when to act, and why it matters, turning fragmented data into ranked, contextual insights and automated actions across the tools organizations already use.

Why Now: A Tipping Point for Predictive Intelligence
For years, only hedge funds could afford to build and act on predictive models at scale. Today, that edge is becoming mainstream. Exploding datasets, cheaper compute, and rapid advances in LLMs are making real-time predictions accessible to every enterprise, not just the elite few.

How CRED Works: The Intelligence Layer for Predictive Growth
CRED connects your internal systems with real-time external signals to power smarter execution at scale. The platform turns raw inputs into ranked, contextual insights that help teams focus on what matters most.

• Enrichment & Reporting: Gain full visibility into your data ecosystem by connecting CRM, MAP, and other go-to-market systems. CRED audits data quality in real-time, identifying missing fields, outdated records, and inconsistencies across the entire stack. With access to over 200M+ companies and 900M+ contacts, it enriches records with live market signals like funding events, digital ad spend, hiring trends, and executive moves. This unified layer of enrichment and reporting surfaces insights across macro trends, internal operational efficiency, and the competitive landscape, giving teams the context they need to drive more intelligent execution.
• Intelligent Scoring & Prioritization: Customizable scoring models assess ideal customer profile fit, propensity to churn, and upsell potential to surface high-impact opportunities on an ongoing basis. Real-time alerts notify GTM teams when prospects exhibit buying signals, while synthetic data modeling generates lookalike accounts based on historical wins for more effective targeting.
• Smart Action & Execution: CRED empowers GTM teams to take immediate, intelligent action on enriched data and predictive insights. The platform connects to your existing systems—and includes a built-in outreach tool—so teams can email prospects directly, trigger follow-ups, and launch campaigns without needing to switch tools. CRED automatically builds dynamic account lists, delivers real-time alerts when high-fit accounts show intent, and prioritizes them for engagement. From assigning leads to automating outbound workflows, CRED helps teams move faster, engage smarter, and capitalize on every opportunity.

CRED transforms fragmented data into action-ready intelligence, helping go-to-market teams move faster, prioritize better, and drive revenue with precision.

“We’re in the age of AI where contextual data can now lead to profound business outcomes,” said Jon Carr-Harris, Founder and CEO of CRED. “Just like in science fiction, we can finally start to predict the future. We’re thrilled to prepare the company for its next chapter of growth and grateful for all the support we’ve had from Neil Sequeira at Defy and our incredible group of investors and customers.”

Carr-Harris, a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits and a decade of leadership in AI products, leads a team focused on removing the overhead of managing complex data infrastructures while unlocking new value. CRED doesn’t just analyze existing data—it generates petabytes of proprietary, net-new insights each month, contextualized for every customer. Its predictive intelligence engine has already driven over $100 million in revenue for users in the past year alone, along with over $20 million in cost savings. CRED delivers personalized recommendations for key actions, including real-time scorecards that help sales, marketing, and operations teams identify and prioritize opportunities, optimize spend, and streamline workflows.

“CRED is reimagining enterprise intelligence by combining real-time data, AI, and workflows into a single action-oriented, revenue-driving platform,” said Neil Sequeira, Founder and Partner at defy.vc. “We are excited to back an experienced technical founder like Jon with an incredible AI native team that is deep into customer traction and exponential growth by building an AI operating system for the future of all enterprises.”

Customer Momentum & Market Expansion
While in stealth mode, CRED quietly signed 25 large enterprise customers, including major organizations such as the Golden State Warriors, UTA, and the PGA, saving companies over 10,000 hours of manual data entry per month and driving double-digit revenue growth month over month. CRED will use the funding to scale operations beyond its first vertical in Sports & Entertainment into additional enterprise sectors.

Growth, Hiring & What’s Next
CRED will invest in product development, data models, and expand its go-to-market team. The company has recently opened a new office in San Francisco and is actively hiring across data, sales, engineering, product, and customer success teams.

As AI and large language models (LLMs) capabilities evolve, so does the demand for context-rich intelligence. CRED is uniquely positioned to meet that demand, bridging the gap between signal and strategy, insight and execution.

To learn more, visitcredplatform.com.

About CRED
CRED provides predictive intelligence software that enables enterprises to make data-driven decisions by integrating internal business systems with real-time external market signals. Our platform combines real-time data on over 200 million companies with predictive models to help businesses identify which prospects are likely to convert, which customers are at risk of churning, and when competitors are vulnerable.

About defy.vc
Founded in 2016, defy.vc is a Silicon Valley based early stage venture capital firm. Defy was founded to invest in entrepreneurs and companies looking to solve complex problems. Defy’s focus is to help early stage companies mature and scale into companies ready for growth capital. The firm’s team has more than 50 years of venture experience, successful operating backgrounds, and actively helps successful entrepreneurs grow companies from inception through exit. Connect with defy at https://defy.vc/ and @defyvc.

SOURCE CRED

Funding to accelerate platform expansion into new applications in cell-to-cell interactions and tissue

STOCKHOLM, June 30, 2025 — Pixelgen Technologies today announced that it has been awarded grant and equity financing of EUR 12.5 M ($14.7 million) from the European Innovation Council (EIC) Accelerator, a funding initiative under the European Union’s Horizon Europe program designed to support highly innovative start-ups with disruptive technologies. Pixelgen will use the financing to expand the applications of its Pixelgen Proxiome Kit, launched earlier this year as the first kit and software for protein interactome analysis of single cells at high capacity.

“We’re thrilled to receive this highly competitive funding from the EIC,” said Pixelgen co-founder and CEO Simon Fredriksson. “The process was rigorous, and the award further reinforces the value of Pixelgen’s technology to increase our understanding of complex cellular and functional cell surface arrangements, which we believe will advance drug development and deepen our understanding of precision medicine. The response from leading researchers in industry and academia to our Proxiome Kit has been very enthusiastic, and this grant will help accelerate its expansion into new applications, including cell-to-cell interactions, communication, and FFPE tissues.”

The EIC selected 40 innovative start-ups and small-to-medium-sized enterprises out of 150 applicants in its latest evaluation round to receive funding. The companies were chosen for their “transformative technologies and strong commercial promise,” according to the EIC.  

The Pixelgen Proxiome Kit is the first in a new product line by Pixelgen offering researchers the highest resolution of single cell analyses by providing a new omics dimension (protein interactomics), for novel insights into disease mechanisms, drug response, biomarker discovery, and more, in cancer, hematology, immunology, and cell therapy research. It’s based on the company’s proprietary Proximity Network Assay, which delivers nanoscale spatial analysis of immune cell proteins at scale and was recently presented on BioRxiv.

Pixelgen is backed by leading investors, including Industrifonden, Sweden’s venture capital fund, and Navigare Ventures.

About Pixelgen Technologies
Pixelgen Technologies AB is on a mission to deliver biology at the highest resolution by understanding the molecular basis of cellular function with new tools and technologies that decipher the protein interactomics of single cells in unprecedented ways. The company’s patented Proximity Network Assay delivers nanoscale spatial analysis of immune cell proteins at ultra-high capacity and underpins the Pixelgen Proxiome Kit for precision medicine. A foundational technology, the Proximity Network Assay will power a portfolio of products for translational research to accelerate advances in immunology, hematology, and cell therapy. Pixelgen was founded in 2020 by a team of passionate, experienced innovators and entrepreneurs and is venture-backed.

Contacts

Corporate:
Annika Branting
[email protected]
+46 762-69 68 46

Media:
Susan Thomas
[email protected]
+1 (619) 540-9195

SOURCE Pixelgen Technologies

LONDON, June 30, 2025 — King Street Capital Management, L.P. (“King Street”), a leading global investment firm, today announced the final close of its European Real Estate Special Situations Fund II (“ESS II” or “the Fund”), hitting its hard cap of ~$950 million of capital commitments within 12 months.

ESS II targets situations where traditional capital has retrenched with the objective of accessing institutional-grade real estate at compelling valuations. The Fund will invest across core markets in Western Europe, focusing on high-quality assets that are temporarily mispriced due to market illiquidity rather than fundamentals. Leveraging King Street’s ability to invest across the capital structure, ESS II offers flexible, asset-specific capital solutions tailored to borrower needs, with a focus on unlocking value through capital structure solutions, repositioning, and hands-on asset management.

ESS II attracted a globally diversified investor base across North America, Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, with 50% of commitments coming from re-ups of the firm’s predecessor ESS vehicle and existing King Street real estate investors.

“The strong investor demand for ESS II reflects confidence in King Street’s ability to deliver innovative financing solutions in a market where transparency and liquidity remain scarce,” said Brian Higgins, Founder and Managing Partner of King Street. “Amid historic dislocation, we see a clear path to recovery and believe ESS II is well-positioned to capitalize on a generational opportunity in European real estate.”

“Our strategy focuses on the intersection of quality and complexity, providing capital solutions for trophy assets trading below intrinsic value due to market stress,” said Paul Brennan, Partner and Co-Head of Real Estate responsible for leading the European business at King Street. “As traditional lenders pull back and capital remains scarce, we’re able to deploy flexible capital and access landmark assets through proprietary, off-market channels.”

The closing of ESS II marks a significant milestone in the growth of King Street’s real estate platform. Recent investments including the Four Seasons Rome, the Bauer Hotel Venice, Room00, Arlington House St. James, and Bravo! Students, demonstrate the team’s conviction in structurally resilient sectors with long term secular growth.

About King Street Capital Management
King Street is a global alternative investment firm founded in 1995, managing over $29 billion in assets across public and private markets. The firm combines deep fundamental research with tactical trading expertise and differentiated sourcing capabilities to uncover dislocations and mispriced opportunities across asset classes and throughout the capital structure.

King Street Real Estate focuses on debt and equity investments in special situations and thematic platforms. Our special situations strategy identifies compelling risk-adjusted investment opportunities across the capital structure, in high-quality real estate assets in major markets. Our exclusive, thematic platforms are built around property sectors with compelling secular tailwinds. Since its inception, King Street has completed transactions totaling over $20 billion in real estate securities and real estate-related investments.

For more information, please visit www.kingstreet.com. Follow King Street Capital Management and King Street Capital Real Estate on LinkedIn.

Media Contacts
Prosek Partners
[email protected] 

Logo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1834844/King_Street_Logo.jpg

SASE-Marktführer treibt die Zukunft der KI-gesteuerten Unternehmenssicherheit und Netzwerktechnik in einer überzeichneten Finanzierungsrunde voran

TEL AVIV, Israel, 30. Juni 2025 — Cato Networks, führender Anbieter im Bereich SASE, gab heute seine Serie-G-Finanzierungsrunde bekannt, bei der 359 Millionen Dollar eingesammelt wurden. Die Runde wurde von neuen Investoren wie Vitruvian Partners und ION Crossover Partners sowie bestehenden Investoren wie Lightspeed Venture Partners, Acrew Capital und Adams Street Partners angeführt. Die Investition hebt CATOs Bewertung auf mehr als 4,8 Milliarden Dollar und die Gesamtfinanzierung auf über 1 Milliarde Dollar – ein bedeutender Meilenstein in der Mission des Unternehmens, Unternehmenssicherheit für das digitale und KI-Zeitalter neu zu definieren.

Die Investition baut auf CATOs bewährter Führungsrolle auf: von der Schaffung von SASE durch die Konvergenz von Sicherheit und Netzwerktechnik im Jahr 2015, über die Anerkennung von CATOs Vision durch die weltweite Analystengemeinschaft, als der Begriff „SASE” 2019 definiert wurde, bis hin zu einem Jahrzehnt der Innovation, die kontinuierlich die Grenzen von SASE und KI-Sicherheit erweitert.

„Mit mehr als 3.500 Unternehmenskunden, konstantem Hyperwachstum sowie wiederholbaren und skalierbaren Erfolgen gegen alle führenden Wettbewerber ist CATO ein bewährtes und ausgereiftes Unternehmen für Investitionen”, sagt Shlomo Kramer, Mitbegründer und CEO von CATO Networks. „Unsere echte SASE-Plattform und ein Jahrzehnt KI-Innovation unterscheidet CATO von herkömmlichen Anbietern, die ein Portfolio von Einzellösungen vorziehen. Kunden und Partner verstehen den Unterschied und entscheiden sich für CATO, um von bewährter Sicherheit, betrieblicher Effizienz und geschäftlicher Agilität zu profitieren.”

„CATO hat das letzte Jahrzehnt darauf verwendet, die nächste Generation der Cybersicherheit aufzubauen und zu optimieren. Wir sind stolz darauf, mit ihnen zusammenzuarbeiten, während sie weiterhin die Messlatte für KI-gesteuerte Sicherheit und Netzwerktechnik höher legen”, so Vitruvian Partners. „Die visionäre Führung des Unternehmens, die erstklassigen Wachstums- und Bindungsraten sowie der unermüdliche Fokus auf Innovation und Kundenerfahrung haben uns dazu bewogen, in CATO zu investieren. Wir freuen uns darauf, CATOs nächste Wachstumsphase zu unterstützen, während sie ihre Marktreichweite erweitern und die Art und Weise transformieren, wie Unternehmen ihre digitalen Geschäfte verbinden, schützen und KI einsetzen.”

„Als langjährige Investoren von Cato Networks haben wir die unglaubliche Entwicklung des Unternehmens hautnah miterlebt – von der Definierung der SASE-Kategorie bis hin zu ihrer Entwicklung an die Spitze”, sagte Ravi Mhatre, Partner und Mitgründer von Lightspeed Venture Partners. „Cato gestaltet die Unternehmenssicherheit mit einer einheitlichen, KI-gestützten SASE-Plattform neu, die sicher, skalierbar und für die Cloud-First-Welt konzipiert ist. Cato reduziert nicht nur die IT-Komplexität, sondern ermöglicht echte Agilität für das digitale Geschäft. Wir sind stolz darauf, Cato weiterhin dabei zu unterstützen, den Maßstab für SASE zu setzen.” 

Eine Plattform für das moderne digitale Geschäft

Herkömmliche Infrastruktur wird zunehmend als Belastung angesehen – teuer in der Wartung, langsam in der Anpassung und gefährlich fragmentiert. Die heutigen IT- und Sicherheitsverantwortlichen sind mit wachsender Komplexität, begrenztem Personal und überwältigendem Druck konfrontiert, überall Sicherheit zu gewährleisten und alles zu ermöglichen. CATO wurde entwickelt, um diesem Auftrag gerecht zu werden.

CATO bietet Unternehmenssicherheit und Netzwerktechnik als einheitliche, Cloud-native Plattform. Im Gegensatz zu einem herkömmlichen Flickwerk aus Firewalls, Routern, Cloud-Proxys und Einzellösungen ist die CATO SASE Cloud Platform von Grund auf so konzipiert, dass sie selbstwartend und für Unternehmen autonom skalierbar ist.

Ein strategischer Wendepunkt: KI-gestützte SASE-Plattform

Mit den zusätzlichen Mitteln wird Cato die Wahrnehmung von SASE und KI-Sicherheit in der Branche weiter herausfordern, auf zusätzliche Anwendungsfälle ausweiten und den gesamten adressierbaren Markt (TAM) des Unternehmens vergrößern.

Dazu wird CATO:

• KI-Sicherheit vorantreiben: Erweiterung der Funktionen, die es Unternehmen ermöglichen, KI im gesamten Unternehmen auf sichere und kontrollierte Weise einzusetzen.
• Plattforminnovation beschleunigen: Erhöhung der Investitionen in Forschung und Entwicklung (F&E), um die Fähigkeiten in den Bereichen DEM, LAN-Sicherheit, IoT/OT-Sicherheit, SD-WAN, SSE, XDR und ZTNA zu erweitern – alle nativ in einer einzigen, Cloud-nativen Plattform zusammengefasst.
• Globale Reichweite erweitern: Ausbau des Partner-Ökosystems und der kundenorientierten Teams von CATO, um der steigenden globalen Nachfrage gerecht zu werden.

CATOs Ansatz für KI geht über Automatisierung hinaus. CATO befähigt IT- und Sicherheitsexperten – CIOs, CISOs, Netzwerkarchitekten und Sicherheitsanalysten – schneller zu arbeiten, intelligentere Entscheidungen zu treffen und sich auf Initiativen zu konzentrieren, die das Unternehmen voranbringen.

„Mit CATO kümmert sich KI im Hintergrund um die Aufgaben in Sachen Cybersecurity, damit sich unsere Kunden auf die Strategie konzentrieren können”, fügt Kramer hinzu. „Wir integrieren KI in die DNA der Infrastruktur selbst. Routineaufgaben werden automatisiert. Reaktionsabläufe werden beschleunigt. Risikomanagement-Entscheidungen werden durch umsetzbare Live-Daten geleitet, nicht durch veraltete Berichte. Es geht nicht um Werkzeuge – es geht um ein neues Betriebsmodell, das effizient, widerstandsfähig und optimiert ist.”

Unterstützung der tatsächlichen Aufgabe von IT und Sicherheit

CATOs Geschäftsdynamik wird durch ein wachsendes Aufgabenspektrum im der T- und Sicherheitsmanagement angetrieben: Infrastruktur vereinfachen, Richtlinien vereinheitlichen und Sicherheit sowie KI in das digitale Geschäft einbetten. Während herkömmliche Anbieter gebündelte Einzellösungen anbieten, liefert CATO eine einzige, Cloud-native Plattform, die mit dem Unternehmen skaliert und sich dynamisch an ständige Veränderungen anpasst.

Die Entwicklung von Cato auf dem SASE-Markt spiegelt mehr als nur die Eignung des Produkts für den Markt wider. Es verdeutlicht die Führungsrolle in einer Kategorie, die sich schnell entwickelt. Gartner prognostiziert, dass der SASE-Markt mit einer durchschnittlichen jährlichen Wachstumsrate (CAGR) von 26 Prozent wachsen und bis 2028 28,5 Milliarden US-Dollar erreichen wird. Im Vergleich dazu meldete CATO kürzlich ein Wachstum des jährlich wiederkehrenden Umsatzes (ARR) von 46 Prozent im Jahresvergleich für 2024, was deutlich über dem SASE-Markt liegt und seine Position als SASE-Marktführer stärkt.

Weitere Information:

• über die CATO SASE Cloud Platform finden Sie hier.
• über CATOs Kunden finden Sie hier und über die Partner hier.

Gartner Disclaimer:
Gartner, Forecast Analysis: Secure Access Service Edge, Worldwide, Charanpal Bhogal, Charlie Winckless, Neil MacDonald, Andrew Lerner, John Watts, Shailendra Upadhyay, Christian Canales, Marissa Schmidt, Jonathan Forest, 5. Februar 2025

GARTNER ist eine eingetragene Marke und Dienstleistungsmarke von Gartner, Inc. und/oder seinen Tochtergesellschaften in den USA und international und wird hier mit Genehmigung verwendet. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Über Cato Networks 

Cato Networks bietet Unternehmen Sicherheit und Networking über eine einzige Cloud-Plattform.  Der SASE-Marktführer schafft eine nahtlose und elegante Customer Experience, die eine mühelose Bedrohungsprävention, Datenschutz und eine zeitnahe Vorfallserkennung und Vorfallsreaktion gestattet. Mit Cato können Firmen kostspielige und starre Legacy-Infrastrukturen durch eine offene und modulare SASE-Architektur ersetzen. Sie basiert auf SD-WAN, einem speziell entwickelten globalen Cloud-Netzwerk und einem eingebetteten Cloud-nativen Sicherheits-Stack.  

Sie wollen mehr dazu wissen, wie Tausende von Unternehmen ihre Zukunft mit Cato sichern? Besuchen Sie uns auf www.catonetworks.com. 

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2721481/Shlomo_Kramer.jpg

SASE leader fuels the future of AI-driven enterprise security and networking in an oversubscribed round

TEL AVIV, Israel, June 30, 2025 — Cato Networks, the SASE leader, today announced its Series G funding round, raising $359 million led by new investors including Vitruvian Partners and ION Crossover Partners as well as existing investors including Lightspeed Venture Partners, Acrew Capital, and Adams Street Partners. The investment brings Cato’s valuation to more than $4.8 billion and total funding to more than $1 billion, a significant milestone in the company’s mission to redefine enterprise security for the digital and AI era.

The investment builds on Cato’s proven track record of leadership: from the creation of SASE with the convergence of security and networking in 2015, through the recognition of Cato’s vision by the global analyst community when the term “SASE” became defined in 2019, and a decade of innovation that continuously stretches the boundaries of SASE and AI security.

“With more than 3,500 enterprise customers, consistent hyper-growth, and repetitive and scalable wins against all leading competitors, Cato is a proven and mature business to invest in,” said Shlomo Kramer, co-founder and CEO at Cato Networks. “Our true SASE platform and decade of AI innovation differentiates Cato from legacy vendors that favor a portfolio of point solutions. Customers and partners understand the difference and select Cato to benefit from proven security, operational efficiency, and business agility.”

“Cato has spent the past decade building and optimizing the next generation of cybersecurity, and we are proud to partner with them as they continue to raise the bar for AI-driven security and networking,” said Vitruvian Partners. “The company’s visionary leadership, best-in-class growth and retention rates, and relentless focus on innovation and customer experience are what led us to invest in Cato. We look forward to supporting Cato’s next phase of growth as they expand their market reach and transform how enterprises connect and secure their digital businesses and use of AI.”

“As a longtime investor in Cato Networks, we’ve had a front-row seat to its incredible journey, from defining the SASE category to leading it,” said Ravi Mhatre, partner and co-founder at Lightspeed Venture Partners. “Cato is reshaping enterprise security with a unified, AI-powered SASE platform that’s secure, scalable, and built for the cloud-first world. They’re not just eliminating IT complexity. They’re unlocking real agility for the digital business. We’re proud to further support Cato as they continue setting the standard for SASE leadership.”

A Platform Built for Today’s Digital Business

Legacy infrastructure is increasingly viewed as a liability—expensive to maintain, slow to adapt, and dangerously fragmented. Today’s IT and security leaders face mounting complexity, limited staff, and overwhelming pressure to secure everywhere and enable anything. Cato was built to answer that mandate.

Cato delivers enterprise-grade security and networking as a single, cloud-native platform. Unlike a legacy patchwork of firewalls, routers, cloud proxies, and point solutions, the Cato SASE Cloud Platform is architected from the ground up to be self-maintaining and autonomously scalable for enterprises.

A Strategic Inflection Point: AI-Powered SASE Platform

With the additional funds, Cato will continue to challenge the industry’s perception of SASE and AI security, expand to additional use cases, and increase the total addressable market (TAM) of the company. To do that, Cato will:

• Advance AI Security: Expand capabilities that enable enterprises to adopt AI across the business in a secure and controlled manner.
• Accelerate Platform Innovation: Increase investment in research and development (R&D) to expand capabilities across DEM, LAN Security, IoT/OT Security, SD-WAN, SSE, XDR, and ZTNA—all natively converged in a single, cloud-native platform.
• Expand Global Reach: Grow Cato’s partner ecosystem and customer-facing teams to meet surging global demand.

Cato’s approach to AI goes beyond automation. Cato empowers IT and security professionals—CIOs, CISOs, network architects, and security analysts—to move faster, make smarter decisions, and focus on initiatives that move the business forward.

“With Cato, AI handles the noise so our customers can focus on strategy,” Kramer added. “We’re embedding AI into the DNA of infrastructure itself. Routine tasks are automated. Response workflows are accelerated. Risk management decisions are guided by actionable live data, not outdated reports. This isn’t about tools—it’s about a new operating model that is efficient, resilient, and optimized.”

Supporting the True Cause of IT and Security

Cato’s business momentum is driven by a growing mandate across IT and security leadership: simplify infrastructure, unify policy, and embed security and AI into the digital business. Whereas legacy vendors offer bundles of point solutions, Cato delivers a single, cloud-native platform that scales with the enterprise and dynamically adapts to constant change.

Cato’s trajectory in the SASE market reflects more than just product market fit. It signals leadership in a category undergoing rapid expansion. Gartner® projects the SASE market will grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 26%, reaching $28.5 billion by 2028. By comparison, Cato recently reported 46% year-over-year (YoY) growth in annual recurring revenue (ARR) for 2024, significantly outpacing the SASE market and reinforcing its position as the SASE leader.

Resources

Gartner Disclaimer

Gartner, Forecast Analysis: Secure Access Service Edge, Worldwide, Charanpal Bhogal, Charlie Winckless, Neil MacDonald, Andrew Lerner, John Watts, Shailendra Upadhyay, Christian Canales, Marissa Schmidt, Jonathan Forest, 5 February 2025

GARTNER is a registered trademark and service mark of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.

About Cato Networks

Cato Networks delivers enterprise security and networking in a single cloud platform. The SASE leader creates a seamless and elegant customer experience that effortlessly enables threat prevention, data protection, and timely incident detection and response. With Cato, organizations replace costly and rigid legacy infrastructure with an open and modular SASE architecture based on SD-WAN, a purpose-built global cloud network, and an embedded cloud-native security stack.

Want to learn why thousands of organizations secure their future with Cato? Visit us at www.catonetworks.com.

Photo – https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/2721481/Shlomo_Kramer.jpg