Spotted the announcement of a company that has come out of stealth mode with a $10M investment behind them of interest – Guardz, a company with a two-part offering aimed at protecting SMBs: a SaaS-based set of low-code security tools designed for businesses using cloud services, designed to be implemented without any specific security or advanced technical expertise; and insurance to help cover organizations in cases where something is disrupted. The startup is launching initially in the U.S., and along with that, it’s announcing $10 million in funding.
I want to cite this quote from TechCrunch:
The coupling of insurance with cybersecurity products is becoming more commonplace these days. Others that are building similar products together include ActZero, which launched in 2021 and also targets SMBs; Cowbell, which raised $100 million last year and also targets SMBs; Stoïk out of France; At-Bay, backed by Microsoft; and Coalition, which is now has a whopping $5 billion valuation.
Why do we care?
This software plus insurance combo is a prediction I made two years ago. What’s interesting to me is that most of the names are entirely new and are not “channel-focused” companies. SaaS disrupted some of the rigid nature of SMB acquisition, but most customers still seek expertise and advice. Lean into that.