Astelia Secures $35M for AI-Driven Vulnerability Management Solutions

Astelia, a startup founded by former leaders of Israel’s National Red Team, has secured $35 million in Series A funding to enhance its exposure management services. The investment aims to equip organizations with tools to focus on genuine vulnerabilities, thus optimizing their cybersecurity efforts.

Alon Noy, CEO of Astelia, emphasized that the funding will enable the company to refine its capabilities in prioritizing and remediating vulnerabilities. This initiative is critical as the rapid evolution of AI has led to a significant increase in the number of vulnerabilities, compressing the timeframe within which they can be exploited. “The risk landscape has escalated,” Noy stated, indicating that traditional vulnerability management challenges are now more pronounced.

Founded in 2024, Astelia stands out in the market thanks to its deep analysis of exploitability conditions. Noy, along with co-founders Nadav Ostrovsky and Roy Rajwan—all veterans of elite Red Teams—aim to develop an all-encompassing platform that includes vulnerability scanning alongside existing services. This transition seeks to move beyond basic prioritization towards a nuanced understanding of the network environment to effectively map exposure paths.

Addressing the Urgency of Vulnerabilities

The need for advanced vulnerability management is underscored by the increasing speed at which attackers can leverage newly-disclosed vulnerabilities. Noy points out that defenders face unprecedented pressure to act promptly, as the time between a vulnerability’s release and its exploitation has shrunk significantly. This urgency is compounded by the accelerating capabilities of adversaries who exploit vulnerabilities almost instantaneously after they become public.

As Astelia eyes expansion, Noy noted the valuable expertise that Index Ventures brings as a lead investor, particularly in scaling technology firms. The backing from Team8, which provides mentorship and access to potential customers through its CISO Village, has been instrumental in shaping Astelia’s evolution from a conceptual stage to a viable service provider.

Astelia’s approach includes deep network modeling and exploitability analysis, allowing the company to effectively narrow down actionable vulnerabilities to a mere 1% to 2% of initial findings. This precision is critical as many organizations grapple with the vast number of vulnerabilities detected by generic scanning tools that often lack contextual awareness.

Plans for First-Party Scanning

The company currently integrates third-party scanning solutions but has plans to expand its offerings to first-party scanning capabilities. Noy expects this move will enhance their ability to deliver focused insights into vulnerabilities. By leveraging their existing strengths in network modeling and analysis, they aim to provide organizations with higher-quality data and more effective remediation strategies.

Astelia competes directly with established names such as Tenable, Rapid7, Qualys, and CrowdStrike within the vulnerability management sector. With a focus on reducing noise through advanced network analysis and AI-driven capabilities, the company is poised to differentiate itself effectively. Noy believes that as organizations increasingly adopt hybrid environments—where diverse technologies intersect—Astelia’s expertise in modeling complex traffic paths will prove crucial in safeguarding critical infrastructures.