How it was ranked:10 startups compared. Each verdict is below.
Best Cybersecurity Startups: Top 10 Ranked. Cyera ranks first, with a Lister Score of 96.9.
Cyera tops the list on funding and valuation, built on data security for cloud and AI environments. Island leads for enterprise browser security, Abnormal AI for email protection and Cato Networks for SASE networking. Vanta is the strongest pick for compliance automation, and Upwind is the fastest-rising name in cloud security.
Best Cybersecurity Startups in 2026, compared
RANK
ENTRY
BEST FOR
SCORE
FROM
1
CyeraCyera's total funding passed $2.7 billion with the September 2026 extension, according to SecurityWeek.
Security teams managing complex cloud environments
96.9
–
2
IslandIsland says it has doubled annual recurring revenue every fiscal year since its launch in 2022.
Companies securing web apps and contractor access
95.7
Custom
3
Abnormal AIAbnormal AI was named to the CNBC Disruptor 50 list in May 2026.
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace customers fighting phishing
94.4
Custom
4
Cato NetworksCato says it has more than 3,500 enterprise customers and over $1 billion in total funding.
Mid-size and large firms replacing MPLS and firewalls
93.2
Custom
5
VantaVanta's Series D in July 2025 valued the company at $4.15 billion.
Cloud-native SaaS companies and tech startups requiring rapid certification
92.0
£3,000 per year
6
UpwindUpwind more than doubled its valuation to $3.8 billion in about five months, according to Calcalist.
Security teams managing multi-cloud infrastructure
90.7
–
7
ChainguardChainguard's total funding reached $892 million after the October 2025 growth financing.
Engineering teams cutting vulnerabilities in containers
89.5
Custom
8
HuntressAxios reported in July 2026 that Huntress had passed $250 million in annual recurring revenue.
SMBs and MSPs
88.2
–
9
TinesTines became a unicorn with its $125 million Series C in February 2025.
IT and Security teams
86.9
–
10
TorqTorq's Series D in January 2026 made it a unicorn at a $1.2 billion valuation.
The unified AI security platform for data protection
Cyera, founded in 2021, runs an agentless, API-driven platform that finds sensitive data across cloud and on-premises environments and combines data security posture management, data loss prevention and access governance. It raised a $400 million Series G extension led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives in September 2026 at a valuation above $12 billion.
PROS
The product deploys in minutes across any environment with an agentless design.
The product uses AI-native classification that learns the business to deliver high precision.
Best for
Security teams managing complex cloud environments
Island, founded in 2020 in Dallas, makes the Island Enterprise Browser, which builds security and IT controls into the browser for staff, contractors and AI agents. It raised a $400 million Series F led by Evolution Equity Partners in September 2026 at a $6.4 billion valuation.
Abnormal AI, formerly Abnormal Security, was founded in San Francisco in 2018 and uses behavioural AI to stop phishing, business email compromise and account takeover in cloud email. It raised a $250 million Series D in August 2024 at a $5.1 billion valuation.
PROS
API-based, no mail rerouting
Strong focus on business email compromise
CONS
Email is the core product
No new primary round since its Series D
Best for
Microsoft 365 and Google Workspace customers fighting phishing
Cato Networks, founded in Tel Aviv in 2015, combines networking and security in a single cloud service (SASE). It raised a $359 million Series G in June 2025 at a valuation above $4.8 billion, later extended to $409 million.
PROS
Single cloud platform for network and security
Large enterprise customer base
CONS
Competes with large public vendors
Older than most startups on this list
Best for
Mid-size and large firms replacing MPLS and firewalls
Continuous compliance automation for cloud-native companies
Vanta, founded in San Francisco in 2018, automates security compliance work for frameworks such as SOC 2, ISO 27001 and HIPAA. It raised a $150 million Series D in July 2025 at a $4.15 billion valuation.
PROS
Fastest path to SOC 2 certification for cloud companies
Excellent customer support and onboarding experience
CONS
Less suitable for on-premise or hybrid infrastructure
Can be overkill for very simple compliance needs
Best for
Cloud-native SaaS companies and tech startups requiring rapid certification
Where it falls short
Less suitable for on-premise or hybrid infrastructure.
Upwind, founded in 2022, protects cloud workloads with a runtime-first cloud security platform. It raised $300 million in September 2026 at a $3.8 billion valuation, in a round led by Bessemer Venture Partners and TCV.
PROS
The product connects runtime signals to spot deviations in cloud activity as they occur.
Upwind uses specialized AI agents to investigate threats and provide remediation at scale.
Best for
Security teams managing multi-cloud infrastructure
Chainguard, founded in 2021, supplies hardened, minimal container images and open source packages with few or no known vulnerabilities. It raised a $356 million Series D in April 2025 at a $3.5 billion valuation, then $280 million in growth financing from General Catalyst in October 2025.
PROS
Removes known CVEs at the source
Strong backing from Kleiner Perkins and IVP
CONS
Focused on the software supply chain
Requires image migration
Best for
Engineering teams cutting vulnerabilities in containers
Huntress, founded in Maryland in 2015, provides managed endpoint detection and response, identity threat response and security awareness training, sold mainly through managed service providers. It raised a $150 million Series D in June 2024 at a valuation above $1.5 billion.
PROS
The product uses agentic AI to investigate alerts alongside analysts.
Huntress enables organisations to go from zero to protected in under thirty minutes.
The secure environment for AI agents, apps and automation
Tines, founded in Dublin in 2018, lets security and IT teams build automated workflows with a no-code builder and AI features. It raised a $125 million Series C in February 2025 at a $1.125 billion valuation.
PROS
Tines provides an AI coding harness to build and refine software with artificial intelligence.
Tines offers administration and access control with clear permissions and oversight.
Torq, founded in 2020 by Israeli security founders, builds an AI-driven platform that automates security operations centre work such as alert triage and response. It raised a $140 million Series D led by Merlin Ventures in January 2026 at a $1.2 billion valuation.
PROS
Recent late-stage funding
Growing US federal presence
CONS
Competes with Tines and SOAR suites
Pricing not published
Best for
Enterprise SOC teams adding AI agents
Where it falls short
Competes with Tines and SOAR suites.
85.6
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Cyera ranks first on Lister. Cyera, founded in 2021, runs an agentless, API-driven platform that finds sensitive data across cloud and on-premises environments and combines data security posture management, data loss prevention and access governance. It raised a $400 million Series G extension led by Goldman Sachs Alternatives in September 2026 at a valuation above $12 billion.
