Early-stage vendors focused on protecting data and GenAI usage in the cloud are among the year’s most notable cloud security startups.

While securing cloud environments continues to grow as a concern for organizations, the arrival of generative AI introduces—or intensifies—a number of challenges for protecting the cloud. When it comes to data security, for instance, GenAI systems rely on massive datasets that can include sensitive information, making the privacy and security of data an even bigger priority as AI-related initiatives increase.

[Related: The 20 Coolest Cloud Security Companies Of The 2024 Cloud 100]

That has prompted continued demand for new cloud security capabilities that offer differentiated approaches to protecting cloud and AI, and a number of up-and-coming startups are looking to meet the needs. Notably, many of these startups are placing a priority on working with channel partners even from the early phases of their sales efforts.

At cloud security startup Upwind Security, for example, the company has been focusing on driving its growth through solution and service provider partnerships, said Upwind Co-founder and CEO Amiram Shachar. “I’m a big believer in channel,” Shachar said. Partnerships have included both with smaller VARs as well as major solution and service providers, he said. “Most of our big accounts that we have right now came from channel,” Shachar said.

To be included on the list that follows, startups must have been founded since 2019. (Note: We’re also omitting cloud security startups that have already achieved significant scale such as Wiz and Orca Security.)

What follows are the key details on 10 of the hottest cloud security startups of 2024 so far.

Astrix Security

Founded: 2021

CEO: Alon Jackson

Astrix Security uses an agentless approach with the aim of enabling greater control over non-human identities across SaaS, IaaS and PaaS. The tool provides rapid discovery of all non-human identities and access tokens while also detecting and remediating risky access, according to the company. Astrix has raised nearly $40 million in funding, including a $25 million Series A round led by CRV in June 2023.

Cyera

Founded: 2021

CEO: Yotam Segev

Cyera offers an agentless data security posture management (DSPM) tool, enabling discovery, classification, assessment and protection for both unstructured and structured data. Notably, Cyera’s DSPM technology works across cloud environments and SaaS applications as well as data lakes and on-premises environments, the company said. In April, Cyera announced it has raised a $300 million Series C round led by Coatue, which brings the company to a valuation of $1.4 billion and $460 million in total funding raised.

Dazz

Founded: 2021

CEO: Merav Bahat

Dazz offers a cloud security platform focused on improved prioritization and remediation of cloud vulnerabilities. Rather than generating alerts, the Dazz platform aims to correlate issues across detection tools and provide a robust remediation plan, the company said. Dazz has raised $60 million in funding to date, including a Series A round of $50 million in late 2021 from investors including Insight Partners, Greylock Partners and Index Ventures.

Grip Security

Founded: 2021

CEO: Lior Yaari

Grip Security offers a platform for mitigating identity security risks associated with SaaS usage through capabilities for discovery, prioritization and orchestration of remediation. In August 2023, Grip Security announced raising a $41 million Series B funding round led by Third Point Ventures.

Legit Security

Founded: 2020

CEO: Roni Fuchs

Legit Security offers an application security posture management platform that aims to provide improved visibility and security throughout the software development process. The startup’s “code to cloud” platform offers a “unified” control plane for application security along with capabilities around automated discovery and analysis in the software development life cycle, the company said. In September, Legit Security announced raising a $40 million funding round led by CRV.

Mitiga

Founded: 2019

CEO: Tal Mozes

Mitiga — a finalist in the RSAC Innovation Sandbox in May — provides capabilities for “advanced” visibility, threat detection, investigation and response in cloud and SaaS deployments. The offering ultimately enables customers to address cloud threats “70 times faster than traditional capabilities,” the company said. In March 2023, Mitiga announced raising $45 million in Series A funding led by ClearSky Security.

Sentra

Founded: 2021

CEO: Yoav Regev

Sentra offers a data security posture management platform that aims to offer improved visibility into sensitive cloud data, along with greater automation for risk assessment and access analysis related to the data. At RSAC 2024 in May, the startup unveiled a new offering, Sentra DataTreks, along with on-premises support to aid in helping organizations with determining when sensitive data has traveled between environments. In January 2023, Sentra announced raising $30 million in Series A funding led by Standard Investments.

Sweet Security

Founded: 2022

CEO: Dror Kashti

Sweet Security unveiled the launch of its Cloud Runtime Security Suite in August 2023, offering detection and response as well as discovery and prevention in runtime. The tool utilizes the startup’s rapidly deployable runtime sensor and capabilities for streaming app data and business logic to its servers, the company said. In March, Sweet Security announced raising $33 million in Series A funding led by Evolution Equity Partners.

Upwind Security

Founded: 2022

CEO: Amiram Shachar

Upwind offers a comprehensive runtime cloud security platform that includes cloud workload protection and cloud detection and response as well as CSPM (cloud security posture management), CIEM (cloud identity entitlement management) and other capabilities. The Upwind platform leverage’s the company’s “lightweight” eBPF (Extended Berkeley Packet Filter) sensor technology for identifying anomalous behavior and providing automated protection, the startup has said. In September 2023, Upwind announced a $50 million funding round led by Greylock, Cyberstarts and Leaders Fund, bringing the company to $80 million in total funding in less than a year since its debut.

Veza

Founded: 2020

CEO: Tarun Thakur

Veza offers a tool that aims to help organizations improve their security around access permissions and privileges with a focus on providing a visual view for more easily spotting anomalous and risky permissions. The tool also enables monitoring of permissions activity, automation of access reviews and remediation of privilege violations. The Veza platform works across identity and data systems, cloud infrastructure, SaaS and custom-built apps. In September 2023, Veza announced raising an undisclosed amount of funding from The Syndicate Group, which is targeted toward ramping up its expansion with channel partners.