Stealth Startup Spy #35
AWS/Salesforce/VMware alum launches cloud-based data security startup, Ex-Head of Blockchain at Splunk is building a stealth web3 startup, & Harvard MBA debuts equipment sourcing platform
Stealth Startup Spy is a data-driven newsletter for investors, journalists and tech enthusiasts interested in uncovering the next big move for key talent, real-time stealth company launches and technologay advancements not in plain sight. We leverage the technology built at Gravity to track billions of data points to help you identify tomorrow's opportunities that are currently hiding in the shadows. These signals include tracking the inflows and outflows of talent who work at “Stealth Startups”, bios and profile changes to “building something new” and monitoring press releases to shine a light on the hidden world of stealth startups.
In this issue of the Stealth Startup Spy, here is what we will uncover:
Twitter's Former Senior Manager of Machine Learning is building a startup in the generative AI space
Ex-Splunk Head of Blockchain is building a web3 stealth startup
Ex-Amazon/Salesforce/VMware alum launches cloud-based data security startup (backed by Greylock Partners)
Harvard MBA/Former FAANG debuts equipment sourcing platform (raised pre-seed)
Ex-VMware R&D Director wants to automate security using AI/ML in new venture
Web3 startup emerges from stealth with pre-seed funding for decentralized KYC solution
Bain Capital Ventures leads seed round for recently launched “wallet-as-a-service” platform (ex-Affirm,Adyen founders)
And more…
Now let’s shine the spotlight… 💡💡💡
🕵️♂️Founders Coming Out of Stealth
Real-time updates from founders who debut what they’ve been working on under stealth mode
Pranava Adduri - Co-Founder, CEO of Bedrock Security
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Masters Degree, Former FAANG, Top 10 University
Prior Experience: ex-Software Development Manager at AWS, Founding Engineer at Rubrik, Inc., ex-Backend Engineer at Box, ex Salesforce, ex-VMware
Connect on: LinkedIn
Bedrock Security is redefining cloud-based data security to enable seamless, efficient work experiences
HQ: San Francisco, California, United States
Industry: Data Security Software Products
Key Investors: Greylock Partners
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 20 months
David Alexander Scheer - Founder & CEO at zkMe
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Masters Degree
Prior Experience: Ex-Chief Strategy Officer at Slope Finance ($8M raised), ex-Head of Software (APAC) at 4flow
Connect on: LinkedIn
zkMe verifies user credentials without disclosing any personal information to anyone
HQ: Hong Kong SAR
Industry: IT Services and IT Consulting | Team Size: 4
Latest Funding: $2M Pre-Seed Round on 5/29/2023
Key Investors: Circle, The Spartan Group, CMS Holdings, LLC, Fenbushi Capital, NGC Ventures, and ArkStream Capital
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 9 months
Will Drewery - Founder & CEO at Diagon
🔎Featured Founder under stealth mode in StealthStartupSpy#15
FounderDNA: Masters Degree, Former FAANG, Top 10 University
Prior Experience: Ex-VP of Supply Chain at Astra, ex-VP of Industry Marketing at Bright Machines, ex-Tesla, ex-Google, Harvard MBA
Connect on: LinkedIn
Diagon is a first-of-its-kind equipment sourcing platform bringing hardware, services, and financing into a consolidated user experience.
HQ: San Francisco, California, United States
Industry: Technology, Information and Internet | Team Size: 2
Latest Funding: $750K Pre-Seed Round on 4/10/2023
Key Investors: Valia Ventures and David Paul
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 10 months
Santhosh Purathepparambil - Co-Founder of Discern Security
🔎Featured Founder under stealth mode in StealthStartupSpy#19
FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Technical Founder, Prior Exit, Top 10 University
Prior Experience: Ex-Vice President Of Product Strategy at KnowBe4, Co-Founder of SecurityAdvisor (Acquired by Knowbe4), ex-Sr. Director of Engineering at McAfee
Connect on: LinkedIn
Discern security is an AI-powered security policy management platform.
HQ: Sunnyvale, California, United States
Industry: Computer and Network Security | Team Size: 5
Key Investors: Cyber Mentor Fund, Westwave Capital, BoldCap, Blume VC
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 6 months
JT Cho - Co-founder & CTO at Ansa
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Former FAANG, Top 10 University
Prior Experience: Ex-Software Engineer at Google, ODF7 Fellow, ex-Senior Software Engineer at Impira, ex-Software Engineer at Affirm
Connect on: LinkedIn | Twitter
Ansa is the closed loop platform built for your customers
HQ: San Francisco, California, United States
Industry: Software Development | Team Size: 7
Latest Funding: $5.4M Seed Round on 4/26/2023
Key Investors: Bain Capital Ventures, BoxGroup, Cambrian Ventures, Susa Ventures, The Fintech Fund, Wischoff Ventures, Zacahary Perret, Gokul Rajaman
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 17 months
🕵️♂️Key Talent Going Under Stealth
Illuminating clues left behind by world class talent and influential innovators who just went into stealth mode
Saumya Dubey - Founder at Stealth Startup
FounderDNA: Serial Founder, Technical Founder, Former FAANG
Prior Experience: Ex-Product Manager at Google, ex-Product Lead at Swiggy, ex-Software Development Engineer at Amazon
Connect on: LinkedIn
HQ: Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 3 months
Nate McKervey - Founder and CEO at Stealth Web3 Startup
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Masters Degree
Prior Experience: Ex-Head of Blockchain and DLT at Splunk, ex-Systems Engineer for Mission Critical Networks program at Harris Corporation
Connect on: LinkedIn | Twitter
HQ: United States
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 10 months
Joey Garfola - Founder & CEO at Stealth Mode
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Former FAANG
Prior Experience: Ex-VP of IT and Security at 2K, ex-Sr Director of Technology at Blizzard Entertainment, ex-Chief of Staff - Network Engineering & Operations at Google
Connect on: LinkedIn
HQ: United States
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 6 months
Ravi Kiran Holur Vijay - Co-Founder at Stealth Startup
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Masters Degree, Former FAANG
Prior Experience: Ex-Senior Manager, Machine Learning at Twitter, ex-Facebook, ex-Pinterest, ex-LinkedIn, ex-Microsoft, ex-SAP
Connect on: LinkedIn
HQ: Sunnyvale, California, United States
Co-founding a startup in the Generative AI space.
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 5 months
Gaurav Rastogi - Co-Founder at StealthMode Cloud Security Startup
FounderDNA: Technical Founder, Masters Degree, Prior Exit
Prior Experience: Ex-Sr. Director, R&D at VMware, Founding Engineer and Sr. Director, Engineering at Avi Networks (Acquired by VMware), ex-Adobe Systems, ex-Cisco Systems
Connect on: LinkedIn
HQ: San Francisco, California, United States
Building a startup with a mission is to disrupt cloud security and governance.
Time Spent in Stealth Mode: 5 months
Stay Stealthy,
Drake
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