XBOW, a Seattle-based cybersecurity startup focused on autonomous offensive security, has raised $120 million in Series C funding at a valuation of more than $1 billion. The round was led by DFJ Growth and Northzone, with participation from Sofina, Alkeon Capital, Altimeter, NFDG Ventures, and Sequoia Capital.
The company, founded in January 2024 by former GitHub executive Oege de Moor, is building what it calls an “autonomous hacker,” using AI to test applications continuously and identify vulnerabilities at machine speed. The funding comes as security teams face a harder problem: attackers can now use AI to probe systems continuously, while traditional point-in-time penetration testing struggles to keep up.
De Moor framed the raise as a scaling moment after a year spent proving the product in live environments. “Attackers are already using AI. Defenders need to move just as fast,” he said, adding that the new capital will help XBOW expand across enterprise markets, continue product development, and grow internationally.
XBOW said its platform is already being used by Fortune 500 and other large enterprises, and it has been built with input from experienced human hackers to better mirror real-world attack methods. The company also said it combines autonomous systems with input from experienced human hackers, with de Moor joined by leaders including former Lyft CISO Nico Waisman as XBOW builds out its platform and broader leadership team.
