Sesame it, a Paris-based cybersecurity startup, has raised €10 million in funding from investors, including Banque Postale and Banque des Territoires, as well as historical investors BNP (also backed Exotrai) and Astorya VC.
How will the funding be used?
The funds will be invested in commercial development in Europe, where the EU’s expanded Network and Information Security Directive (NIS2) which comes into force in 2024, will require organisations and companies of all sizes to implement robust cyber protection measures against the growing number of threats.
The capital will be used to strengthen the company’s talent base to support customers and partners.
One of four French NDR tools
The announcement comes as the company achieved profitability within a year of launching its Jizô Network Detection & Response (NDR) solution.
Further, the company’s NDR tool has received accreditation from the French National Agency for IT Systems Security (ANSSI), making it one of only four French NDR tools to hold such a distinction.
“Analysis of network flows is key to any cyber defence strategy, whether it’s critical infrastructure or not,” said Sesame it founder and CEO Audrey Amédro. “Network traffic and flow records are unfalsifiable, rich, and complete. They give a complete vision of IT systems, and therefore the ability to spot any malicious activity. Jizô’s network flow analysis allows for threats to be anticipated, making it one of the most effective tools for detecting cyber-malware, and an essential part of any good cybersecurity strategy.”
Helps deploy cyber-defence strategy
Founded in 2017 by Audrey Amédro and Jérôme Gouy, Sesame it helps French and European organisations deploy their cyber-defence strategy with its NDR solution — Jizô.
To gain approval for use by French CNIs, NDRs must undergo a qualification process conducted by the French National Agency for IT Systems Security (ANSSI).
This qualification process verifies that the solution adheres to ANSSI’s rigorous standards for regulation, technicality, security, and privacy.
Currently, only four NDRs, including Sesame it’s Jizô, have been qualified by ANSSI, says the company.
According to the French company, the NDR allows companies to track and detect any attack or intrusion on the network, once installed.
This is done via a series of detection engines driven by powerful Machine Learning algorithms that detect any abnormal behavior and alert managers in real-time.
Managers can then react quickly, making the right decisions based on concrete information.
“Step by step, from solid foundations, Sesame it has built an exceptional technological platform and passed the milestones from ANSSI qualification to large-scale marketing, becoming one of the most promising young companies in cybersecurity,” said Nicolas Tymen of BNP Paribas Développement. “We are proud to have supported Sesame it since 2020, and on this new round of financing alongside a pool of qualified investors.”
“By investing in Sesame it, we are supporting the development of cutting-edge technology that protects large companies and CNIs in France and in Europe, and particularly for financial institutions,” said La Poste Groupe’s Deputy Managing Director Olivier Lévy-Barouch. “Digital sovereignty, which is protected by Sesame it’s robust NDR, is a key cyber defence theme, that is recognised across that we are keen to support across the Banque Postale Groupe with our 115k investment.”
