Verdane partners with Guardsquare to boost mobile security growth
The agreement brings together Verdane's growth investment experience and Guardsquare's technical knowledge in the mobile security field. Battery Ventures, an existing investor in Guardsquare, continues its involvement as the company takes steps to scale its operations in response to the growing complexity of mobile security threats facing businesses of all sizes.
Mobile applications have become a main point of interaction between companies and their customers, yet security challenges in this area remain substantial. Cyberthreats targeting mobile apps are increasing, with criminals adapting rapidly to exploit vulnerabilities at scale. The partnership is set against this backdrop, as businesses across industries seek more comprehensive protection for their mobile applications.
Guardsquare's mobile application security platform is recognised in the industry, having received the Mobile App Security Award from Cyber Defense Magazine earlier this year. The company supports over 900 organisations across various sectors, providing services ranging from app security testing and code hardening to real-time monitoring of the threat landscape.
Roel Caers, Chief Executive Officer at Guardsquare, expressed confidence in the new partnership's potential to support continued expansion. In his statement, Caers said: "I'm excited to embark on this new partnership with Verdane. It marks an inspiring and well-aligned progression toward our long-term vision. We will benefit from their expertise as, together, we take Guardsquare to the next level, significantly expand our market share, and increase our global reach through organic growth, ongoing product enhancements, and M&A. We're grateful for the support provided by Battery Ventures over the past several years as we became the market leader in mobile application protection. Their guidance enabled us to scale our business globally and attract top talent, particularly in the U.S."
The partnership is designed not only to drive organic growth at Guardsquare but also to leverage opportunities for mergers and acquisitions to further increase its market presence. Verdane, which has invested in over 200 technology-focused companies, will play a key role in executing this strategy across its areas of expertise—digitalisation and sustainability.
Morten Weicher, Partner at Verdane, commented on the rationale behind the investment: "Guardsquare's industry-leading mobile application protection is a critical cybersecurity service, and we're excited to partner with Roel and the entire Guardsquare team to make this available for even more businesses globally. The company's growth from a European to a global leader has been very impressive to behold, and we're looking forward to supporting the company in its future journey."
Battery Ventures, which has previously worked to help Guardsquare grow internationally, also welcomed the new chapter for the company. Dharmesh Thakker, Partner at Battery Ventures, stated: "It has been a privilege to partner with the Guardsquare team and support the company's growth journey. As it scaled its business, Guardsquare has consistently demonstrated its commitment to innovation and leadership in mobile application security. We are confident that this new partnership with Verdane will open up many new growth opportunities and allow Guardsquare to continue to help set the standard for mobile application security worldwide."
The completion of the transaction is pending standard regulatory approvals. Both parties are preparing to build on Guardsquare's existing track record in the sector, with an emphasis on further product enhancements and expansion into new markets.
Follow us on:
Share on:
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
NZ Herald
11 hours ago
- NZ Herald
European ESG rebrand challenges NZ ethical investing norms – Fran O'Sullivan
The US President has strong-armed Nato members into increasing their defence budgets to 5% of GDP. However, the Europeans are determined their increased expenditure should boost their own defence companies – not simply be used to buy American military hardware and boost the profits of those American companies contributing to the US war machine. Back here, New Zealand companies have devoted thousands of pages in successive annual reports to trumpeting their prowess on environmental, social and governance metrics (traditional ESG). Some are required by law. Some frankly fall into 'feel-good' box-ticking (often notable among failing companies!) and a deflection from a company's true commercial driver, which is to post a profit and stay in business. It is time for a rethink. As with DEI (diversity, equity and inclusion) policies, which even BlackRock chief executive Larry Fink (a previous champion) has walked away from, there is a sharpening of focus. At the Amsterdam Stock Exchange last week, chief executive René van Vlerken was quick to emphasise that the heightened geopolitical risks – obvious on Europe's backdoor where the Russian-Ukraine conflict verges on a 'forever war' – has made for the more existential approach. The Amsterdam exchange is part of the pan-European stock exchange Euronext, which operates regulated exchanges in Belgium, France, Ireland, Italy, Norway, and Portugal as well as the Netherlands. In May, Euronext's chief executive and chairman Stephane Boujnah said the redefinition of ESG was in response to a 'new geopolitical order'. 'European aerospace and defence companies have expressed the urgent need to invest heavily in their innovation and production capacities to guarantee Europe's strategic autonomy for the next decade,' Boujnah said. Euronext said it would revisit the methodologies for ESG indexes to limit the exclusions currently placed on defence companies. This poses a challenge for traditional ESG ratings agencies when it comes to advertising investments in defence industry-related bonds (for instance). It also has ramifications for entities like the New Zealand Super Fund and KiwiSaver funds, which walk a tightrope on definitions of ethical investing, with all sorts of activists getting exercised over where the funds invest. How will funds approach investing in New Zealand companies ranging from aerospace to quantum computing or drone manufacturing – all within the scope of the Government's new defence plans – when there is a clear implication their products will be used in armed conflict? Euronext has said it will encourage the rating agencies to restrict the concept of controversial weapons solely to armament activities prohibited by relevant international treaties. What's at stake is not small bikkies. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen believes the EU could mobilise up to €800 billion ($1.55 trillion) to strengthen its defence industry. There are also opportunities for Kiwi companies like Dawn Aerospace, with its dual base in the Netherlands and New Zealand. I was in the Netherlands with 40 business leaders on the New Zealand Initiative think tank's Go Dutch study tour, which was designed to provide insights from small, advanced economies. Fortuitously, our time in the Netherlands coincided with the Nato Summit in the Hague. It also coincided with the US attack on three nuclear facilities in Iran with 'bunker buster' bombs and Tomahawk missiles, which made for frantic rebooking of flights back to New Zealand after some airlines pulled back from flying over the Middle East. Trump did attend Nato, being hosted overnight by the Dutch King and Queen in their personal palace before a truncated Nato meeting. At the summit, the allies made a commitment to investing 5% of GDP annually on core defence requirements and defence and security-related spending by 2035. At least 3.5% of GDP was to fit within agreed definitions of Nato defence expenditure to resource core defence requirements and to meet Nato's Capability Targets. The other 1.5% was to be invested in protecting critical infrastructure; defending networks; ensuring civil preparedness, resilience and innovation; and strengthening the defence industrial base. Prime Minister Christopher Luxon was also in the Netherlands. He was the only political leader from the Indo-Pacific Four – Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand – to attend the Nato Summit. It was noted that he had turned up. Luxon contends he was under no pressure to increase New Zealand's defence spending above the targeted 2% of GDP within the decade that was outlined in the recent Budget. But this is a more dangerous world. It was notable that when we visited Rotterdam – which hosts Europe's largest port and some fully-automated container terminals – that the Dutch Ministry of Defence wants to acquire terminal capacity for handling multiple ships carrying military cargo (mainly equipment and ammunition) simultaneously. It has been agreed within Nato that this type of cargo can be transported via the Netherlands, even if the destination is outside the Netherlands. In the Netherlands, where older Dutch people still hold sharply to the lessons from the Nazi occupation in World War II – and where they have more recently been hurt by soaring energy prices sparked by the withdrawal of Russian gas flowing to Europe via Ukraine – there is a quiet confidence. With 26% of land under sea level, the Netherlands has developed extensive water management systems, including dikes, dams and polders (land reclaimed from the sea) to manage the obvious risk. There is a frank realism there – we could do with a bit more here. Disclaimer: Fran O'Sullivan met her own costs to take part in the New Zealand Initiative's Go Dutch study tour. These are her views.
Techday NZ
21 hours ago
- Techday NZ
Verdane partners with Guardsquare to boost mobile security growth
Verdane has entered into a partnership with Guardsquare aimed at expanding mobile application security solutions for a global client base. The agreement brings together Verdane's growth investment experience and Guardsquare's technical knowledge in the mobile security field. Battery Ventures, an existing investor in Guardsquare, continues its involvement as the company takes steps to scale its operations in response to the growing complexity of mobile security threats facing businesses of all sizes. Mobile applications have become a main point of interaction between companies and their customers, yet security challenges in this area remain substantial. Cyberthreats targeting mobile apps are increasing, with criminals adapting rapidly to exploit vulnerabilities at scale. The partnership is set against this backdrop, as businesses across industries seek more comprehensive protection for their mobile applications. Guardsquare's mobile application security platform is recognised in the industry, having received the Mobile App Security Award from Cyber Defense Magazine earlier this year. The company supports over 900 organisations across various sectors, providing services ranging from app security testing and code hardening to real-time monitoring of the threat landscape. Roel Caers, Chief Executive Officer at Guardsquare, expressed confidence in the new partnership's potential to support continued expansion. In his statement, Caers said: "I'm excited to embark on this new partnership with Verdane. It marks an inspiring and well-aligned progression toward our long-term vision. We will benefit from their expertise as, together, we take Guardsquare to the next level, significantly expand our market share, and increase our global reach through organic growth, ongoing product enhancements, and M&A. We're grateful for the support provided by Battery Ventures over the past several years as we became the market leader in mobile application protection. Their guidance enabled us to scale our business globally and attract top talent, particularly in the U.S." The partnership is designed not only to drive organic growth at Guardsquare but also to leverage opportunities for mergers and acquisitions to further increase its market presence. Verdane, which has invested in over 200 technology-focused companies, will play a key role in executing this strategy across its areas of expertise—digitalisation and sustainability. Morten Weicher, Partner at Verdane, commented on the rationale behind the investment: "Guardsquare's industry-leading mobile application protection is a critical cybersecurity service, and we're excited to partner with Roel and the entire Guardsquare team to make this available for even more businesses globally. The company's growth from a European to a global leader has been very impressive to behold, and we're looking forward to supporting the company in its future journey." Battery Ventures, which has previously worked to help Guardsquare grow internationally, also welcomed the new chapter for the company. Dharmesh Thakker, Partner at Battery Ventures, stated: "It has been a privilege to partner with the Guardsquare team and support the company's growth journey. As it scaled its business, Guardsquare has consistently demonstrated its commitment to innovation and leadership in mobile application security. We are confident that this new partnership with Verdane will open up many new growth opportunities and allow Guardsquare to continue to help set the standard for mobile application security worldwide." The completion of the transaction is pending standard regulatory approvals. Both parties are preparing to build on Guardsquare's existing track record in the sector, with an emphasis on further product enhancements and expansion into new markets. Follow us on: Share on:
1News
2 days ago
- 1News
Tesla sales plunge again amid anti-Musk boycott, rivals pounce
Sales of Tesla electric cars fell sharply in the last three months as boycotts over Elon Musk's political views continue to keep buyers away. The 13% plunge in global sales over a year earlier suggested the damage to Tesla's brand from Musk's embrace of US President Donald Trump and far-right European politicians was much deeper, widespread and lasting than some investors had expected. The figures reported by Tesla on Wednesday also signalled that its quarterly earnings report due later this month could disappoint as rival electric-vehicle makers pounced on its weakness and stole market share. Sales fell to 384,122 in April through June, down from 443,956 in the same three months last year. During the latest period, Musk formally left the Trump administration as a cost-cutting czar, and hopes rose that sales would recover. ADVERTISEMENT The Tesla CEO himself recently said the company was in the midst of a 'major rebound' in sales, a statement contradicted by the latest figures. Still, some parts of the report were encouraging. A Tesla factory in California (file image). (Source: Sales of the Models 3 and Y totalled 373,728, above the estimate of 356,000 from Wall Street analysts. Tesla shares rose 5% on the news. "The numbers weren't as bad as thought with all the analyst forecast cuts we saw over the past week," said Morningstar's Seth Goldstein, although he added the report overall showed the company faced big challenges. "The current product lineup is at market saturation, and Tesla will need the new affordable vehicle to grow deliveries." Musk has promised that a cheaper EV model will be coming this year, which would boost sales. ADVERTISEMENT It was not clear yet if Musk's latest feud with Trump wouldl help lure back buyers who have been angry at the billionaire's political positions. After Musk once again took to social media to criticise Trump's budget bill, the president threatened Tuesday to use the power of his office to hurt his companies, including Tesla, pushing its stock down more than 5%. A June AP-NORC poll showed about half of US adults had an unfavourable opinion of Tesla, including 30% of Republicans. The new figures came as Tesla was focusing less on new models and more on robots, self-driving technology and robotaxis ferrying passengers around without anyone behind the wheel. Tesla was in the midst of a test run of robotaxis in Austin, Texas, that seems to have gone smoothly for the most part. But it also has drawn the scrutiny of federal car safety regulators because of a few mishaps, including one case in which a Tesla cab was shown on a video heading down an opposing lane. The competition from rival EV makers is especially fierce in Europe, where China's BYD has taken a bite out of its market share. ADVERTISEMENT Tesla sales fell 28% in May in 30 European countries even as the overall market for electric vehicles expanded sharply, according to the European Automobile Manufacturers' Association. Musk has acknowledged that his work as head of the Department of Government Efficiency and his embrace of European far-right candidates have hurt the company. But he said earlier this year that much of the sales plunge was due to customers holding off while they waited for an upgrade to Tesla's best-selling Model Y. That new version has been out for months now. Tesla reports second-quarter financial results on July 23. In the first quarter, net income fell 71%.
