[ad_1]
The cybersecurity industry has taken a hit lately, with layoffs and broad investor pullbacks due to an economic headwind. But some firms have escaped unscathed, like cybersecurity training platform Cyberry, which announced today that it has raised $25 million in a Series C funding round. CEO Kevin Haynes told TechCrunch that the round, which brought Cyberline’s total to $48 million, was led by BuildGroup and Gula Tech Adventure, and will be used to develop “content and capabilities” on the company’s platform.
Cybrary was launched in 2015 by co-founders Ralph Sita and Ryan Corey (Hans joined as CEO a year ago). According to Hans, their mission was to break down the barriers of the cybersecurity industry, creating a path for aspiring professionals to enter the field – with background and experience.
“There are currently approximately 3.5 million unfilled cybersecurity roles. Research indicates that the global cyber security workforce needs to grow by 65% to effectively protect organizations’ critical assets. Introducing more products and technologies will not help organizations solve this fundamental issue,” Hans told TechCrunch in an email. “Investing in people is key to closing the cybersecurity skills gap and combating the growing incidence of firefighting and human error. Cybersecurity professionals in their profession need an affordable and accessible training platform to equip them with the skills and confidence to respond to threats.”
Cybrary’s e-learning portal offers training content built around adversary techniques and vulnerabilities, including online courses and tools. There are activities in the catalog led by cybersecurity experts covering topics such as ethical hacking, digital forensics, web application security, and network and operating systems.
Hans describes Cyberry as a more affordable alternative to in-person bootcamps and other cybersecurity e-learning platforms on the market. The Pro plan, which includes certification prep, labs, and practice assessments, starts at $59. While some might argue that Cyberry’s intensive, week-long bootcamp isn’t all-inclusive, it’s certainly a fraction of the price—most cybersecurity bootcamps average in the thousands of dollars.
“Decision makers need to assess the highest risk they can mitigate with the next dollar they spend and factor that into training their team,” Hans said. “Globally, 80% of organizations have experienced one or more breaches that could be attributed to a lack of cybersecurity skills and awareness. Therefore, leaders must invest in their people to not only reduce organizational risk, but to build a pipeline of cybersecurity talent within their organization.”
Eighty-employee Cybrary has a reasonably strong presence in the market, with more than 3.7 million users and 742 companies registered in the Cybrary for Teams product. The startup also has a growing defense business that includes what Hans described as “several” different government groups and military branches.
“Developing our in-house cybersecurity expertise has allowed us to create a new style of training that’s skill-focused and focused on real-world threats and vulnerabilities, and how to ensure your organization is protected,” Hans said. “While Cybrary has historically focused on helping people enter the workforce and obtain basic credentials; [recent] Additions to the platform will allow us to help these individuals on their journey after they find their first role.
[ad_2]
Source link