Startup Guardicore Raises $60M To Take On VMware NSX, Cisco ACI

Guardicore has raised an additional $60 million to better position the cloud and data center security startup to compete against Cisco ACI and VMware NSX. The Tel Aviv, Israel-based cybersecurity vendor plans to use the proceeds from its Series C round on everything from product development to marketing initiatives to partner program enhancements, according to co-founder and CEO Pavel Gurvich. The funding will enable Guardicore to drive more brand awareness, Gurvich said, giving the company a leg up when selling against Cisco or VMware. "We're growing as a company. Our customer base is growing, and we want to accelerate that," Gurvich told CRN. "It's really about scale at this point." The Guardicore micro-segmentation control offering faces an uphill battle against Cisco ACI and VMware NSX, but Gurvich said the company benefits from providing a superior customer experience and more generous opportunity for partners. Guardicore partners qualify for discounts ranging from 25 percent for entry-level authorized partners to 30 percent for silver tier partners to 40 percent for gold partners.