This founder's company was breached by Iranian hackers. His new startup raised $11 million to stop it happening again.

Onit Security, a new player in the cybersecurity arena, has successfully raised $11 million to combat cyber vulnerabilities utilizing artificial intelligence. The startup, based in Tel Aviv, is targeting a massive market potential exceeding $23 billion by offering innovative solutions that analyze data from various IT tools across organizations. Founded in early 2025 by Ofer Amitai and his partners Elad Ben Meir and Tom Winter, Onit aims to streamline the process of identifying security threats. This initiative stems from Amitai's personal experience with a cyberattack at Portnox, an Israeli security firm, where a vulnerability was exploited by Iranian hackers in late 2020. Although the breach was contained, Amitai reflected on the lasting impact such incidents can have. "When someone breaks into your house, it changes everything," Amitai shared, emphasizing his desire to prevent other Chief Information Security Officers (CISOs) from undergoing similar distressing experiences. By leveraging AI, Onit Security is developing tools that allow companies to detect vulnerabilities proactively, thereby minimizing the risk of future breaches. Ben Meir, Onit's CEO, highlighted how autonomous AI agents are transforming the cybersecurity landscape. These agents handle tasks that are typically overlooked by human cybersecurity professionals, such as gathering threat intelligence and understanding the context of internal assets. Despite the automation, final approval for any fixes remains with a human operator, ensuring a balance between AI efficiency and human oversight. Onit operates on a software-as-a-service model, offering a tiered subscription for organizations wishing to enhance their cybersecurity measures. The startup has already begun collaborating with approximately 15 Fortune 1000 companies, focusing on those with complex operational environments, including financial institutions and manufacturers. The latest funding round was spearheaded by Hetz Ventures and Brightmind Partners, alongside contributions from various angel investors. With these resources, Onit plans to accelerate its product development and market outreach, aiming to expand into additional sectors as it moves forward in the cybersecurity landscape.