The future of cybersecurity is unfolding! 🔐 The Israeli Cyber Showcase, hosted by Merlin Ventures and the Israeli Startup Advisory Network (ISAN), brings four cutting-edge startups to pitch their innovations to top industry executives. A select group will challenge ideas and shape the conversation. Stay tuned! #Cybersecurity #Innovation #Startups #TechInvesting #CyberTech #VentureCapital #ISAN Shay M. | Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Josh Cohen | Andrew Smeaton | Almog Apirion | Yossi Appleboum | Reuven (Rubi) Aronashvili | Yair Cohen
About us
We not only take disruption to market – we make it mainstream. Emerging cybersecurity companies have options for where they take funding from. But Merlin Ventures brings much more than funding and is unlike any other strategic investment firm. We provide infrastructure for market readiness, cybersecurity engineering expertise, and go-to-market muscle for all of our partners. At Merlin Ventures, we have our finger on the pulse of what’s next in cybersecurity. We scour the globe for the world’s most innovative emerging cybersecurity technologies. We then invest and rapidly scale them – dramatically increasing their valuation while equipping enterprises with unique ways to solve critical cybersecurity challenges.
- Website
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https://merlin.vc
External link for Merlin Ventures
- Industry
- Venture Capital and Private Equity Principals
- Company size
- 2-10 employees
- Type
- Privately Held
Employees at Merlin Ventures
Updates
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🔊 OUT NOW! The latest episode of Authenticated dives into the future of cyber investment, featuring our Managing Partner, Seth Spergel, alongside top VC leaders. Big thanks to Jason Cenamor, Confide & The CISO Society for moderating such an insightful discussion! Don’t miss it! Full episode here 👉 https://lnkd.in/dH63Nhfy #Cybersecurity #VentureCapital #AuthenticatedPodcast #MerlinVentures Shay M. | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Andrew Smeaton | Josh Cohen
OUT NOW! Authenticated Episode 2 gathers investors from the #VentureCapital community into one room and got straight to the core issues and questions of the day. Check out "VCs and the Future of Cyber Investment"! Featuring: Katie Gray, IQT (In-Q-Tel) Seth Spergel, Merlin Ventures Lior Litwak, Glilot Capital Partners Justin Somaini, YL Ventures William Harmer, Craft Ventures This conversation was hosted by Jason Cenamor, founder of Confide and The CISO Society. Presented by Confide Group and The CISO Society Post-production by Goitanich & Co. Subscribe, so you never miss an episode: https://lnkd.in/ewyjHpnd NEXT on Authenticated: CMOs on How to Launch!
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Securing Non-Human Identities: A Critical Priority 🔒 Managing NHIs is more than just permissions, it’s about securing one of the fastest-growing attack surfaces. That’s why we’re excited to see Clutch Security launching the NHI Risk Library, a must-read for security teams tackling identity security at scale. Understanding the risks is the first step to mitigating them. Check it out 👉 https://lnkd.in/erQgd-Md #CyberSecurity #NHI #IdentitySecurity #ZeroTrust #NHIRiskLibrary Seth Spergel | Shay M. | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Josh Cohen | Andrew Smeaton | Ofir Har-Chen | Sagi Haas | Tom Sadon
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗿𝗼𝗱𝘂𝗰𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗛𝗜 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆: 𝗕𝗲𝗰𝗮𝘂𝘀𝗲 𝗜𝗴𝗻𝗼𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗶𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝘁 𝗮 𝗦𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗴𝘆 Think managing non-human identities is just about setting permissions? Think again. The attack surface is massive, and the risks? Even bigger. That’s why we built the 𝗡𝗛𝗜 𝗥𝗶𝘀𝗸 𝗟𝗶𝗯𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘆: a straight-to-the-point guide to the most critical NHI risks security teams need to know. From 𝗹𝗶𝗳𝗲𝗰𝘆𝗰𝗹𝗲 𝗺𝗶𝘀𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗴𝗲𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁 and 𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗿𝗽𝗿𝗶𝘃𝗶𝗹𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗱 𝘀𝗲𝗿𝘃𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗼𝘂𝗻𝘁𝘀 to 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝗿𝗲𝘁𝘀 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗿𝗲𝗱 𝗶𝗻 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝘅𝘁 and 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝘃𝗶𝗼𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀, this library covers it all. We break down: 🔹 The risk 🔹 Why it’s a problem 🔹 How bad it can get 🔹 What you can do about it Risk awareness is the first step to securing NHIs - because you can’t defend against what you don’t understand. Check out the NHI Risk Library now: https://lnkd.in/erQgd-Md #NHI #NHISecurity #IdentitySecurity #ZeroTrust #CyberSecurity
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Tamnoon’s State of Cloud Remediation Report analyzed 4.7 million CNAPP alerts and uncovered a hard reality: cloud security isn’t just about finding risks - it’s about fixing them, fast. Security teams are drowning in alerts, often without the resources or clarity to take action. More dashboards won’t solve this problem—better remediation will. That’s why we invested in Tamnoon, because security teams need more than just alerts. They need the right tools to help them take action and resolve issues efficiently. Key findings from the report: ✅ 33.7% of all alerts are high-severity ✅ Some alerts have been unresolved for over 1,000 days (yes, years!) ✅ CNAPPs can’t agree on severity - what’s “informational” in one tool is “critical” in another The future of cloud security isn’t more alerts - it’s faster, smarter remediation. And Tamnoon is leading the charge. 🔗 Read the full report here: https://hubs.ly/Q037RXr70 #CloudSecurity #CNAPP #Cybersecurity #CloudRemediation #Tamnoon #SecurityOperations Seth Spergel | Shay M. | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Josh Cohen | Andrew Smeaton | Marina S. | Idan Perez | Michael St.Onge | Joseph Barringhaus 🐙
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Great to see our Managing Partner, Seth Spergel, on stage at the Blu Cyber Venture Forum Conference Powered by Blu Ventures joining an insightful panel on Cybersecurity Venture Investing Trends. Big thanks to Blu Ventures for putting together a top-tier event and bringing together some of the best minds in cyber investing. Looking forward to more great conversations shaping the future of cybersecurity. #Cybersecurity #VentureCapital #CyberInvesting #MerlinVentures Shay M. | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Andrew Smeaton | Josh Cohen
Thanks to our friends at Blu Ventures for having me as part of their panel on Cybersecurity Venture Investing Trends at the Blu Cyber Venture Forum Conference Powered by Blu Ventures. Great conversation with Bill Phelps, Chris Eng, Ben Daniels and Roger Thornton. Really appreciate you letting me share Merlin Ventures’ view of the world!
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Clutch takes the NYSE! 🚀 Proud to support Clutch Security, our portfolio company, as they redefine cybersecurity by securing Non-Human Identities -> the next big frontier. Ofir Har-Chen sat down with NYSE Floor Talk to share why this matters now more than ever. Happy to keep supporting your journey! #Cybersecurity #AI #Clutch #MerlinVentures #NYSE Shay M. | Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Tom Sadon | Andrew Smeaton
Our A-round funding keeps making waves 🌊 - and even the NYSE couldn’t stay indifferent! Ofir Har-Chen, our co-founder and CEO, sat down with Judy Khan Shaw for #NYSEFloorTalk to talk about why 𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗡𝗼𝗻-𝗛𝘂𝗺𝗮𝗻 𝗜𝗱𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗶𝗲𝘀 𝗶𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗻𝗲𝘅𝘁 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝗳𝗿𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗰𝘆𝗯𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗲𝗰𝘂𝗿𝗶𝘁𝘆. 🎥 Behind the scenes: cameras rolled, insights flowed, and let’s just say - this one’s a must-watch. Stay tuned! 🚀 Thank you to Merlin Ventures and Shay M. for supporting Clutch on this journey and spreading the word. #Cybersecurity #NHISecurity #ZeroTrust #ARound Tav Spector-Levi Becky Riji Stephen McCarney Matan Eden
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🚀 Why are cybersecurity companies so valuable, even with low revenues? In M&A, your company isn’t just a business, it’s a product. The key question: What can an acquirer do with you? Our Managing Partner, Shay M., breaks down how large tech firms approach cybersecurity deals, why implied value matters more than revenue, and how founders should shape their endgame from day one. 🎧 Don’t miss it! 🦆 Spotify: https://lnkd.in/dxE7b4t2 👓 YouTube: https://lnkd.in/d2tzTAGS 🍏 Apple: https://lnkd.in/d5fBAvU8 🇬🇧 Executive Summary: https://lnkd.in/d5TBWevn #CyberSecurity #MergersAndAcquisitions #VC #Startups #TechInvesting Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Andrew Smeaton
Change is a constant, but in M&A, the target (your company) is always going to be the 'product'. In this episode, we bring you the sultan, aka cyber investor Shay M., Managing Partner of Merlin Ventures. 🏹 Links to full episode: 1st comment. So: why the 🦆 do cybersecurity companies command seemingly illogical valuations at such low revenues? Shay says the answer lies in implied value - what an acquirer believes they will be able to do with you - and what your contribution margin is going to be. That means how you'll impact their sales, R&D efforts, & ability to go in and quickly dominate a space. Join Sophia Tupolev-Luz 🇺🇦🎗️ & Zeevi Michel, basking in the glow of Shay's experience as a founder, investor, and advisor on all sides of the table. But seriously now, his uncommon product perspective shows us how large tech players approach acquisitions, & how founders should think about their company's endgame from day one. 📈 Counterintuitive valuations in cybersecurity 🧠 Strategic motives behind acquisitions by large tech firms ➕ Understanding implied value and contribution margins 🧟♀️ AI influence on M&A's pace, valuation, and strategies 🏰 The importance of deep technological moats and expertise 🏛️ Impact of U.S. regulatory standards on market entry, risk, and M&A 🫶 Strategies for founders to align with potential acquirers from day one. Video and sound editing by: Yair Walden Location: Google for Startups Israel
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Excited to celebrate Clutch Security’s $20M Series A funding round!🎉 Clutch is revolutionizing Non-Human Identity (NHI) security with its universal Zero Trust platform. From API keys and secrets to tokens and service accounts, NHIs power modern enterprises—but they also create significant risks. Clutch’s platform provides full visibility, detailed context, actionable insights and proactive Zero Trust protection to ensure enterprises can scale securely and confidently. Congratulations to Ofir Har-Chen, Sagi Haas, Tal Kimhi, and the entire Clutch team on this incredible milestone. We’re proud to partner with you on this journey to redefine enterprise security! 👉 Learn more: https://lnkd.in/eJmJk3nQ 📖 Read more: https://lnkd.in/dTHTxFJG #SeriesA #Cybersecurity #NonHumanIdentity #NHI #NHISecurity #ZeroTrust Ofir Har-Chen | Sagi Haas | Tal Kimhi | Tom Sadon| Shay M. | Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Josh Cohen | Nilly Sagie | Shir Boiko Rimon
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🚀 Congrats to Tamnoon! 🚀 We’re thrilled to see our portfolio company, Tamnoon, named one of the top 5 cybersecurity startups to watch in 2025 by CTech by Calcalist’s VC Survey. Tamnoon continues to redefine cybersecurity with innovative solutions for managing risk at scale. Read more about their success here: https://lnkd.in/geNdzzTC. #Cybersecurity #Innovation #PortfolioSpotlight #Tamnoon #MerlinVC Shay M. | Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Marina S. | Idan Perez | Ran Nahmias | Joseph Barringhaus 🐙
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CAASM platforms can be high maintenance and offer limited visibility. That’s why we’re proud to spotlight Cyclops Security, our portfolio company, which is redefining risk management with its Security Data Fabric. They deliver actionable risk insights, cut through vulnerability noise, and enable organizations to prioritize risks with precision. The video is a must! 🎥 #SecurityDataFabric #VulnerabilityPrioritization #AssetExposure #CAASM #Vulnerabilities Shay M. | Seth Spergel | Almog G. | Tav Spector-Levi | Julie Arndorfer | Becky Riji | Eran Zilberman
CAASM platforms are high maintenance, costly, and only provide limited visibility. In today’s landscape, CAASM alone is simply not enough. our Security Data Fabric goes beyond visibility. We bring clear, actionable risk insights directly to your assets, reducing noise around vulnerabilities and helping you prioritize risk with precision. We believe that every organization has unique risks, NO MORE BLACK BOX! With Cyclops Security, you can build and define your own risk model based on your specific data. It’s time to move beyond CAASM and bring true risk clarity to your organization. The video is must! See your assets. know your exposure! #securitydatafabric #Vulnerabilityprioritization #assetexposure #CAASM #vulnerabilities