Nov 24, 2021
A Safe Bet: Ontic Secures $40 Million Series B to Foil Workplace Threats
Proactive, always-on physical security intelligence
Just in time for Thanksgiving, we are grateful to celebrate another fantastic company in The Ridge Familia: Ontic, which we backed in its Series A last year.
Ontic, an Austin-based startup that protects businesses from physical security threats, recently announced its $40 million Series B, helping to bring its protective intelligence to more security teams at Fortune 500 and growing enterprises. Aside from Ontic’s data-driven approach and impressive founder experience, we love the vital service it provides for businesses — and their on-site employees — amid the nationwide uptick in workplace violence.
Outmatched corporate security teams need an intelligent threat prevention platform yesterday. Mass-casualty incidents at an Indianapolis FedEx facility, San Jose railyard, and Boulder supermarket over the past year underscore the urgency to neutralize attacks long before they are carried out. Per a mid-year report from Ontic, which surveyed 300 physical security and IT leaders, most respondents expected to miss at least 50 percent of physical threats before the end of 2021 — a disconcerting number considering one missed threat can potentially cause devastating harm to a company’s workforce, reputation, and pocketbook.
Corporate security leaders are turning to Ontic for its holistic technology that detects, analyzes, and mitigates threats across a bevy of online channels. Ontic is the SaaS equivalent of Jack Ryan, a 24/7 investigative and preventative solution that aggregates disparate intel into one big-picture narrative that’s easier for security teams to assess. The old-school approach of deploying multiple security tools is now consolidated into a single platform that is more efficient and conducive to a safe work environment.
Ontic’s Series B punctuates a dazzling four-year run in which the company scored a 257-percent CAGR over the past two years, and launched 300+ new product features in 2021. External validation from the likes of Frost & Sullivan, as well as key acquisitions and integrations, have fueled the company’s rapid growth. But Ontic’s momentum is ultimately tied to its trio of Grade-A founders.
Leading the charge for Ontic are co-founders Luke Quanstrom (CEO), Thomas Kopecky (CSO), and Gagan Jain (CTO). Luke was an early executive at Sprinklr and has ample experience delivering technology solutions to Fortune 500 enterprises. Thomas, a repeat founder, previously started an investigative research firm and boasts 2+ decades of domain expertise. Gagan, a former colleague of Luke’s at Sprinklr, is Ontic’s engineering mastermind whose past stops include Yahoo! and SAP Labs India.
Bolstering Ontic’s threat mitigation efforts is Executive Director Fred Burton, a leading authority on protective intelligence, security, and counterterrorism, and CPO Manish Mehta, former CPO at Sprinklr’s main competitor, Spredfast. Both are key ingredients for a company teeming with experience and industry chops.
Ontic is using big data to solve a big problem, one that safeguards business continuity and hardworking employees whose physical safety should never be compromised. Congrats to the entire team on the Series B, and for championing such a noble cause.
Want to learn more about Ontic? Check out the company website for the full download (and a list of open positions!).
