Summary
Cynomi is an AI-driven virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform that delivers enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and midmarket companies. Founded in 2020 by cybersecurity and technology veterans, Cynomi leverages proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms modeled after the expertise of top CISOs to automate complex risk assessments, compliance management, and security policy generation. The platform empowers managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) to scale vCISO services efficiently, helping SMBs address growing cyber threats despite limited internal resources.
The company has gained recognition for bridging the cybersecurity gap faced by SMBs, a segment often underserved due to budget and expertise constraints. By automating key cybersecurity workflows, Cynomi reduces operational overhead for MSPs and MSSPs while enhancing service reliability and compliance with frameworks such as NIS2, DORA, CIS, NIST, and ISO. Its multitenant architecture and user-friendly interface support both guided and do-it-yourself modes, enabling broad adoption across diverse client environments.
In 2023, Cynomi secured $37 million in a Series B funding round led by Insight Partners and Entrée Capital, with continued support from existing investors including Canaan and Flint Capital. This infusion of capital underscores strong investor confidence in Cynomi’s technology and its potential to expand the virtual CISO market amid escalating cyber risks for SMBs globally.
While Cynomi’s AI-based approach has been lauded for its innovation and scalability, the broader vCISO industry faces scrutiny regarding the extent to which automation can fully replicate the strategic judgment of human CISOs. Nonetheless, Cynomi continues to evolve its platform through customer-driven enhancements and integration with advanced threat detection tools, positioning itself as a key player in democratizing access to high-quality cybersecurity leadership for the SMB sector.
Background
Cynomi is an AI-assisted virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform designed to provide enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions tailored specifically for small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Recognizing the disparity between large enterprises and SMBs in terms of cybersecurity resources and expertise, Cynomi aims to bridge this gap by delivering cost-effective, scalable, and comprehensive virtual CISO services that comply with numerous frameworks such as NIS2, DORA, CIS, NIST, and ISO.
The platform empowers managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) to expand their cybersecurity offerings by automating key services, including cyber profiling, risk assessments, and the creation of tailored security policies across various domains such as access management. This automation reduces operational overhead and enhances service reliability, allowing MSPs and MSSPs to build long-term relationships with their SMB clients while addressing the growing cybersecurity risks faced by this sector.
Cynomi’s leadership team brings extensive experience from both cybersecurity and marketing fields. Key figures include Rotem, an entrepreneurial marketing professional with 15 years of experience in startup and enterprise environments, who has previously held roles at Datto and BitDam; Dror, a former Chief Information Security Officer (CISO) at notable publicly traded companies and Israel’s National Cyber Security Authority; David, who holds a PhD from CERN and leads Cynomi’s team; and Roy, an experienced founder and operator with a background in startup incubation at Oxford University. Together, they leverage best-of-breed technology and industry expertise to deliver trusted, automated cybersecurity solutions that address the unmet needs of SMBs.
Company Profile
Cynomi is a cybersecurity company specializing in an automated virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform designed to assist managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) in delivering comprehensive risk assessments and compliance management to small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs). Founded in 2020 by David Primor, a former Lieutenant Colonel in Israel Defense Forces unit 8200 and former technology executive director of Israel’s cyber authority, along with Roy Azoulay, a serial entrepreneur who previously led Oxford University’s startup incubator, Cynomi operates with a strong leadership team combining deep technical expertise and entrepreneurial experience.
The company’s vCISO platform leverages proprietary artificial intelligence algorithms modeled on the knowledge of the world’s top CISOs to automate and streamline the traditionally manual and complex processes involved in cybersecurity governance. This includes conducting risk and compliance assessments, generating security policies, reporting on cyber posture, and creating remediation plans. By removing the human bottleneck and automating these tasks, Cynomi enables vCISOs to scale their services effectively while maintaining high accuracy and allowing a focus on strategic cybersecurity initiatives.
Cynomi maintains offices in Israel, the United Kingdom, and the United States, positioning itself strategically across major tech and cybersecurity hubs. The company has been recognized for its role in expanding cybersecurity capabilities for MSPs and MSSPs and was recently integrated as a vendor partner within key industry associations alongside companies like ContraForce and NinjaOne. This partnership highlights Cynomi’s growing influence in the cybersecurity ecosystem, particularly for service providers aiming to help SMBs navigate increasing regulatory and compliance demands.
As a venture capital-backed enterprise, Cynomi competes among a group of similar companies offering innovative cybersecurity services and continues to evolve its platform to meet the rising complexity and necessity of automated, scalable security solutions for SMBs.
Product Description
Cynomi is an AI-driven virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform designed specifically to serve small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs) and midmarket companies by providing enterprise-grade cybersecurity solutions at scale. The platform leverages proprietary AI algorithms modeled after the knowledge and expertise of the world’s best CISOs to continuously assess and improve the cybersecurity posture of its clients in real time. Unlike traditional one-time risk assessments, Cynomi offers ongoing, dynamic evaluations of security risks, compliance readiness, and policy updates based on changes in the client environment, industry standards, regulatory frameworks, and the evolving threat landscape.
At its core, Cynomi automates many of the time-consuming tasks typically handled by human vCISOs. The platform generates a prioritized list of remediation tasks, explained clearly and intuitively to enable easy implementation by IT teams. These tasks range from technical controls and administrative procedures to security configuration and policy management. By continuously parsing findings from client questionnaires and automated scans, Cynomi creates a unique cyber profile for each organization and delivers a comprehensive, single-pane-of-glass vCISO dashboard displaying overall security posture, compliance gaps, and progress tracking.
The platform is designed to be user-friendly and flexible, allowing users to engage fully with all features or select specific tools tailored to their needs. It includes in-app guidance and supports a do-it-yourself approach, reducing the dependency on scarce cybersecurity expertise in SMB environments. Cynomi also supports multitenancy, enabling managed service providers (MSPs), managed security service providers (MSSPs), and consultancies to manage multiple clients from a single platform instance, which facilitates scaling vCISO services without proportionally increasing in-house resources or expertise.
In addition to risk and compliance assessments, Cynomi offers robust customer-facing reporting tools. These deliver branded, real-time, exportable reports that clearly communicate security levels, improvement trends, and benchmarking against industry standards to client stakeholders, including operations and management. The platform’s integration with technologies such as Seceon aiSIEM and aiXDR enhances its ability to detect and neutralize threats like ransomware in real time while continuously optimizing the client’s security posture.
Funding Details
Cynomi, a leading virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform provider targeting Managed Service Providers (MSPs) and Managed Security Service Providers (MSSPs), has successfully raised a total of $37 million in its Series B funding round. This round was co-led by Insight Partners and Entrée Capital, with continued support from previous investors including Canaan, Flint Capital, and s16vc. Prior to this, Cynomi had raised $24 million across four funding rounds, demonstrating steady investor confidence in its technology and market potential.
Earlier funding efforts include a $20 million round led by Canaan alongside Flint Capital, s16vc, and Aloniq as returning investors, aimed at driving product innovation and growth within the service provider ecosystem. Cynomi also secured a $3.5 million seed investment backed by SeedIL, Lytical Ventures, and notable business angels such as Nir Giller, co-founder of CyberX, to support the expansion of its go-to-market strategy.
Insight Partners, one of the lead investors in the latest round, is a global software investment firm managing over $90 billion in assets with a history of backing high-growth technology companies and facilitating more than 55 portfolio company IPOs. The continuous infusion of capital underscores Cynomi’s commitment to addressing the cybersecurity needs of small and mid-market businesses (SMBs), which are often under-resourced in managing growing cyber threats.
Market Impact
Cynomi’s virtual Chief Information Security Officer (vCISO) platform addresses a critical gap in cybersecurity for small and mid-sized businesses (SMBs) and midmarket companies, which often lack the budget and in-house expertise to effectively manage growing cyber threats. By emulating a human CISO through AI-driven automation, Cynomi provides tailored risk assessments, compliance evaluations, and prioritized remediation plans that empower SMBs to better protect their IT ecosystems without the need for extensive internal resources.
This approach has significant implications for managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs). Cynomi’s platform enables these service providers to efficiently scale vCISO services, standardize processes, and automate procedures across multiple clients, leading to improved operational efficiency, higher client retention, increased recurring revenue, and expanded upsell opportunities. The solution’s multitenancy capabilities and ease of deployment further facilitate MSPs and MSSPs in delivering enterprise-grade cybersecurity to the midmarket segment, which represents over 40% of global companies and remains highly vulnerable to cyberattacks.
Moreover, Cynomi’s platform mitigates common challenges faced by SMBs, such as tool fatigue and limited cybersecurity expertise, by offering a streamlined, user-friendly interface that supports both guided and do-it-yourself usage modes. This cost-effective and scalable model not only helps SMBs maximize the value of their cybersecurity investments but also positions service providers at the forefront of protecting this underserved market segment amid an escalating threat landscape. Consequently, Cynomi is driving notable financial growth opportunities for MSPs adding vCISO offerings to their portfolios, while simultaneously enhancing cybersecurity resilience across the SMB and midmarket sectors.
Future Plans
Cynomi aims to advance its AI-powered Virtual CISO (vCISO) platform along two primary directions. First, the company plans to integrate more cutting-edge cybersecurity capabilities to enhance its ability to support service providers and their clients. Second, Cynomi seeks to strengthen the capacity of managed service providers (MSPs) and managed security service providers (MSSPs) to effectively market and deliver security and compliance solutions, especially given the rapidly growing demand in the vCISO market.
The platform continuously evolves by incorporating changes in regulations, shifting threat landscapes, and internal organizational changes. It offers a built-in, customer-facing reporting suite that enables providers to deliver branded, real-time, and exportable status and progress reports. These reports highlight security levels, improvement trends, compliance gaps, and industry benchmark comparisons, helping stakeholders track progress and demonstrate value effectively.
To foster ongoing innovation, Cynomi has recently launched a product roadmap portal where partners can submit feature requests, vote, and influence future developments, emphasizing a collaborative approach to product enhancement. Furthermore, the platform’s proprietary AI algorithms, modeled after the expertise of world-class CISOs and tailored to each organization’s unique cyber profile, remain central to streamlining vCISO workflows and automating manual tasks.
Cynomi also supports a wide array of compliance frameworks such as NIS2, DORA, CIS, NIST, and ISO, positioning itself as a leading AI-assisted virtual CISO solution in the industry. With these advancements, the company anticipates that MSPs incorporating vCISO services into their portfolios will see growing demand, particularly among small and medium-sized businesses (SMBs), enabling the building of long-term customer relationships through cost-effective cybersecurity offerings.
