Italian startup Exein raises €70 million to build the “immune system for digital life”

Rome-based Exein, an embedded IoT cybersecurity company innovating at the forefront of defending Europe’s critical infrastructure, has raised €70 million in a Series C round to expand across the US, Japan, Taiwan, and South Korea, as well as to strengthen its established European presence.

The round was led by Balderton and joined by Supernova and Lakestar, with 33N, United Ventures and Partech following on from the previous round.

Gianni Cuozzo, Founder & CEO, of Exein, says: “Exein’s extraordinary growth is a testament to the urgent demand to secure devices which are ubiquitous in our everyday lives. Embedded security at the device level is fundamental, and we are proud to support manufacturers in providing the highest levels of security, offering them confidence in knowing they are compliant with the latest security legislation.

“I’m extremely proud to be fortifying the foundations of European tech innovation, and to have the trust of our partners and investors as we expand globally and continue our mission of building the digital immune system for the connected world.”

Founded in 2018, Exein focuses on device-level security, embedding advanced security measures directly into device software. Leveraging edge AI for real-time threat detection and response, Exein protects over 1 billion devices daily across various sectors, including industrial, automotive, and aerospace.

Hackers, including many state-sponsored actors, have identified smart devices as a back door into critical systems at businesses and organisations, with one in three data breaches involving an IoT device – as per Exein.

Exein offers AI-enabled, real-time threat detection across key industries, including critical infrastructure, semiconductor, energy, automotive, healthcare, and robotics. Achieving over 450% year-over-year growth, Exein has formed strategic partnerships with leading chipset and OEM/ODM manufacturers, including MediaTek, Supermicro, Kontron, SECO and AAEON.

Elena Moneta, Principal at Balderton, says: “We’re living in an era where everything – from rail networks to industrial machinery – is connected, and therefore exposed. As critical infrastructure becomes increasingly software-defined and networked, the risks multiply, especially with AI enabling attackers to hit more targets faster than ever before. And they are no longer breaching through the front door; the microwave on a military ship, or the smart fish tank in a hospital waiting room – any one of these could be exploited to compromise the entire network.

“Exein tackles this threat where it begins: on the device itself, embedding real-time security on the edge – continuously monitoring, learning, and responding in real time. There is no better team to take on this challenge, and we are immensely proud to be partnering with Gianni and team as they build the cybersecurity foundation for the AI-powered, hyper-connected world ahead.”

Exein’s end-point approach creates a “digital immune system“, securing individual devices rather than relying solely on network defences. This decentralised approach reportedly ensures that manufacturers can seamlessly integrate the latest security tools into their products, safeguarding devices from cyber threats and ensuring compliance with global cybersecurity regulations such as Europe’s NIS2 and the Cyber Resilience Act – which comes into force in 2026 – and the US Cyber Trust Mark.

As part of Exein’s strategic global expansion, the company is also developing runtime security solutions to secure AI infrastructure and LLMs, addressing the growing demand to secure AI and LLMs operating within devices, rather than in a centralised cloud environment.

Additionally, the funding will support Exein’s pursuit of strategic M&A opportunities in the cybersecurity industry, further enhancing its growth plans.

The post Italian startup Exein raises €70 million to build the “immune system for digital life” appeared first on EU-Startups.