Upwind Enhances Real-Time Threat Detection with Nyx Security Acquisition

Amiram Shachar, Upwind Co-Founder and CEO

Cloud security startup Upwind is acquiring fellow Israeli company Nyx Security, an embedded cybersecurity startup specializing in runtime protection for applications. While the two companies have not disclosed the value of the acquisition, it is estimated to be between $8 million and $10 million. Nyx, which has not raised any capital, has ten employees who will join Upwind following the acquisition.

Nyx Security was founded in 2024 in Tel Aviv by Gili Yankovich and Alon Saban. Yankovich was previously a technology leader at Check Point after the acquisition of his company Cymplify Security. Saban has extensive cybersecurity leadership experience, including serving as a VP at HUB Security and holding senior roles within elite military cybersecurity units.

The acquisition of Nyx will enable Upwind’s customers to gain real-time insights into application code anomalies and identify threats as they occur, providing an integration between the application, its underlying infrastructure, and the cloud. This unified platform expands protection for cloud workloads and applications without burdening customers with additional tools.

"True runtime security requires understanding the complex interplay between cloud infrastructure and the applications running on it," said Amiram Shachar, Upwind’s co-founder and CEO. "The acquisition of Nyx Security solidifies our position as the leader in runtime security, allowing us to offer deep insights into the actual operations of applications during runtime and providing organizations with the ability to detect vulnerabilities and behavioral anomalies at the source."

Nyx’s technology allows the platform not only to locate vulnerable code that is loaded into memory, but also to identify behavioral anomalies that change the way the code operates in real time.

"Upwind’s platform brings powerful visibility and control over cloud infrastructure, and by combining that with our Application Detection and Response (ADR) capabilities, we are giving the market exactly what it needs," said Gili Yankovich, co-founder of Nyx. "This acquisition allows us to push the boundaries of what’s possible in runtime security, enabling real-time threat detection and mitigation exactly where the attacks are taking place—in the application layer."

Upwind raised $100 million in Series A funding last December. The company’s valuation in the round was estimated at approximately $900 million, reflecting a 300% increase from its previous funding round in September 2023. The Series A round was led by Craft Ventures, led by David Sacks, and also saw participation from new investors TCV and Alta Park Capital. Existing investors, including Greylock, Cyberstarts, Leaders Fund, Cerca, and Sheva (founded by former NBA player Omri Casspi), also participated.

Upwind, which has now raised a total of $180 million since its founding in late 2022, was established by Amiram Shachar, along with his founding partners from Spot.io (which was sold to NetApp for $450 million): Liran Polak, Lavi Ferdman, and Tal Zuri. The company currently employs 170 people.