Startup Aims to Reduce Cybersecurity Risks through Innovative Technology
In the evolving landscape of cybersecurity, a San Francisco-based startup, Reach Security, is making headlines with its recent accomplishment of securing $50 million in Series B funding, led by Top Tier Capital Partners. This influx of capital is earmarked for enhancing the startup’s ability to bolster cyber defense mechanisms through autonomous governance and optimization of existing security controls. Founded in 2021 by Garrett Hamilton, a former employee at Palo Alto Networks, Reach has quickly garnered attention for its innovative approach to navigating complex cybersecurity challenges facing large enterprises.
Reach Security’s mission centers on mapping multi-CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) exploit chains and pinpointing vulnerable points in security infrastructure where existing controls can neutralize entire attack paths. Hamilton highlighted the pressing need in today’s cyber environment, stating, “Doing things manually in silos as operators defensively is not going to work anymore.” He asserted that Reach has stepped up to address this critical issue, providing solutions to some of the largest corporations globally.
The company employs a workforce of 91 and has now raised over $80 million since inception, including a strategic investment of $10 million from Microsoft’s Venture Fund in July 2025. Hamilton’s tenure at Palo Alto Networks spanned six years, culminating in a director role in product management, a background that certainly contributes to Reach’s expertise in cybersecurity.
Emphasizing Existing Controls for Enhanced Security
What sets Reach apart is its hybrid AI architecture, where large language models (LLMs) function as sensors that perceive and contextualize data, while all reasoning and control actions remain strictly deterministic and bounded. This technological model moves beyond traditional user interfaces, shifting towards API/MCP-first integrations with clients’ existing infrastructures, ensuring that security measures evolve alongside technological advances. Hamilton pointed out a pivotal decision made six months ago: “We shifted from measuring Reach’s utility by user logins to utilizing our MCP server and APIs,” indicating a shift towards a more integrated, automated approach that prioritizes seamless interaction between systems.
The startup’s customer base has more than doubled, showcasing growing demand, particularly among Fortune 500 and Fortune 2,000 companies spanning finance, healthcare, and manufacturing sectors. In times when large enterprises face increasing technology sprawl and multiple adversary ingress points, Reach offers a proactive solution aimed at managing existing control stacks and breaking potential attack chains. Hamilton elaborated on the company’s strategy, asking, “How can we utilize existing controls within the company to mitigate risks associated with unpatchable vulnerabilities?”
This innovative mindset positions Reach distinctively by focusing on the prevention of exploitation rather than merely identifying vulnerabilities. The platform allows customers to tailor executive dashboards that meet internal needs, moving away from static vendor-provided solutions rendered obsolete by evolving threats. Hamilton emphasized the importance of providing data through APIs that reflect real-time changes and needs.
Leveraging Technology to Manage Vulnerabilities
The strategy employed by Reach involves connecting to various identity sources like SailPoint and Okta, along with attack surface tools such as Armis and Axonius. Their agents are designed to interpret CISA advisories and vulnerabilities, decomposing complex exploit chains to identify where existing controls can be optimized to minimize exposure. The goal is clear: to counteract potentially toxic combinations of exploits that may arise in complex enterprise environments.
Hamilton described their solution as creating “antidotes,” which are countermeasures to toxic combinations of vulnerabilities. By implementing a singular change within a network or endpoint, Reach can effectively protect numerous hosts simultaneously from being exploited. This innovative capability allows security teams to focus their resources more effectively, as the platform can indicate when a particular policy applied to a host is set to "alert" mode instead of "block," advising users on immediate corrective measures needed to thwart exploitation.
Colt Blackmore, Reach Security’s co-founder and CTO, elaborated on the intricate processes involved in exploitation, emphasizing that attackers usually must maneuver through multiple stages—between five to fifty—to successfully weaponize vulnerabilities. Each stage presents an opportunity for existing security systems to intercede, a chance that Reach’s technology is well-equipped to harness.
Conclusion
Reach Security exemplifies a proactive approach to cybersecurity in a time of rising threats and vulnerabilities. By leveraging existing controls rather than simply identifying problems, Reach offers a comprehensive solution poised to meet the needs of large enterprises. With significant funding to scale operations, the company is on a path to redefine how organizations approach cyber defense, providing greater resilience in a landscape marked by constant evolution. As their technology continues to develop, Reach aims to empower security leaders to make informed, data-driven decisions that directly impact their overall cybersecurity posture.