John Watters, CEO and managing partner of iCOUNTER [Photo: iCOUNTER]
Dallas-based Apollo Information Systems has publicly launched iCOUNTER, a cyber security risk intelligence company backed by a $30 million Series A funding round.
Apollo is a leader in cybersecurity solutions for SLED, SMB, and enterprise customers. iCOUNTER is led by cyber threat intelligence pioneer, CEO, and Managing Partner John Watters, Apollo said.
“We’re in the dawn of a new era of cybersecurity.” Watters said in a statement. “Traditional methods will increasingly fail, and defenders will be forced to reimagine their defenses against a flood of targeted operations that leverage AI to generate new and novel TTPs. Traditional threat intelligence is designed to report on threats that have been seen before in an age where an increasing number of targets will be Patient Zero.”
Apollo said iCOUNTER delivers precision risk intelligence focused exclusively on targeted operations against its customers and their ecosystems.
Round led by SYN Ventures
The $30 million Series A funding round was led by SYN Ventures. Apollo said iCOUNTER’s emergence from stealth follows five years of “dedicated development,” during which cutting-edge AI-enabled technology, robust collection infrastructure, and refined processes were developed to successfully help its customer counter highly targeted attacks.
Apollo said that AI-enabled attackers of all types are rapidly shifting their focus and targeting specific companies, leveraging AI capabilities to dramatically reduce the time and cost of conducting reconnaissance to profile a target.
Once attackers fully understand a target’s environment, including its security controls and specific security gaps, they leverage AI to create “zero-day TTPs,” Apollo said, adding that iCOUNTER empowers its customers to detect, deflect, and defeat these highly customized attacks at scale.
Leadership team
Watters has more than two decades of experience in building robust cybersecurity businesses, Apollo said.
Most recently, he served as president and COO of Mandiant, leading to its sale of FireEye and subsequent acquisition by Google. After Mandiant’s acquisition by Google, Watters served as a venture partner with SYN Ventures, Americas Frontier Fund, and a board member of Oleria, Batuta, Mitiga, and Apollo.
“iCOUNTER has built the only intelligence capability exclusively focused on countering targeted attacks,” Jay Leek, managing partner and founder of SYN Ventures, said in a statement. “Their unique approach positions them well in an age of AI-enabled adversaries.”
Chris Kissel, research director in IDC’s Security and Trust Products Group, said iCounter is a service that has been needed.
“The strategy of providing dedicated threat intelligence to address threats mapped against individual companies’ specific gaps and vulnerabilities is a service that is desperately needed,” Kissel said. “iCOUNTER’s unique approach will likely become invaluable to sensitive organizations and systems.”
The iCOUNTER executive team consists of veteran cybersecurity industry experts with a history of innovation and leadership in the field, Apollo said, including:
- John Watters, CEO and managing partner
- Scott Schneider, partner, sales
- Dave Tyson, partner, intelligence operations
- Kathleen Thomas, partner, CFO
- Jay Leek, board member
- Robert Rodriguez, strategic advisor
Apollo said it offers a full suite of cybersecurity technologies, professional services, and managed services that enable customers to efficiently reduce risk so they can focus on their core mission.
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