Potomac Tech Wire - March 7
Alexandria-Based SpecterOps Raises $75 Million for Cybersecurity Tools
o Alexandria-Based SpecterOps Raises $75 Million
o Richmond-Based ASGN Completes $340 Million Deal for TopBloc
o Herndon-Based Knostic Lands $11 Million to Stop AI Data Leaks
o DC-Based Zeal Capital Promotes Stefanie Thomas-Martin to Partner
o Briefly Noted: KlariVis, Ames Watson, Custom Ink
Alexandria-Based SpecterOps Raises $75 Million for Cybersecurity Tools
Alexandria, Va. – SpecterOps, an Alexandria-based developer of adversary-focused cybersecurity tools, said on Wednesday it has raised $75 million in its second round of funding, led by Insight Partners. Ansa Capital, M12, Ballistic Ventures, Decibel and Cisco Investments also took part in the round, which the company will use to support the rapid scaling of its BloodHound Enterprise platform for removing identity-based attack paths. “Identity-based threats are growing, often due to the growing complexity of enterprise identity architectures,” said David McGuire, the CEO of SpecterOps. “This round of investor support will allow us to drive our next phase of expansion and help organizations defend themselves against the devastating effects of modern identity security attacks.” The company also plans to bolster its research, consulting, sales and marketing divisions.
Richmond-Based ASGN Completes $340 Million Deal for TopBloc
Richmond, Va. – ASGN, a Richmond-based provider of IT services to the government and commercial sectors, said it has completed its $340 million cash and stock acquisition of Chicago-based TopBloc, a Workday consultancy focused on human capital management and payroll management. The deal was first announced in early February. Founded in 2016, TopBloc has more than 300 Workday installations over the past five years. The company’s more than 500 consultants will join ASGN’s Consulting Services group. In addition, ASGN has named Shiv Iyer as president, succeeding Rand Blazer, who has transitioned into the role of executive vice chairman. Iyer most recently led Accenture’s Consulting and Industry X solutions across the U.S., Canada and Latin America.
Herndon-Based Knostic Lands $11 Million to Stop Enterprise AI Data Leaks
Herndon, Va. – Knostic, a Herndon-based provider of access controls for generative AI, said it has raised $11 million in a new round of funding. Bright Pixel Capital led the round, which also included follow-on investments Silicon Valley CISO Investments, DNX Ventures, Seedcamp, and angel investors Kevin Mahaffey (founder of Lookout), and Gerhard Eschelbeck (former CISO of Google). The company, which now has raised $14 million since its inception in 2023, said it will use the proceeds to help bolster its core offering, adding a customizable safety layer to tools such as Microsoft 365 Copilot and Glean.
"The problem is that these tools just can't keep a secret, lacking the ability to discern what's appropriate, in what context — think bonuses, sales revenue, mergers and acquisition information and more," said Gadi Evron, co-founder and CEO of Knostic. "Businesses can't adopt these tools without Knostic and we're grateful our investors recognize this."
DC-Based Zeal Capital Partners Promoted Stefanie Thomas-Martin to Partner
Washington, DC – Zeal Capital Partners, a DC-based venture capital firm investing in early-stage technology businesses, said it has promoted Stefanie Thomas-Martin from managing director to partner. Since joining Zeal in 2023, Thomas-Martin has been spearheading the Barclays Black Formation Investment (BBFI) vehicle, a $50 million pre-seed investment platform backed by Barclays.
Briefly Noted
(Roanoke, Va.) Roanoke-based KlariVis, a developer of data analytics for financial institutions, said it has promoted Chris Muracco to vice president of client experience. Muracco joined the company in 2024 as a senior solutions consultant, and quickly moved into the role of director of client success.
(Columbia, Md.) Columbia-based Ames Watson, a private equity holding company, said it has promoted Melissa Hahn to the role of CFO. Hahn, who joined the firm in 2023 as vice president of finance, now will be responsible for finance, tax, treasury management and investor relations. She previously held roles at Campbell's Company, Deloitte and Grant Thornton.
(Tysons, Va.) Tysons-based Custom Ink, the online provider of custom products and apparel, has named Ryan Massimo as its chief revenue officer. Massimo has two decades of experience serving in senior roles overseeing enterprise sales and transformation initiatives at companies including Vistaprint, Dell and ezCater.