Key Takeaways
- XFA, an Antwerp-based cybersecurity company, has closed its €1.5 million Seed round to scale its platform and build a safety net for the modern, hybrid, and AI-native workplace.
- The investment was led by ScaleFund and Curiosity, with participation from previous investors PMV, Seeder Fund, and experienced entrepreneurs.
- XFA’s technology verifies the security of any device at login without invasive management software or prior knowledge of the device.
- The company claims to have closed the gap in traditional device security with a privacy-first technology that detects every device used for work and verifies its security instantly at the moment of login.
Introduction to XFA
XFA, a cybersecurity company based in Antwerp, announced the closing of its €1.5 million Seed round on Thursday. This investment will enable the company to expand its platform and build a safety net for the modern, hybrid, and AI-native workplace. The round was led by ScaleFund (Belgium) and Curiosity (the Netherlands), with participation from previous investors PMV, Seeder Fund, as well as experienced entrepreneurs from within and outside the tech sector, grouped under Investee. This investment is a significant milestone for XFA, which was founded in 2023 by Lars Veelaert, a former cybersecurity advisor, and Gijs Van Laer, who holds a PhD in cryptography from Johns Hopkins University.
The Problem of Traditional Device Security
Traditional device security relies on invasive management software (MDM), a model that is increasingly incompatible with today’s flexible work environments. Research shows that the average work device is 350 days out of date on security updates, and current approaches only cover about 40% of devices. The remaining 60% – often personal devices, BYOD, freelance hardware, and other unmanaged tech – remain unaccounted for due to privacy concerns and logistical complexity. This gap in traditional device security leaves companies vulnerable to cyber threats. XFA’s founders, Lars Veelaert and Gijs Van Laer, have firsthand experience with this problem, having seen it throughout their careers. They believe that their technology can solve this problem by discovering every device, guiding users to make required security updates, and verifying security without requiring management or prior knowledge of the device.
XFA’s Solution
XFA claims to have closed the gap in traditional device security with a privacy-first technology that detects every device used for work and verifies its security instantly at the moment of login. The company’s solution can be deployed organisation-wide with a single 15-minute setup, enabling businesses to achieve complete device security coverage in a few weeks. This technology is a significant improvement over traditional device security methods, which often require invasive management software and prior knowledge of the device. XFA’s solution is also easy to deploy and can be integrated with automated compliance platforms like Vanta to streamline device security evidence for certifications such as ISO 27001, SOC 2, and NIS2.
Investment and Partnerships
The investment in XFA was led by ScaleFund and Curiosity, with participation from previous investors PMV, Seeder Fund, and experienced entrepreneurs. Lisa Brouwer, Principal at Curiosity, commented on the investment, saying, "Security is undergoing a fundamental shift. With remote work, the rise of bring-your-own devices (BYOD), and flexible talent becoming the norm, companies can no longer rely on traditional ways of keeping devices safe. What’s needed is a simple, reliable way to know whether a device can be trusted the moment it connects. We invested in XFA because the founders understand this change better than anyone and bring the drive and expertise to build the next generation of cybersecurity at scale." XFA has also partnered with automated compliance platforms like Vanta to streamline device security evidence for certifications.
Conclusion and Future Plans
In conclusion, XFA’s €1.5 million Seed round is a significant milestone for the company, enabling it to expand its platform and build a safety net for the modern, hybrid, and AI-native workplace. With its privacy-first technology, XFA is well-positioned to solve the problem of traditional device security and provide a simple, reliable way to verify device security at login. The company’s partnerships with automated compliance platforms like Vanta will also help streamline device security evidence for certifications. As XFA continues to grow and expand its platform, it is likely to play a significant role in shaping the future of cybersecurity. With its strong foundation and experienced team, XFA is poised for success and is an exciting company to watch in the cybersecurity space.
