Ensuring Data Security while Upholding Digital Sovereignty: backing ASTRAN!
We could not be more proud and honored to announce our fourth investment in Astran, the French leading cybersecurity company specializing in data security.
To support its international ambition and drive adoption of the next standard for secure cloud storage, Astran is raising a $5 million Seed round, which we are thrilled to co-lead alongside Galion.exe and unique business angels such as Fabien Grenier, co-founder of Datadome, Alix de Sagazan & Rémi Aubert from AB Tasty, Cédric Sellin, Romain Lombard, Ludovic Perret.
We are joining forces with historical investors Newfund and Founders Future, and business angels like Tom Kemp and Adam Au.
Vital information & Safety
Why would companies share and entrust their data with cloud providers?
In a rapidly evolving world, businesses cannot afford to wait for digital transformation. While the digitalization and accelerated adoption of cloud solutions enhance productivity, they also present significant challenges for companies to retain ownership over their data.
Consequently, companies face three main risks:
1. A risk of cyber-attacks that could deny access to their own data for an indefinite period
2. Privacy concerns, particularly with regard to cloud storage providers and potential foreign government involvement
3. Compliance risks, including steep fines, reputational damage, and the rigorous requirements of GDPR
Organizations and their IT teams are currently confronted with a dual challenge:
- The pressing need to migrate towards cloud and enterprise SaaS solutions
- The crucial requirement to address the risks associated with this transition and safeguard data control.
Unfortunately, existing technical solutions are fraught with limitations: intricate and resource-intensive implementation processes, exorbitant expenses, incomplete protection, and laborious manual tasks.
Introducing ASTRAN: The Answer to Tackle These Challenges and Ease the Encryption Strain.
Pioneering Technology Centered on Decentralization
To empower companies to grow at their own pace, Astran has developed a Zero Trust cloud storage solution that enables seamless cloud adoption without compromising data confidentiality, security and compliance.
Wait, what is Zero Trust?
Simply put, a Zero Trust security model is an architecture based on the concept “never trust, always verify”, implying that no device should be inherently trusted.
By creating a cloud computing tool for sensitive data that eliminates the need for encryption keys, Astran employs a combination of encryption techniques (all-or-nothing), data fragmentation and distribution across multiple cloud providers.
In practice, this means:
- Each provider receives only one fragmented and secured data fragment
- Providers have no information and knowledge of the data’s content
- Providers cannot reconcile the complete data without having access to other fragments
This “splitting” of data occurs effortlessly through a simple API connection, eliminating the complexities of key management (i.e., it is a keyless encryption solution, called in other words threshold cryptography).
As described by Tom Kemp, cybersecurity expert and Astran’s investor, Astran applies web 3 decentralization principles to today’s web 2 environment, all in a plug-and-play manner (Astran is cloud-agnostic and seamlessly integrates with various applications).
A stellar team on the international lookout
It goes without saying that we were immensely impressed by Astran’s unique founding team, comprising Yosra Jarraya, Gilles Seghaier and Yahya Jarraya. Together, they bring a combination of legal and software expertise, with past successes at Salesforces, Tibco and DataStax.
Under Yosra’s great leadership, Astran is rapidly making strides and is already working with renowned companies such as LVMH, Eiffage, Sanofi and public institutions. All these partners were thoroughly convinced by the solution, and impressed by its swift installation, in “less than two weeks”, according to Jean-Phillipe Faure, Chief of Organization and Information Systems at Eiffage Group.
In addition to securing its first clients, Astran has also established strategic partnerships with leading cloud providers themselves including AWS, Google, Outscale, OVH, Salesforce and Scaleway.
While Astran was already surrounded by top cybersecurity experts like Tom Kemp and Nigel Smart, the new board of administration will include Tatiana Jama, Managing Partner at Sistafund and Jean-Baptiste Rudelle, founder of Criteo and co-founder of The Galion Project.
The go-to solution for like-minded companies and every conscientious, careful and responsible organization
Astran addresses the exponential and essential demand for protecting and securing the most sensitive data within companies, representing both a critical component for businesses and French sovereignty.
Currently, Astran is the only solution recognized by the CNIL for providing an effective supplementary measure to ensure GDPR compliance.
The data security solution designed by Astran represents the future of cloud-based data security and stands as a key player for companies that prioritize and value their digital and technological security. With this new fundraising, Astran will accelerate its sales and grow internationally, and we could not be prouder to stand by their side on this mission.
And as they say: In Cloud we (Zero) Trust
If you are seeking to elevate your data confidentiality or are searching for your next professional challenge within an exceptional team, don’t hesitate to reach out to the company:
Yosra Jarraya, CEO: yosra.jarraya@astran.io
Assistant(e): office.manager@astran.io
#CloudStorage #DataSecurity #ZeroTrust #Investment #ASTRAN
SISTA Fund I is a French Private Equity Professional Fund (FPCI) managed by 50 Partners Gestion, AMF registered number GP20000037.
