#United States #San Francisco #AI Security #Application Security #Semgrep

Semgrep Secures $100M Series D Funding

On February 5, 2025, Semgrep, a prominent name in the field of application security, proudly announced the closure of its $100 million Series D funding round. This vital investment, led by Menlo Ventures, showcases continued confidence in Semgrep's innovative approach to security. It also saw participation from renowned existing investors such as Felicis Ventures, Harpoon Ventures, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Redpoint Ventures, and Sequoia Capital, raising the total funding for the company to an impressive $204 million.

As businesses and developers grapple with increasingly complex codebases, Semgrep addresses the challenge posed by traditional code scanners, which are often characterized by high noise levels and low efficacy. Many customers express dissatisfaction, emphasizing that current tools hinder developer productivity and present operational challenges. Amidst these concerns, Semgrep is shifting the paradigm by offering an Application Security (AppSec) platform designed to create secure development environments, transforming risk management into proactive security engineering.

Innovative Solutions and Unique Approach

Semgrep's platform provides developers and security engineers with the tools necessary to implement secure guardrails effectively. The focus is on three critical elements:
1. Superior Signal-to-Noise Ratio: Ensuring that security alerts are meaningful and prioritized effectively.
2. Developer-Centric Choices: Maintaining high productivity alongside a positive perception of security.
3. Cost-Effective AppSec Programs: Making security solutions accessible without compromising on efficacy.

Isaac Evans, Semgrep's CEO, remarked, "The era of AI for security is here, and Semgrep is uniquely positioned to help organizations secure their code without sacrificing development velocity." His belief is that developers should be empowered to build secure applications efficiently amidst ongoing innovation.

Expansion Through AI

With the recent introduction of Semgrep Assistant, an AI-powered tool, the company is expanding its reach significantly. This feature learns from an organization's software development life cycle and can autonomously detect, triage, prioritize, and resolve significant security vulnerabilities. This innovative capability allows developers to focus on building secure applications while maintaining their speed—effectively serving as an intelligent AppSec engineer. With this technology, security bugs can be transformed into secure coding practices seamlessly.

Strategic Growth and Leadership Initiatives

Following the Series C funding in April 2023, Semgrep has concentrated on amplifying its technological advantage within its AppSec platform. This software now includes a comprehensive Static Application Security Testing (SAST), Software Composition Analysis (SCA), and specialized Secrets product suite.

To further strengthen its capabilities, Semgrep has welcomed new leadership to the company. Garrett Souza, a former SVP Americas at Matillion, has been appointed as Vice President of Sales, while Mark McLaughlin, the former CEO of Palo Alto Networks, joins as an Angel Investor and Advisor, bringing a wealth of industry knowledge and experience.

Vision for the Future

In the coming years, Semgrep plans to allocate the funds towards enhancing its technological edge by hiring top-tier talent in AI and program analysis. They aim to expand awareness of their products beyond the security practitioner audience, ensuring that their innovative solutions are recognized for their value. Lastly, they plan to strengthen their Go-To-Market team by incorporating veterans from respected organizations such as Hashicorp and Snyk, leveraging their unique position within the open-source software (OSS) and security space.

About Semgrep

Semgrep is committed to improving software security and reliability by delivering world-class tools to both engineers and security professionals. Their vision revolves around the conviction that security processes should enhance development speed, not hinder it. Backed by prestigious investors, Semgrep has become a critical partner in safeguarding code for numerous high-profile customers, including Snowflake and Dropbox.

In a world where the demands for rapid software development and robust security are at odds, Semgrep endeavors to strike the right balance through innovative technology and strategic foresight.