Secure Code Warrior closes Series C with $72 million raise

Learning platform Secure Code Warrior has finished its Series C round, led by Paladin Capital Group, with $72 million (US$50 million) raised.

The funding will help the company continue developing its platform and increase share in the important cyber skills development market.

Managing director of Paladin and Secure Code Warrior board member Mourad Yesayan said the company has shown they are on the cutting edge when it comes to helping developers learn to write secure code.

“The value they deliver to 600 enterprises and counting has never been more important in this dynamic, AI-influenced global economy where secure-aware developers and engineering teams are a massive asset,” Yesayan said.

“It is a privilege to be on this journey with Pieter, Matias, and the entire Secure Code Warrior organisation, and we are excited about new innovations the company will bring to bear to make secure coding even more accessible to the broader market.”

Goldman Sachs and ForgePoint Capital were also involved in the latest funding round, showing an ongoing commitment to Secure Code Warrior that was fostered during the company’s $70 million Series B round that closed in 2019.

David Campbell, managing director at Goldman Sachs, said the company’s agile learning methods have been well-received in the enterprise world.

“From its inception, Secure Code Warrior’s singular mission has been to help developers build more secure code in enterprises across financial services, technology, manufacturing, and so many other industry sectors,” he said.

The platform teaches developers how to mitigate against the risk of known vulnerabilities and helps them understand what bad code looks like in terms of security.

Business and governments have been forced to pay more attention to cyber security in the wake of the Optus and Medibank hacks last year.

For firms that employ engineers – from large enterprises to small team startups – that means being across the techniques of secure software engineer to lessen the chance of being caught out.

Co-founder and CEO Pieter Danhieux said there wasn’t a “one size fits all approach to developer-driven security” and businesses have started recognising this.

“We have focused on our platform to enable agile learning, through multiple learning paths and experiences, including our real-time feedback option with Coding Labs, to create the most comfortable learning environments possible,” he said.

“This reality wouldn’t be possible without the continued trust and confidence of our investors and our employees.”

Alongside the funding closure, Secure Code has also announced two new appointments: the company’s chief customer officer Nanhi Singh will join its board of directors while Patrick Collins comes on as chief product and technology officer.

Singh has experience with project management and in customer-focused roles while Collins has headed up product and tech for the likes of Zip and Airtasker.

“I couldn’t be more thrilled to welcome Nanhi and Patrick, who will, undoubtedly, provide invaluable contributions in the months ahead,” Danhieux said.