Are you ready for some exciting news from the world of venture capital? Well, hold onto your seats because Ballistic Ventures, the brainchild of seasoned investor Ted Schlein, is gearing up to raise a whopping $100 million for its latest fund. If you’re not familiar with Ted Schlein, he’s the powerhouse known for his impressive track record at Kleiner Perkins. And now, he’s bringing his wealth of experience and expertise to fuel the growth of promising cybersecurity startups.
Picture this: in late 2021, Ballistic Ventures burst onto the scene with a mission to revolutionize the cybersecurity landscape. Fast forward to today, and they’re making waves once again with their ambitious fundraising goal. According to an exclusive scoop obtained by TechCrunch through a regulatory filing, this San Francisco-based VC firm is all set to shake up the industry.
Now, let’s dive into what sets Ballistic Ventures apart from the crowd. Unlike your run-of-the-mill investors, Ted Schlein and his team are not just money people – they’re true partners in their portfolio companies’ success stories. In a recent interview that left industry insiders buzzing with excitement, Schlein emphasized their hands-on approach. From snagging critical board seats to assisting with strategic hiring decisions and even paving the way for those all-important initial customers – these folks do it all.
“The Ballistic crew is very hands-on… talking to their portfolio founders many times a week.”
But wait, there’s more! What truly makes Ballistic Ventures a force to be reckoned with is their extensive network of contacts. Imagine having access to a goldmine of connections that can open doors and create opportunities like never before – that’s precisely what Schlein and his dream team bring to the table.
Speaking of teams, let’s talk about who makes up this powerhouse squad besides Ted Schlein. You’ve got Kevin Mandia, Barmak Meftah, Jake Seid, Roger Thornton – seasoned experts in their own right who collectively form an unstoppable force driving innovation in cybersecurity.
In a strategic move that solidified their commitment to excellence in security practices within their portfolio companies, Ballistic Ventures recently welcomed Gregory Crabb as Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)-in-residence. This key appointment came hot on the heels of David Hahn stepping into the role of CISO operating partner within the firm.
With 59 successful startup investments under its belt as per Crunchbase records and noteworthy exits already in its rearview mirror, such as GetReal Labs’ impressive Series A funding round totaling $17.5 million announced just last week; it’s safe to say that Ballistic Ventures is on an upward trajectory like never before.
“Venture funding in cybersecurity surged 43% year-over-year…”
And if you were wondering about how cybersecurity investments are faring overall on the funding front – well, here’s some food for thought: according to insights shared by Crunchbase News , venture funding in this sector witnessed a substantial 43% surge year-over-year reaching an impressive $11.6 billion mark in 2024 alone! While deal numbers saw a slight dip compared to previous years – indicating perhaps more strategic investments being made – it’s evident that confidence in this space remains high.
As speculation buzzes around regarding what innovative ventures will benefit from Ballistic Ventures’ fresh injection of capital; one thing remains certain – when Ted Schlein sets his sights on nurturing groundbreaking ideas within cybersecurity; big things are bound to happen!
In response to inquiries about their ongoing fundraising activities – crickets chirping could be heard from Team Ballistic as they opted not comment at this time – leaving everyone eagerly awaiting further developments on this intriguing story.
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