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AI Cybersecurity Startup Horizon3 Raises $250 Million At $2 Billion Valuation

Cybersecurity startup Horizon3 has raised $250 million in a Series E funding round, pushing its valuation to $2 billion as enterprises invest more heavily in AI-powered security amid a rapidly evolving threat landscape.

The round was led by existing investors NightDragon and NEA and comes just 14 months after the company’s previous valuation, reflecting growing demand for tools capable of continuously testing enterprise networks against increasingly sophisticated cyberattacks.

AI Is Changing Cybersecurity

Unlike traditional penetration testing, which is often carried out once or twice a year, Horizon3’s NodeZero platform continuously scans production environments without disrupting operations. The platform uses artificial intelligence to identify vulnerabilities across an organisation’s infrastructure, helping security teams detect weaknesses before attackers can exploit them.

The company says it has already completed more than 310,000 security assessments in live environments without causing operational downtime.

Growing Enterprise Demand

The funding follows a period of accelerating adoption as organisations reassess their cybersecurity strategies in response to the rapid expansion of generative AI. As AI lowers the barrier for creating new cyberattacks, businesses are increasingly looking for automated tools capable of testing systems at a much larger scale than traditional security assessments.

According to Horizon3, the company approached $100 million in annual recurring revenue last year while growing 120% year over year.

Expansion Plans

The new capital will support Horizon3’s international expansion, including recently announced operations in Amsterdam, Australia and Singapore, while allowing the company to continue investing in research and development.

Strategic investors now include Singapore’s EDBI, defence contractor SAIC and Qualcomm, reflecting growing interest in AI-driven cybersecurity across both commercial and government sectors.

A Fast-Growing Market

The investment also highlights continued momentum across the cybersecurity industry as organisations adapt to increasingly complex AI-enabled threats. Market researchers estimate the global cybersecurity sector was worth $271.9 billion in 2025 and could exceed $663 billion by 2033, driven by rising demand for automated security, threat detection and enterprise resilience.

Cyprus Loan Growth Accelerates To 14% In September

Lending in Cyprus accelerated in September, with the annual growth rate of total loans reaching 14%, up from 11.8% in August. Deposits also recorded a stronger monthly increase, according to the Central Bank of Cyprus (CBC).

Total deposits rose by a net €697.1 million to €60.2 billion at the end of September. Total loans increased by €857.8 million to €29.6 billion, according to the CBC’s October 2026 Monetary and Financial Statistics.

Deposit Growth Strengthens

Deposits recorded a monthly increase of €697.1 million, more than four times the €171.5 million rise in August. However, the annual growth rate remained unchanged at 6.5%.

Deposits held by Cyprus residents increased by €639.9 million. Household deposits rose by €93.8 million, while deposits held by non-financial corporations grew by €373 million. Other domestic sectors contributed a further €173.1 million.

Annual Loan Growth Reaches 14%

Total loans increased by a net €857.8 million in September, compared with €114.6 million in August. The annual growth rate accelerated to 14%, up from 11.8% a month earlier.

Lending to Cyprus residents rose by €470.8 million. Loans to households increased by €52.2 million, while lending to non-financial corporations grew by €110.1 million. Other domestic sectors recorded a larger increase of €308.5 million.

The figures cover deposits and loans held by monetary financial institutions in September 2026.

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