Wiz and Google: Securing the Cloud

• Wiz sold to Google; Sequoia has backed founders since 2013.
  • Four co-founders: Assaf Rappaport, Yinon Costica, Roy Reznik, Ami Luttwak.
• All four founders are Israeli Unit 8200 cybersecurity veterans.
• Built Adallom → sold to Microsoft → led Microsoft Cloud Security 5 years.
• Launched Wiz in early 2020 with Sequoia + Cyberstarts as first backers.
• Hit $100M ARR in 18 months — fastest software company ever to do so.
  • Ops hack: product in Israeli hours, US/EU sales calls overnight.
• Leone draws parallel to Sequoia’s Google investment in 1999.

X discourse

• @danksterintel: “Google paid $32B for Wiz. Not for the tech. For the team. All Unit 8200 veterans now running Google Cloud security.” (2283 likes)
• @RihardJarc: “Google’s Sundar: These AI models will break all software, challenging cybersecurity companies.” (1507 likes)
• @borrowed_ideas: “Sundar Pichai revealed steelier side: AI core to Google’s search and cloud.” (660 likes)
• @LipBuTan1: “Delighted to expand Intel partnership with Google Cloud to IPUs for AI infrastructure.” (671 likes)
• @TimSweeneyEpic: “Google being real about open security with vetting tiers after years of pretextual claims.” (202 likes)
• @HarryStebbings: “$6.4M investment into Wiz returned 222x on $32BN exit to Google. Gili Iraanan one of the greatest investors.” (123 likes)

Doug Leone, Sequoia Capital (early Wiz backer via Gili Raanan) · 2025-03-18 · Read on sequoiacap.com