Agari is a cybersecurity company specializing in cloud-native email security solutions that use predictive AI, threat intelligence, and data science to protect enterprises from advanced email threats like business email compromise (BEC), spear phishing, and email identity deception.[1][2][3] Its products—such as Agari Phishing Defense, Phishing Response, Brand Protection, and Continuous Detection and Response—serve large organizations including Apple, Microsoft, and Google, analyzing billions of emails daily to restore trust in inboxes and prevent outbound spoofing.[1][3][4] Acquired by HelpSystems (now part of Fortra) in 2021 after raising $86.5M, Agari now operates under Fortra Email Security, offering integrated platforms for threat prevention, remediation, DMARC management, and human risk training.[2][4][6]
The company targets security-conscious sectors like banking, insurance, finance, government, healthcare, and tech, solving the problem of sophisticated attacks that bypass traditional filters by deceiving humans rather than systems.[1][3][4]
Founded in 2009 in Foster City, California (later headquartered in San Mateo), Agari emerged during a surge in phishing and socially-engineered attacks, focusing on securing both inbound and outbound email ecosystems.[2][3][5] The founders leveraged applied data science to address gaps in conventional email security, which relied on infrastructure reputation checks easily fooled by attackers impersonating trusted entities.[1] Early traction came from building the Agari Identity Graph—a high-performance database mapping relationships and behaviors across billions of messages—and the Agari SOC Network for shared cyber intelligence.[1][6]
Pivotal growth included protecting over 85% of U.S. email inboxes and 70% globally, culminating in its 2021 acquisition by HelpSystems, which expanded its reach under Fortra.[2][3][4]
Agari stands out in email security through its AI-driven, multi-layered approach that goes beyond traditional gateways:
Agari rides the explosive growth of AI-enhanced cybersecurity amid rising email-borne threats, where BEC alone causes billions in annual losses and legacy tools fail against adaptive social engineering.[1][4] Timing aligns with cloud migration and remote work amplifying inbox risks, plus regulations demanding robust DMARC and data protection in finance, healthcare, and government.[3][4] Market forces like escalating ransomware and supply chain attacks favor its shared-intelligence model, influencing the ecosystem by setting standards for post-delivery remediation and collaborative defense—elevating collective security beyond siloed solutions.[1][6]
Agari's integration into Fortra positions it for expanded AI innovations, like deeper human risk management and hybrid deployments, amid trends in zero-trust email and generative AI phishing defenses.[4] Evolving threats will drive demand for its SOC Network and continuous response, potentially growing influence through partnerships and global expansion.[1][6] As email remains the top attack vector, Agari exemplifies how predictive tech restores inbox trust, anchoring its role in resilient enterprise security.
Agari has raised $85.0M in total across 5 funding rounds.
Agari's investors include .406 Ventures, Eight Roads Ventures, F-Prime Capital Partners, Norwest Venture Partners, Scale Venture Partners, Vista Equity Partners, Calibrate Ventures, Dell Technologies Capital, Long Journey Ventures, Moment Ventures, Rocketship.vc, True Ventures.
Agari has raised $85.0M across 5 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $40.0M Series E in June 2018.
