Loading organizations...
§ Private Profile · Boston, MA, USA
A cybersecurity platform providing zero-trust secure remote access to servers, Kubernetes, and databases, eliminating VPNs and bastion hosts.
Based in Boston, Massachusetts, BastionZero is a cybersecurity company that provides a zero-trust infrastructure access platform designed to secure remote connections to servers, Kubernetes clusters, applications, and databases across hybrid and cloud environments. The enterprise software-as-a-service platform utilizes advanced threshold cryptography to eliminate the need for traditional virtual private networks and static credentials, simplifying infrastructure management for engineering and information technology teams. Prior to its strategic exit, the startup operated with a team of 11 employees and secured $6 million in seed funding. The company's capitalization table included early investments from corporate venture arms such as Dell Technologies Capital, Akamai, and Digital Garage before the platform was acquired by Docker in May 2024. BastionZero was established following a pivot from an earlier blockchain venture and was founded in 2020 by Sharon Goldberg and Ethan Heilman.
BastionZero has raised $6.0M across 1 funding round.
BastionZero has raised $6.0M in total across 1 funding round.
BastionZero has raised $6.0M across 1 funding round. Most recently, it raised $6.0M Seed in March 2022.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 1, 2022 | $6M Seed | Dell Technologies Capital | 8VC, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Deepak Jeevan Kumar, Akamai Technologies, DG Daiwa Ventures | Announced |
BastionZero builds a zero trust infrastructure access platform that enables secure, passwordless remote access to servers, Kubernetes clusters, databases, and other targets across cloud or on-premise environments.[1][3][4] It serves engineering, DevOps, and security teams at organizations needing to replace VPNs, bastion hosts, and manual SSH key management with policy-controlled, audited access via SSO and MFA, solving risks from credential storage and single points of compromise.[2][4][6] Founded in 2020 and headquartered in Boston, the company raised $6M in seed funding before being acquired by Cloudflare in May 2024, where its technology is being integrated into Cloudflare One as "Access for Infrastructure" to expand SASE capabilities.[1][3][6]
This acquisition accelerates BastionZero's growth momentum, shifting from standalone SaaS to a core component of Cloudflare's global network, serving millions of users while maintaining legacy support for existing customers.[3][6]
BastionZero emerged as a "pandemic baby" in 2020, founded by Sharon Goldberg (CEO) and Ethan Heilman amid COVID-driven remote work shifts.[5] Initially a blockchain startup focused on secure Bitcoin transactions using self-custody and ephemeral keys, the team pivoted in April 2020 to infrastructure cybersecurity after recognizing parallels in zero trust principles—like key-splitting and no centralized credentials—for server access.[1][5]
They began building in August 2020, leveraging Goldberg's cryptography expertise and Heilman's technical background, with early advisor input from figures like Mike Milano (ex-CTO at Cisco, SVP at iboss), who joined full-time.[5] Pivotal traction came in late 2021 as engineering teams scaled post-hiring freezes, demanding easier onboarding without SSH keys or IAM sprawl; demos highlighted autodiscovery, SSO integration, and logging, securing seed funding and rapid adoption.[1][5]
BastionZero stands out in zero trust access through cryptographic innovations and seamless deployment:
Post-acquisition, these integrate into Cloudflare's SASE for broader scale.[6]
BastionZero rides the zero trust revolution, accelerated by remote/hybrid work, cloud sprawl, and breaches exposing legacy access flaws like shared SSH keys.[5][6] Timing aligns with SASE maturation—post-2020, firms consolidate VPN replacements amid regulations demanding audited, least-privilege access.[1][4]
Market tailwinds include exploding infrastructure complexity (multi-cloud, Kubernetes) and talent shortages for manual security, favoring passwordless automation.[2][5] By joining Cloudflare, BastionZero influences the ecosystem, embedding infrastructure controls into enterprise SASE, reducing silos, and pushing competitors like Teleport toward similar integrations.[1][6]
BastionZero's Cloudflare integration positions it to dominate infrastructure ZTNA within the world's largest SASE network, scaling to protect critical assets for hybrid IT.[3][6] Expect native rebuilds emphasizing seamless SSE/SASE policy unification, expanded Kubernetes/database support, and OpenPubkey adoption for phishing-resistant auth.[3]
Shaping trends—AI-driven threats, edge computing, and regulated industries—will amplify demand; BastionZero could evolve influence by standardizing cryptographic access, reducing breach surfaces globally, tying back to its origins in resilient, decentralized security.[5][6]
BastionZero has raised $6.0M in total across 1 funding round.
BastionZero's investors include Dell Technologies Capital, 8VC, Lightspeed Venture Partners, Sapphire Ventures, Deepak Jeevan Kumar, Akamai Technologies, DG Daiwa Ventures.