Invary

High-Level Overview

Invary is a cybersecurity startup founded in 2019 that builds runtime integrity solutions for operating systems, specializing in kernel-level threat detection and integrity validation to combat ransomware, data breaches, and zero-day attacks.[1][2][4] It serves commercial enterprises, government agencies (including DoD and IC), cloud providers, HPC/AI workloads, and confidential computing environments, solving the problem of hidden threats that bypass traditional security tools by continuously monitoring system behavior at the kernel level without performance impact.[1][2][4] With $5.35M raised in seed funding (latest $3.5M round four months ago as of search data), Invary shows strong growth momentum, including partnerships like Vibrint for federal zero trust tech and an NSA-licensed IP for high-assurance deployments.[1][3]

Origin Story

Invary emerged in 2019 from Lawrence, Kansas, founded by a team of security researchers, operators, and technology experts backed by federal and university partners, particularly the University of Kansas.[1][3] The core technology stems from an exclusive IP license from the NSA's Laboratory for Advanced Cybersecurity Research, with ongoing research collaboration to stay ahead of evolving threats through industry-government-university ties.[3][4] Early traction built on this NSA foundation, enabling patented, NSA-licensed kernel integrity measurement for runtime monitoring, which has since expanded to deployments in air-gapped, cloud, IoT, and endpoint scenarios, culminating in recent federal partnerships and funding to scale zero trust solutions.[1][2]

Core Differentiators

• NSA-Licensed Kernel-Level Tech: Exclusive IP from NSA's LABCR for real-time runtime integrity measurement, detecting kernel rootkits, anomalies, and threats overlooked by endpoint detection tools, with continuous baseline comparison and attestation.[2][3][4]
• Zero Trust at the Core: Extends zero trust below the OS to validate hardware/OS integrity, supporting remote attestation, hardware isolation, and air-gapped/on-prem deployments without performance disruption.[1][2][4]
• Versatile Deployment Models: On-prem or SaaS for AI/HPC, cloud native, IoT, confidential computing (e.g., AMD SEV-SNP TEEs), and multi-tenant environments, with custom kernel support for Linux/Android.[2][4]
• Elite Advisory Network: Backed by NSA retirees (e.g., Peter Loscocco, Patricia Muoio), CIA execs, Microsoft vets, and KU professors, providing deep expertise in trusted systems and public-sector scaling.[3]
• Proven in High-Stakes Use: Deployed in DoD/IC for mission-critical systems, with partnerships like Vibrint for federal resilience, emphasizing compliance, incident response, and cost reduction.[1][2]

Role in the Broader Tech Landscape

Invary rides the surging demand for kernel-level runtime security amid rising zero-day exploits, ransomware, and AI-driven threats that evade signature-based tools, aligning with the maturation of zero trust architectures mandated for federal systems.[1][2][4] Timing is ideal as confidential computing (e.g., TEEs) and HPC/AI workloads proliferate, requiring integrity verification to protect data in multi-tenant clouds and air-gapped defense environments, while market forces like NIST compliance and supply chain attacks (e.g., SolarWinds) amplify need for foundational OS protection.[2][4] By licensing NSA tech and partnering with integrators like Vibrint, Invary influences the ecosystem, enabling hyperscalers and agencies to build trustworthy infrastructure, reducing breach costs, and setting standards for runtime attestation in an era of pervasive compromise assumptions.[1][3]

Quick Take & Future Outlook

Invary is poised to capture share in the $100B+ cybersecurity market by embedding its runtime integrity into zero trust stacks for AI, edge, and sovereign clouds, with next steps likely including Series A funding, broader commercial pilots, and TEE integrations amid escalating nation-state threats.[1][2] Trends like confidential computing mandates and kernel vulnerability disclosures will propel adoption, potentially evolving Invary into a core enabler for resilient infrastructure, much like how its NSA roots humanize and fortify the fight against unseen compromises at the OS core.[3][4]