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SafeDK has raised $8.3M across 3 funding rounds.
Key people at SafeDK.
SafeDK has raised $8.3M in total across 3 funding rounds.
SafeDK provides an SDK management and marketplace solution for mobile developers and enterprises. Its core product enhances application security and stability by monitoring and controlling third-party SDKs embedded in apps. This infrastructure platform manages complexities and mitigates risks from external code, improving overall mobile app quality and performance.
Co-founded in 2014 by Ronnie Sternberg and Orly Shoavi in Herzliya, Israel, SafeDK addressed a critical mobile development challenge. They observed increasing reliance on external software development kits created vulnerabilities and performance issues. This insight drove creation of a specialized platform, offering crucial visibility and control over these integrations.
SafeDK serves mobile developers and enterprises building secure, reliable applications. Its mission fosters a dependable ecosystem where developers confidently integrate third-party tools while upholding high security and user experience. It envisions empowering mobile businesses to expertly navigate SDK dependencies, consistently delivering resilient, high-quality applications.
SafeDK has raised $8.3M across 3 funding rounds. Most recently, it raised $4.0M Series A in November 2016.
| Date | Round | Lead Investors | Other Investors | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2016 | $4M Series A | — | Cyberstarts VC, StageOne Ventures, Leon Waisbein, Marius Nacht, Kaedan Capital, Samsung Next | Announced |
| Nov 20, 2015 | $2.3M Venture Round | — | Eddy Shalev, Marius Nacht, Kaedan Capital, StageOne Ventures | Announced |
| Nov 1, 2014 | $2M Seed | — | StageOne Ventures | Announced |
SafeDK has raised $8.3M in total across 3 funding rounds.
SafeDK's investors include Cyberstarts VC, StageOne Ventures, Leon Waisbein, Marius Nacht, Kaedan Capital, Samsung Next, Eddy Shalev.
Key people at SafeDK.
SafeDK was a technology company that built SDK management and marketplace solutions for mobile app developers and enterprises, focusing on security and control over third-party software development kits (SDKs).[1][2][4] It offered an In-App Protection tool that sandboxed SDKs to monitor activities, protect sensitive data, and provide real-time remote control—allowing developers to disable SDKs or permissions instantly without app updates—alongside a certified SDK repository for safe selection.[1][2] Targeting app publishers facing risks like privacy breaches, crashes, and performance issues from untested SDKs, SafeDK raised $5.75M and was acquired by AppLovin in July 2019, addressing a critical gap in mobile app security amid SDK proliferation.[1][3]
Founded in 2014 in Herzliya, Israel, SafeDK emerged from the growing complexity of mobile apps relying on multiple third-party SDKs for features like advertising, analytics, and social integration, which often introduced unvetted risks.[1][2][4] Co-founders Orly Shoavi (CEO, passionate about mobile tech and entrepreneurship) and Ronnie Sternberg (VP Business) identified the need for transparency and control, launching with backing from investors including StageOne Ventures, Samsung NEXT, Kaedan Capital, and Marius Nacht.[1][4] Early traction included a $3.5M funding round in 2016 and innovative marketing like quarterly SDK benchmark reports, culminating in the 2019 AppLovin acquisition after proving market fit through demand-gen and content strategies.[3][5]
SafeDK rode the SDK explosion in mobile apps—where apps integrate dozens of third-party kits for speed but face rising cybersecurity threats like data leaks and crashes—pioneering management at a time when insufficient testing was rampant.[1][2][4] Its timing aligned with post-2014 mobile growth and privacy regulations, empowering developers amid ad-tech dominance and enabling safer monetization.[3] By acquiring SafeDK, AppLovin integrated these tools into its ecosystem, influencing app publisher standards; SafeDK's benchmarks and education efforts shaped industry awareness of SDK risks, paving the way for modern devsecops in mobile.[2][3][6]
Post-2019 acquisition, SafeDK's tech lives on within AppLovin, likely enhancing its mobile ad and app platforms with advanced SDK oversight amid evolving threats like AI-driven SDKs and stricter privacy laws (e.g., evolving GDPR/Apple rules).[1][6] Trends like zero-trust mobile security and edge computing will amplify its legacy, potentially expanding to cross-platform (e.g., web, IoT) controls. As AppLovin scales, SafeDK's influence could evolve into broader ecosystem standards, giving developers enduring power over the "SDK-fueled world"—echoing its founding mission to restore control.[2]
