{{Short description|Israeli network security company}} {{Use mdy dates|date=March 2022}} {{Infobox company | name = Cato Networks Ltd. | logo = Cato_Networks_company_logo.png | logo_size = 150px | type = Private | traded_as = | ISIN = | founded = {{start date and age|2015}} | founders = Shlomo Kramer<br/>Gur Shatz | location = Tel Aviv, Israel | key_people = Shlomo Kramer, CEO<ref name="fierce1">{{cite news|url= https://www.fiercetelecom.com/telecom/industry-voices-chua-cato-networks-goes-from-dark-horse-to-1b-unicorn |title=Industry Voices—Chua: Cato Networks goes from dark horse to $1B unicorn|website=Fierce Telecom |date=November 17, 2020 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> | industry = Computer networking | subsidiaries = | products = Secure Access Service Edge | production = | revenue = | operating_income = | net_income = | assets = | equity = | num_employees = 1100 (2024) | website = {{URL|https://catonetworks.com}} }}
'''Cato Networks Ltd.''' is a Tel Aviv, Israel-based network security company that develops Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) technology, which combines enterprise communication and security capabilities into a single cloud-based platform.<ref name="fierce1"/> The company was founded in 2015.<ref name="fortune1">{{cite news|url=https://fortune.com/2016/02/10/check-point-co-founder-cybersecurity-startup/|title=Can Check Point Founder Strike Again? |website=Fortune |date=February 10, 2016 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> After an October 2021 funding round, the company was a tech unicorn valued at $2.5 billion.<ref name="ctech1">{{cite news|url=https://www.calcalistech.com/ctech/articles/0,7340,L-3920555,00.html |title=Shlomo Kramer's Cato Networks hits $2.5 billion valuation in $200 million round|website=CTech |date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
==History== Cato Networks was founded in 2015 in Tel Aviv, Israel, by Shlomo Kramer, co-founder of Checkpoint and Imperva, and Gur Shatz, a co-founder of networking company Incapsula.<ref name="fortune1"/><ref name="eweek1">{{cite news|url=https://www.eweek.com/security/cato-networks-cloud-security-as-a-service-platform-debuts/|title=Cato Networks' Cloud Security-as-a-Service Platform Debuts |website=eWeek |date=February 9, 2016 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> Cato was initially funded with a $20 million Series A from U.S. Venture Partners and Aspect Ventures.<ref name="network1">{{cite news|url= https://www.networkworld.com/article/3034925/cato-networks-puts-network-security-in-the-cloud.html|title=Cato Networks puts network security in the cloud |website=Network World |date=February 18, 2016 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> Kramer became CEO, and Shatz became president and COO.<ref name="fierce1"/> It secured a Series B round of $50 million in September.<ref name="fierce1"/> The company officially launched in February 2016.<ref name="network3">{{cite news|url= https://www.networkworld.com/article/3091044/cato-networks-offers-a-new-model-for-network-security-as-a-service.html|title=Cato Networks offers a new model for network security as a service |website=Network World |date=July 1, 2016 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> Its first products were designed to protect customers' wide area network (WAN) connections and mobile devices with next-generation firewalling, URL filtering, application control, VPN access, and more services.<ref name="network1" />
In June 2018, the company added threat hunting capabilities to its networking service.<ref name="network2">{{cite news|url= https://www.networkworld.com/article/3276319/cato-networks-adds-threat-hunting-to-its-network-as-a-service.html|title=Cato Networks adds threat hunting to its Network as a Service |website=Network World |date=June 4, 2018 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> In 2019, the company secured a $55 million Series C funding round.<ref name="crn1">{{cite news|url= https://www.crn.com/news/networking/cato-networks-takes-aim-at-cisco-palo-alto-networks-for-sase-dominance-with-200m-funding-round|title=Cato Networks Takes Aim At Cisco, Palo Alto Networks For SASE Dominance With $200M Funding Round |website=CRN |date=October 19, 2021 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref> In April 2020, the company raised $77 million in a Series D.<ref name="fierce1" /> In November, the company announced a $130 million Series E funding round, led by return investors Lightspeed Partners, with participation from Greylock Partners, U.S. Venture Partners, Aspect Capital, Singaporean fund Singtel's subsidiary Innov8, and hedge fund Coatue Management.<ref name="haaretz1">{{cite news|url= https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/tech-news/2020-11-17/ty-article/.premium/another-israeli-unicorn-is-born-cyber-company-cato-networks-raises-130-million/0000017f-e1da-d804-ad7f-f1fa0abf0000 |title=Another Israeli Unicorn Is Born: Cyber Company Cato Networks Raises $130 Million |website=Haaretz |date=November 17, 2020 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}{{subscription required|date=February 2022}}</ref> The investment reportedly valued the company at over $1 billion, making it a tech unicorn.<ref name="haaretz1" />
In June 2021, the company launched a new version of its managed detection and response (MDR) platform, used to detect security threats on its network.<ref name="sdx2">{{cite news|url=https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/cato-pushes-mdr-into-sase-play/2021/06/ |title=Cato Pushes MDR Into SASE Play|website=SDX Central |date=June 22, 2021 |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref> In October, the company announced it had raised $200 million at a $2.5 billion valuation.<ref name="crn1" /> The round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners with the participation of existing investors Greylock, Acrew Capital, Coatue, Singtel Innov8, and CEO Kramer.<ref name="crn1" /> In February 2022, the company added cloud access security broker (CASB) capabilities to protect cloud applications.<ref name="light2">{{cite news|url=https://www.lightreading.com/security/cato-clips-in-casb-security-to-sase-service/d/d-id/775001 |title=Cato clips in CASB security to SASE service|website=Light Reading|date=February 2, 2022 |access-date=March 16, 2022}}</ref>
In September 2025, Cato Networks announced its first-ever M&A deal with the acquisition of Aim Security, an AI security startup based in Israel, in order to expand into the rapidly growing AI security segment.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Lennon |first=Mike |title=Cato Networks Acquires AI Security Firm Aim Security |url=https://www.securityweek.com/cato-networks-acquires-ai-security-firm-aim-security/ |website=SecurityWeek |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Alspach |first=Kyle |title=Cato Networks Expands Into AI Security With First-Ever Startup Acquisition |url=https://www.crn.com/news/security/2025/cato-networks-expands-into-ai-security-with-first-ever-startup-acquisition |website=CRN |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref> Included in this announcement were two other recent developments: that it had crossed the $300 million Annual Recurring Revenue (ARR) threshold; and that it had raised another $50 million in its Series G round, bringing the total to $409 million at an estimated valuation of over $4.8 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Scheer |first=Steven |title=Israel's Cato Networks buys Aim Security, raises another $50 million |url=https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/israels-cato-networks-buys-aim-security-raises-another-50-million-2025-09-03/ |website=Reuters |date=2025-09-03 |access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref>
==Products== Cato Networks develops a Secure Access Service Edge (SASE) platform, which combines SD-WAN, managed security service and global backbone services into a cloud-based service offering.<ref name="sdx1">{{cite news|url= https://www.sdxcentral.com/articles/news/cato-claims-unicorn-status-in-wake-of-130m-funding-round/2020/11/ |title=Cato Claims Unicorn Status in Wake of $130M Funding Round|website=SDX Central |date=November 17, 2020 |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref> Its products are designed to help IT staff manage network security for distributed workforces accessing resources across the wide area networks (WANs), cloud and Internet that connects them.<ref name="sdx1"/><ref name="tech1">{{cite news|url=https://techcrunch.com/2020/11/17/cato-network-snags-130m-series-e-on-1b-valuation-as-cloud-wide-area-networking-thrives/ |title=Cato Network snags $130M Series E on $1B valuation as cloud wide area networking thrives|website=TechCrunch |date=November 17, 2020 |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref> The company's Cato SASE Cloud platform supports more than 73 points of presence in over 150 countries.<ref name="light1">{{cite news|url=https://www.lightreading.com/sd-wan/as-cato-plans-for-ipo-company-to-grow-headcount-by-40/d/d-id/775511 |title=As Cato plans for IPO, company to grow headcount by 40%|website=Light Reading|date=February 23, 2022 |access-date=March 17, 2022}}</ref>
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Official website|https://catonetworks.com/}}
Category:Computer security companies Category:Computer security software companies Category:Software companies established in 2015 Category:Israeli brands Category:Software companies of Israel Category:Companies based in Tel Aviv Category:2015 establishments in Israel