Virginia-based cybersecurity company Tidal Cyber, a pioneer in Threat-Led Defense, has raised $10 million in Series A funding, signaling a major step forward in the fight against evolving cyber threats. The funding round was led by Bright Pixel Capital, with participation from existing investors, and will fuel product innovation, platform expansion, and company growth.
With the investment, Tidal Cyber aims to accelerate its mission of helping organizations measure and improve the effectiveness of their security stack against real-world adversary behavior, moving beyond traditional compliance-driven models.
Tidal Cyber’s Founders: Cybersecurity Veterans with MITRE Legacy
Tidal Cyber was co-founded by three former MITRE experts—Rick Gordon, Richard Struse, and Frank Duff—each with over 25 years of experience in defensive security, cyber operations, and startup innovation.
Rick Gordon, CEO & Co-Founder
Rick Gordon brings decades of expertise from MITRE, where he was instrumental in scaling initiatives such as the Center for Threat-Informed Defense, ATT&CK® Evaluations, and MITRE ATT&CK Defender (MAD) Training. He was also the Founding Managing Partner of MACH37 Cyber Accelerator, where he helped launch notable cybersecurity companies including Huntress, Adlumin, and Black Kite. His career also spans leadership roles as COO of Lookingglass Cyber Solutions, an investment banker at Bear Stearns, and a U.S. Navy submarine officer.
Richard Struse, CTO & Co-Founder
Richard Struse is a globally recognized cybersecurity innovator and the co-founder of MITRE’s Center for Threat-Informed Defense. He is best known for creating the STIX and TAXII standards for threat intelligence sharing, widely adopted across the cybersecurity ecosystem. Struse also served as CTO of the Department of Homeland Security’s National Cybersecurity and Communications Integration Center and co-founded the cybersecurity startup VOXEM, Inc.
Frank Duff, Chief Innovation Officer & Co-Founder
Frank Duff is the founder of MITRE’s ATT&CK® Evaluations program, where he played a critical role in advancing adversary emulation, purple teaming, and cyber defense for U.S. government agencies. He is a recognized leader in threat-informed defense and has spearheaded efforts to accelerate public-private technology adoption across cybersecurity.
Threat-Led Defense: A New Approach to Cybersecurity
Tidal Cyber is building a comprehensive CTI (Cyber Threat Intelligence) and adversary behavior-driven platform that redefines how organizations approach security strategy. By operationalizing MITRE ATT&CK®, the company enables enterprises to transition from compliance checklists and vulnerability counts to a proactive, threat-led defense model.
As Rick Gordon, CEO of Tidal Cyber, emphasized:
“We see strong traction and a need for threat-led defense as more organizations move beyond assumptions, CVE-counting, and checkbox compliance. Tidal Cyber flips the security model putting real adversary behavior at the center of defense to enable a proactive, continuous, threat-led defense.”
This approach has resonated with investors, who view Tidal Cyber as a category-defining platform. Marcos Osório, Investment Director at Bright Pixel Capital, stated:
“Tidal Cyber brings a new level of clarity and precision to security strategy by focusing on adversary behavior and how they operate. Their platform exposes true coverage exposures and helps organizations defend against the threats that really matter. We’re proud to support their growth as they scale their product and bring Threat-Led Defense to the forefront of cybersecurity.”
Investor Backing and Strategic Support
The Series A round was led by Bright Pixel Capital, the technology investment arm of multinational group Sonae, known for its deep expertise across cybersecurity, infrastructure software, and emerging technologies.
Existing investors that have backed Tidal Cyber include:
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USAA
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Squadra Ventures
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Capital One Ventures
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Veteran Ventures Capital
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Task Force X
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Ultratech Capital Partners
This strong investment ecosystem not only provides capital but also strategic industry reach to help Tidal Cyber scale globally and accelerate adoption of its platform.
Shaping the Future of Cyber Defense
Tidal Cyber’s vision is to make Threat-Led Defense the standard for organizations worldwide, replacing reactive models with proactive, adversary-focused strategies. By integrating real-world threat intelligence with continuous defense validation, the company empowers enterprises to demonstrate measurable value from their cybersecurity investments.
As cyber threats evolve with the rise of AI-driven attacks, ransomware, and state-sponsored campaigns, Tidal Cyber is positioning itself as a critical defense partner for enterprises, governments, and critical infrastructure providers.
Conclusion
With $10 million in Series A funding, Tidal Cyber is doubling down on its mission to revolutionize how organizations defend against modern adversaries. By leveraging the expertise of its MITRE-rooted founders and the backing of leading cybersecurity investors, the company is set to play a pivotal role in shaping the future of proactive cyber defense